Modification of TB Porter kit?

I'm a bit of a n00b when it comes to homebrewing (been doing it since xmas) and I've picked up a TB Porter kit and have realized the instruction are quite terrible and vague. From how it's written it looks like you boil the bittering hops (UK First Gold, Alpha 7.3%) for 20 to 30 and that's it, no flavoring or aroma. I have 0.5 oz of Mt. Hood (Alpha 5.5%) left over from a previous batch, can I throw that in a the aroma hops to add a bit more bitter to it or would that make the porter too hoppy?

Thanks in advance.

I am surprised that your bittering hops do not go in for a full 60 minute boil. How much hops came with the kit? A 60 minute boil of 1 ounce of 7.3% hops is likely to give you IBU's in the 25 to 35 range, depending on the amount of malt in the recipe. If the kit has 2 ounces of hops, I suspect that 1 to 1.5 ounces go in at the start of the boil, and the rest are added at the 20 to 30 minute mark to add hop flavor and a SMALL amount of additional bitterness.

If you add the additional 0.5 ounce of hops you have leftover, I would wait until the last 5 minutes of the boil, or even add them at flameout (when you remove the kettle from the heat) This will add hop flavor and character, but not any additional bitterness. Adding hops earlier = bitterness. adding hops later = aroma and flavor.

Thanks for the reply, sorry left out that it's only 1 oz of the UK Gold. It also comes with 1.5 kg can of dark LME, and 2 lb of Muntons dark DME and 8 oz of Malto-Dextrin, and a 6 oz bag of Chocolate grains for color.

Reading the instructions for this kit is maddening, from what I can get from the instructions it wants you too add all the malt and the hops then bring it to a boil. The instructions also say to steep your grains in about 190-200F water for some reason (boil the water, take off the heat, then add grains???)

I'll post a picture of the instructions so you can see why I'm confused.

Try this:

- Heat the water to 160 - 170 F. Add grains and steep for 30 minutes.
- Remove grains and heat water to boiling.
- Add the LME (do not add the DME at this point). If you remove from heat, you reduce the chance of scorching the extract.
- Bring back to the boil.
- Let the boil go thru the break (foam) before adding the hops.
- Add hops and start clock. I would boil the hops for 45 to 60 minutes. That's not a lot of hops for 5 gallons, so boiling longer would probably help the beer.
- With about 15 minutes to go, add the DME and Maltodextrin. Remove from heat to prevent scorching. Be careful, it will probably foam again as you bring it back to the boil.
- With about 10 minutes to go, add the extra hops if you want.
- Once boil is over, cool with lid on in water bath.
- Once cool, mix with cold water in fermenter.
- Add yeast and leave in primary fermenter for at least 2 weeks.
- Keep fermenter at yeast temp (generally mid 60s).


NOTE 1: If you mix hot wort with cold water in the fermenter, the temperature will still be too high to pitch the yeast. 2 gallons of 200 F wort + 3 gallons of 60 F water = 5 gallons of 110 F wort which is too high.
NOTE 2: Most kits say to remove from primary too soon. Leave at least 2 weeks.
NOTE 3: If fermentation temperature is too high, it will create off flavors and harsh alcohols.

I added all the extract at the same time (for the whole boil) and ended up with some caramelization (FG 1.021), so adding some later is probably a good plan.

I did do a full 60 minute boil with the bittering hops and added no flavoring or aroma, and I thought it came out just fine. I think there's probably room for a half ounce of aroma hops if you want to throw them in, but I haven't tried it and can't say for sure.