Why is my Porter too Dry?

So I brewed up a strong Porter.. I wouldn't say that it is a Baltic Porter because I am using an ale yeast.

I was hoping for a malty (which is why I used so much Special B), sweetish, strong beer.

After trying this after being in the bottle for a month, it is really dry. All I taste is the Chocolate Malt..

Is this because I used too much yeast? Because I used Nottingham?

I would think that using a 1lb of Special B would leave a sweet-malty flavor regardless of the attenuation.

Any thoughts?

Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Original Gravity: 1.073
Final Gravity: 1.014
33.2 IBU
7.5% ABV

7.00 lb Wheat Dry Extract (8.0 SRM) Dry Extract 65.12 %
2.00 lb Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 18.60 %
1.00 lb Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) Grain 9.30 %
0.50 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 4.65 %
0.25 lb Carafa II (412.0 SRM) Grain 2.33 %
2.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (60 min) Hops 30.5 IBU
0.50 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (10 min) Hops 2.7 IBU
2 Pkgs Nottingham (Danstar #-) Yeast-Ale

Nottingham is certainly a beast; that's what I'd blame. I agree that your recipe looks fine, so I don't see any reason aside from Notty's usual voraciousness. Have you brewed this beer with it before?

How long was it between brewing and bottling? At that high of an OG, this is something that will definitely improve with age. That includes the malt flavor, which can add something of a sweetness. I find anything with a significant portion of roasted grains also benefits from additional aging. Give it some time.

If in 2-3 months it's not where you'd like it to be, add an additional half pound of light crystal and use Wyeast 1728 in your next batch. You can thank me later for that tip.

With that FG I would expect a full bodied, tasty, yet dryer porter. I think the mouthfeel and maltiness you seek is found at 1.018-1.02. I kegged an RIS today that went from 1.086-->1.016! Even though it's missing the stickiness of a big stout, it has great flavor, good body, and high alcohol which doesn't show up except in the aroma.

1.014 MIGHT be a bit low for such a beer. Also, some people like dry beers while other like them a bit sweeter. You seem to be of the second kind. For me, 1.014 in such a beer seems about perfect, but I like my beers on the dry side of the spectrum.

Nottingham also isn't the most flavourful of yeast. Something a bit more estery and malty might be the ticket, even if you get to the same attenuation numbers.

Why did you use wheat extract? That's a bit of an odd choice for a baltic porter...?

Special B isn't really "sweet" per say. It's more wine-like/raisin-y like.

M_C

Misplaced_Canuck said:

Why did you use wheat extract? That's a bit of an odd choice for a baltic porter...?


M_C

Click to expand...

Well, I wasn't trying to make anything to style. I use wheat extract for most everything that I do.. I like it.

I personally don't like making things along style guidelines, I like making stuff thats never been made before

Nothing wrong with a wheat porter. There's a bunch of them around. Almost picked up a wheat porter brewed by http://haandbryggeriet.net/ the other day but was a little too pricey for my budget.