My Holiday Porter, Your Opinions

**Gremlyn** · 09-24-2009, 06:35 AM

Code:

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.00 gal      
Boil Size: 6.10 gal
Estimated OG: 1.068 SG
Estimated Color: 36.7 SRM
Estimated IBU: 28.5 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount        Item                                      Type         % or IBU      
10.00 lb      Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM)          Grain        81.63 %       
0.75 lb       Chocolate Malt (450.0 SRM)                Grain        6.12 %        
0.50 lb       Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM)     Grain        4.08 %        
0.50 lb       Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM)                    Grain        4.08 %        
0.25 lb       Barley, Flaked (1.7 SRM)                  Grain        2.04 %        
0.25 lb       Black (Patent) Malt (500.0 SRM)           Grain        2.04 %        
1.75 oz       Williamette [4.80 %]  (60 min)            Hops         27.0 IBU      
0.50 oz       Williamette [4.80 %]  (5 min)             Hops         1.5 IBU       
1 Pkgs        Burton Ale (White Labs #WLP023)           Yeast-Ale                  


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Full Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 12.25 lb
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Full Body, Batch Sparge
Step Time     Name               Description                         Step Temp     
60 min        Mash In            Add 3.80 gal of water at 167.2 F    155.0 F       

Notes:
------
2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ginger, 1 tsp allspice @ 3min

Oldsock · 09-24-2009, 02:15 PM

Looks pretty tasty to me. I would probably back down on the spices (~50%) you can always add more if you taste it and want more (taking spices out is considerably more difficult).

I would also up the chocolate malt to .5 lbs, as it is you will have a pretty low roast porter (which is fine if that is what you are aiming for).

Good luck.

**Gremlyn** · 09-24-2009, 04:12 PM

Thanks for the tips. I've not used spices before and am basing those amounts off of a recipe for The Pol's Holiday Ale.

As for the roasty flavour, I was thinking the MO might bring that up a little more, though I don't see any problems bumping it up. I'd likely back down on the black patent by maybe 1/2 if I do to keep the colour from going off the charts. Personally, the roastier, the better!

Oldsock · 09-24-2009, 04:22 PM

Spices depend a lot on quality and freshness. I actually like using a spice tea at bottling in beers that I want to taste the spices distinctly. Going through the boil and fermentation tends to integrate their flavor (which I like for subtle spice in Belgian beers).

MO will give you bready, maybe toasty, but it won't do much for the classic porter flavors of chocolate, coffee, light char etc...

SRM calculators can be a bit wonky, some color is lost to the pale grains. I did 0.50 lbs. Chocolate Malt and 0.34 lbs. Black Patent Malt in a 3.25 gallon batch of 1.071 porter and thought it was just about right. That said again if you are looking for something paler and less roasty it would still be a porter.

**Gremlyn** · 09-24-2009, 06:56 PM

I'm just a little nervous to bump the BP... I've not used it before and would like to err on the side of cuation. Similar to your point about spices, if I add too much I can't take it out (also not like I can add more BP either, but still). I'll definitely bump the chocolate, maybe up 0.75 lbs.

I'm planning on using the ground spices from the generic spice pots, nothing fresh this time around.

**Gremlyn** · 09-24-2009, 11:34 PM

OK, anyone else have any suggestions before I go ahead and order this one?

**Gremlyn** · 09-25-2009, 06:53 AM

Updated the recipe:

Code:

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.00 gal      
Boil Size: 6.10 gal
Estimated OG: 1.068 SG
Estimated Color: 36.7 SRM
Estimated IBU: 28.5 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount        Item                                      Type         % or IBU      
10.00 lb      Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM)          Grain        81.63 %       
0.75 lb       Chocolate Malt (450.0 SRM)                Grain        6.12 %        
0.50 lb       Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM)     Grain        4.08 %        
0.50 lb       Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM)                    Grain        4.08 %        
0.25 lb       Barley, Flaked (1.7 SRM)                  Grain        2.04 %        
0.25 lb       Black (Patent) Malt (500.0 SRM)           Grain        2.04 %        
1.75 oz       Williamette [4.80 %]  (60 min)            Hops         27.0 IBU      
0.50 oz       Williamette [4.80 %]  (5 min)             Hops         1.5 IBU       
1 Pkgs        Burton Ale (White Labs #WLP023)           Yeast-Ale                  


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Full Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 12.25 lb
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Full Body, Batch Sparge
Step Time     Name               Description                         Step Temp     
60 min        Mash In            Add 3.80 gal of water at 167.2 F    155.0 F       

Notes:
------
2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ginger, 1 tsp allspice @ 3min

**motobrewer** · 10-15-2009, 02:47 AM

how hard would this be to convert to an extract version?

**Gremlyn** · 10-15-2009, 03:28 AM

You'd have to do a minimash at least because of the oats and flaked barley. You could for-go them, but I think you'd sacrifice a lot of the body and mouthfeel that should make this beer great on a cold evening.

ThreeTaps · 10-22-2009, 06:12 AM

Can't wait to see how this one tastes. I'm a big fan of porters now, because of your advice.

On a side note, my Oatmeal Stout turned out pretty good.