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nl724 · 03-13-2008, 08:12 PM

I am looking to make a robust/baltic porter. I don't want chocolate to dominate the flavor. I would like it to be toasty, roasty, creamy, smooth, and semi-sweet. I would also like to add hints of molasses, but I am not sure on the quantity. Here is what I have so far:

Batch size: 5 gal

8# 2 Row
1# Munich
8oz Crystal 60
8oz Crystal 90
8oz Flaked Barley
6oz Biscuit
6oz Chocolate
3oz Roasted Barley
2oz Crystal 120
2oz Special B

1/4 cup? molasses

Also I am not set on a hopping schedule either...any suggestion would be appreciated. I am not going for a hoppy tasting hoppy smelling beer.

nl724 · 03-13-2008, 09:13 PM

must be a bad recipe or no one likes porters...

kaptain_karma · 03-13-2008, 09:25 PM

Your recipe seems a bit overly complex. I'd pick one type of crystal and stick with that. I'd also up the chocolate malt a bit, especially since you have very little roast barley and no black patent. I've never really used molasses, so I can't speak to that, but I'd reccommend leaving it out until you brew a simple recipe you like. Once you have a simple base recipe you know works, you can start adding other ingredients. As far as hops, I use simcoe (bittering) and perle (flavor and aroma). The simcoe bitterness really blends well with the roasty flavors and balances maltiness without being overpowering.

Jayfro21 · 03-13-2008, 10:26 PM

Another suggestion for keeping it simple. Maybe 80% 2-row with some 10% chocolate and 5-7% crystal (only one type, maybe mid-range 60-80), and 2-3% black patent. I think that roast barley should be saved for stouts, and special b might not be what you are looking for in a porter. It is more of a raisiny flavor, and is amazing in Belgians. For hops, I have heard Galena is great with only a 60 min bittering addition to achieve the IBUs you want. The biscuit and munich will give it a little more maltiness, but it might be overshadowed by all the roasted grains, anyways. Just my .02

Jason

Jayfro21 · 03-13-2008, 10:28 PM

sorry missed the hoppy tasting hoppy smelling beer part...I would still bitter with somethign like galena or another high AA hop. You could then flavor and/or aroma with something like Fuggles or EKG, if you can find them. Still, roasty grains will overpower a good amount of the hop flavor, so don't waste hard to find and/or expensive hops in a porter

Jason

nl724 · 03-14-2008, 12:31 AM

Thanks for the help so far guys...I appreciate it, and any more comments are DEFINITELY welcome!

**the_bird** · 03-14-2008, 12:53 AM

Drop the mollasses, bump the Special B to a half-pound. Actually, I would probably cut out about half the speciality malts; there's a fine line between complex and muddy. Special B will add some real nice, complex, dark-fruity notes that should be nice. It might be a little bit light in terms of the total roasted grains.

nl724 · 03-14-2008, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the_bird

Drop the mollasses, bump the Special B to a half-pound. Actually, I would probably cut out about half the speciality malts; there's a fine line between complex and muddy. Special B will add some real nice, complex, dark-fruity notes that should be nice. It might be a little bit light in terms of the total roasted grains.

Will adding too much Special B overpower the roasted smoothness?

**the_bird** · 03-14-2008, 01:22 PM

Special B will give it a dark, fruity complexity; raisens, plums, those kinds of flavors. A dark, kinda bittersweet maltiness. It's potent, you don't need much more than a half-pound. It should be pretty complementary to the roast flavors.

CBBaron · 03-14-2008, 01:33 PM

I'm with the_bird. Up the Special_B and Chocolate (or use some Black Patent), drop the crystal_120 (special_B is a dark crystal) and one of the medium crystals (they are pretty similar any ways). Just using a bittering addition is fine for a good stout or porter so thats a reasonable plan. Your original didn't look like it had enough roasted malts to be a porter.

Craig