Bourbon Vanilla Porter

**Lil' Sparky** · 05-02-2006, 02:30 PM

So I bottled my vanilla porter last night and for the last 2 gallons I added a few oz of Makers Mark. Tasted Great!

I think some people would like a little stronger bourbon taste, but I'm not much of a whiskey drinker so I went a little light. The flavor still really came through.

I can't wait to open a bottle in 4 weeks, well maybe 3, ok 2 weeks!

It was 8% abv before I added the MM, so I'll have to be careful with it!

If you haven't made this one before, I highly recommend it. It's great, even without the bourbon.

Cheers!

sonvolt · 05-02-2006, 03:00 PM

Holy Cow! There is quite the discussion of this recipe at http://forum.northernbrewer.com/viewtopic.php?t=22693&postdays=0&postorder=asc&sta rt=0

It sounds like a good beer, and I think that I will brew it soon to give it ample time to condition. Also, the recipe I've found calls for 10ml Bourbon per pint. Anyone know how this translates to a five gallon batch? I am a horrible mathmetician . . .

Did you use this recipe?

Quote:

Recipe : Bourbon Vanilla Imperial Porter

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (GAL): 5.00 Wort Size (GAL): 5.00
Total Grain (LBS): 17.00
Anticipated OG: 1.087 Plato: 20.9
Anticipated SRM: 33.4
Anticipated IBU: 34.4
Brewhouse Efficiency: 73 %
Wort Boil Time: 75 Minutes

Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
64.7 11.00 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row) America 1.036 2
8.8 1.50 lbs. Brown Malt Great Britain 1.032 70
14.7 2.50 lbs. Munich Malt(2-row) America 1.035 10
5.9 1.00 lbs. Crystal 120L America 1.034 120
2.9 0.50 lbs. Crystal 40L America 1.034 40
2.9 0.50 lbs. Chocolate Malt America 1.029 350

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.

Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.80 oz. Magnum Whole 14.60 32.0 60 min.
0.50 oz. Goldings - E.K. Whole 4.75 2.4 10 min.

Extras

Amount Name Type Time
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.00 Tsp Irish Moss Fining 15 Min.(boil)

Yeast
-----

WYeast 1056 Amercan Ale/Chico

Mash Schedule
-------------

Mash Name :
WYeast 1056 Amercan Ale/Chico

Total Grain LBS : 17.00
Grain Temp : 63.00 F
Total Water QTS : 23.00 - Before Additional Infusions
Total Water GAL : 5.75
Tun Thermal Mass : 0.00

Step Rest Start Stop Direct/ Infuse Infuse Infuse
Step Name Time Time Temp Temp Infuse Temp Amount Ratio
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
sacc 0 60 154 154 Infuse 167 23.00 1.35

Total Water QTS : 23.00 - After Additional Infusions
Total Water GAL : 5.75 - After Additional Infusions

All temperature measurements are degrees Fahrenheit.
All infusion amounts are in quarts.

Notes
-----

After primary, slit open 2 vanilla beans. Scrape the insides, chop the pods into quarters, add to secondary fermenter, rack beer onto vanilla. Taste periodically for the correct balance. I left the beer in secondary for 11 days. Rack to bottling bucket and add 10 ml. per pint of Jim Beam Black Bourbon (or to your taste). Bottle, enjoy!

**Lil' Sparky** · 05-02-2006, 03:15 PM

That's it to a T. I threw in the whole oz of goldings, though. You have to sparge a lot of wort and do a longer boil if you want all the goodies, but I did one batch with just 6.5-7 gal and boiled for an hour and it turned out fine, just not as high OG.

BTW - 10 ml / pint works out to about 2.5 oz / gal, so 12.5 oz for 5 gal. I only used 3 oz for the 2 gal I added it to. That was enough for my taste, but I'm sure others would like more.

**Lil' Sparky** · 05-02-2006, 03:19 PM

I should add that it's not a cheap recipe. You're looking at about $45 for the ingredients. That won't stop me from brewing it again. I can guarantee that!

HomerT · 05-02-2006, 03:44 PM

Anyone have an extract version of this little gem?

SteveM · 05-02-2006, 05:16 PM

It could probably be improvised easily enough.

I have about a half a fifth of Ten High or some such swill gathering dust in my liquor cabinet - I am thinking of making a Bourbon Ale some time in the near future. Anyone know how critical the quality of the bourbon is in something like this? If I have to spring for a pint of Maker's Mark I might call off the whole thing!

Cheesefood · 05-02-2006, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveM

It could probably be improvised easily enough.

I have about a half a fifth of Ten High or some such swill gathering dust in my liquor cabinet - I am thinking of making a Bourbon Ale some time in the near future. Anyone know how critical the quality of the bourbon is in something like this? If I have to spring for a pint of Maker's Mark I might call off the whole thing!

Buy an airliner bottle of Maker's.

I'm a bourbon fan, so to me there's a big difference between a quality bourbon like Maker's and swill (no offense) like Ten High. While I cringe when I see someone put Maker's in Coke, I understand completely when you Coke up your Ten High.

Your beer will only taste as good as your worse ingredient. Always remember that. If you don't like your bourbon, you won't like your beer with that bourbon in it.

By the way, Makers is my fave. If you decide to buy it and only use a shot, send me the rest!

HomerT · 05-08-2006, 09:08 PM

How does this look as a crack at a "partial Mash"....

Recipe: Bourbon Vanilla Imperial Porter
Brewer:
Asst Brewer:
Style: Baltic Porter
TYPE: Partial Mash
Taste: (35.0)
Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Boil Size: 2.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.085 SG
Estimated Color: 45.4 SRM
Estimated IBU: 46.7 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.0 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes
Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
6.61 lb Pale Liquid Extract (8.0 SRM) Extract 46.8 %
2.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 14.2 %
1.75 lb Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 12.4 %
1.50 lb Brown Malt (65.0 SRM) Grain 10.6 %
1.25 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 8.9 %
1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM) Grain 7.1 %
1.25 oz Magnum [14.60%] (60 min) Hops 45.0 IBU
0.75 oz Goldings, East Kent [4.80%] (10 min) Hops 1.8 IBU
1.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
2.00 items Vanilla Bean (Secondary 14.0 days) Misc
13.50 oz Bourbon (Bottling 7.0 days) Misc
1 Pkgs American Ale (Wyeast Labs #1056) [Starter Yeast-Ale

Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 7.50 lb
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temp Step Time
Mash In Add 10.15 qt of water at 165.0 F 154.0 F 60 min