American Porter Coal Porter

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Bob

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Coal Porter

A ProMash Recipe Report

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

Batch Size (Gal): 5.50 Wort Size (Gal): 5.50
Total Grain (Lbs): 9.50
Anticipated OG: 1.048 Plato: 11.92
Anticipated SRM: 29.6
Anticipated IBU: 35.8
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75 %
Wort Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Pre-Boil Amounts
----------------

Evaporation Rate: 15.00 Percent Per Hour
Pre-Boil Wort Size: 6.47 Gal
Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.041 SG 10.19 Plato


Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
84.2 8.00 lbs. Maris Otter Great Britain 1.037 4
2.6 0.25 lbs. Black Patent Malt Great Britain 1.027 525
5.3 0.50 lbs. Crystal 55L Great Britian 1.034 55
5.3 0.50 lbs. Chocolate Malt Great Britain 1.034 475
2.6 0.25 lbs. Brown Sugar Generic 1.046 4

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.00 oz. Amarillo Pellet 8.00 35.8 60 min.
1.00 oz. Willamette Pellet 5.00 0.0 0 min.


Extras

Amount Name Type Time
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.00 Tsp Whirlfloc Other 15 Min.(boil)
1.00 Tsp Yeastex Other 15 Min.(boil)


Yeast
-----

DCL Yeast US-05 SafAle US Ale


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

Mash Type: Single Step

Grain Lbs: 9.25
Water Qts: 12.00 - Before Additional Infusions
Water Gal: 3.00 - Before Additional Infusions

Qts Water Per Lbs Grain: 1.30 - Before Additional Infusions

Saccharification Rest Temp : 154 Time: 60
Mash-out Rest Temp : 170 Time: 10
Sparge Temp : 175 Time: 10


Total Mash Volume Gal: 3.74 - Dough-In Infusion Only

All temperature measurements are degrees Fahrenheit.

NOTES:

Coal Porter is a scaled version of the well-liked recipe I brewed at the now-defunct Black Rock Microbrewery & Restaurant in Wilkes-Barre, PA.

Relatively light-bodied - in fact, everything is on the low end of the BJCP category standards for Robust Porter - it's a very satisfying session Porter which continues to be well-received. Just this past weekend (April 25, 2009), five gallons was consumed in about two hours.

All-grain versions use Fawcett's malts, as that's the English maltster I prefer.

A simple, single-infusion mash can be used, so long as well-modified English or American pale malts are used. I batch-sparge; if you fly-sparge, or have efficiencies different than mine, don't forget to keep that in mind in your version.

This also lends itself well to extract/steep techniques. Simply substitute 6 lbs of malt extract syrup for the pale malt and steep the specialty grains. I've used Briess Gold LME in the past, and it's been exactly the same flavor.

I shoot for 5.5 gallons in the fermenter, because I generally lose a half-gallon in trub and syphon loss.

For serving, avoid over-carbonation. I don't like to go above 2 volumes on draught or 2.5 in bottles. Over-carbonation accentuates the bitterness of the hops and roasted malts to the detriment of the beer.

Cheers!

Bob

THIS JUST IN: You can now order this recipe as a kit from Brewmaster's Warehouse, as all-grain or extract/steep.
 
For extract/steep are hops both thrown in at beginning of boil? Sorry only 5th batch for me. Also your extras, yeastex and whirlfloc thrown in 15 minutes before end if boil?

Thanks this looks awesome
 
Frog - the 60-minute hops (Amarillo) are added when the boil commences. The Willamette are added when the heat is switched off. Additives are indeed added at the 45 minute mark, otherwise known as "15 minutes left". Tip: The additives are not really necessary. I add them out of habit more than anything. This beer is dark enough that clarity really isn't an issue, so the Whirlfloc can be skipped. And an 11-gram packet of dry yeast doesn't need the Yeastex nutrient.

Dunright - Thanks! :mug:

Cheers,

Bob
 
Frog - the 60-minute hops (Amarillo) are added when the boil commences. The Willamette are added when the heat is switched off. Additives are indeed added at the 45 minute mark, otherwise known as "15 minutes left". Tip: The additives are not really necessary. I add them out of habit more than anything. This beer is dark enough that clarity really isn't an issue, so the Whirlfloc can be skipped. And an 11-gram packet of dry yeast doesn't need the Yeastex nutrient.

Dunright - Thanks! :mug:

Cheers,

Bob
Thanks for the info Bob will boil it up tomorrow. Thanks for the post!
 
Brewing this soon, with some substitutions, namely hops. I only have Cascade and EKG on hand, can I just sub them for the Amarillo and Willamette ? I know it won't be the same beer, but the LHBS is out of both.
 
Sure. Sub away.

I'm not a real stickler for hops varieties in my recipes. As long as the finishing hops are close, I'm happy. YMMV, of course.

Cheers,

Bob
 
Heating up the strike water right now :D

EDIT: Everything is done, an unenventful brew session if there ever was one. Only two issues arose: I used too much sparge water and ended up with 7 gallons into the boil kettle instead of 6.5, wich meant a longer boil and I broke my thermometer when I was storing it for future use. Ended up with 5.8 gallons of 1.047 wort into the carboy, so I'd say it was a success.
 
This is a weird beer. The krausen had pretty much dropped Thursday when I left (brown goop settling down, etc.). I'm back home today and it has taken near epic proportions: the foam (white again?) is over 6 inches high ! I'm guessing it's the US-05 chilling near the top but it's a beautiful sight :D

EDIT: Seven days after pitching, I'm about an inch away from needing a blowoff. This is crazy. US-05 likes the Coal Porter something fierce. Ambiant is around 60F !
 
Drinking my first bottle of this and all I can say is WOW.

Floral nose with hints of citrus (probably from the Cascade), roasted malts and caramel. Pours a very, very dark brown (almost black) with an off white creamy head that sticks around. Taste of pineapple, caramel, malt and a subdued, elegant roast character that is complimentary. Mouthfeel is decent, but it could have been carbed a touch more (will probably alleviate itself with longer bottle conditionning). Going through my notes, I see that I added the Cascade (wich was the Amarillo sub) at the end... Happy mistake.

Great beer. If anyone is on the fence about brewing this, please don't hesitate ! Next time I'll use an English yeast such as 1469 or S-04 and ferment a bit higher to have more esters. I can also see myself upping the finishing hops, but not by much.

EDIT: The beer seems to have picked up whatever carbonation it was missing and is simply delicious. A testament to that fact is the dwindling number of bottles I have left: a measly 15 bombers... A sure rebrew along with your mild. I might try it with the hops reversed (your version), but I'm digging the Cascade taste/aroma.
 
I am going to brew this as an homage to this now closed Brewpub! I used to drive past it all the time before I was "of-age" and never had a chance to check it out! This area needs a brewpub. I can't believe this one closed before I was even old enough to enjoy it. The name of the beer is fitting, for sure.
 
I brewed this on New Year's day, just tried the hydrometer sample and I have to say, I have never drank a sample(warm and flat) like an addict, I just wanted more. Can't wait to get it transfered and on some gas.

I made quite a few changes based on what I had but its basically the same and definitely a solid recipe. Thanks.
 
brewing this on friday! my first un-SMaSH all grain! woot woot
 
I'm planning to make something similar to this recipe, the only thing is I wasn't going to use brown sugar(what taste does this contribute?) But I was considering also using 1oz of roasted barley and 1/2 lb of flaked oats. How do you think this addtn will turn out? Also was just going to use Williamette for finishing, but wouldn't mind using an American hop. Is this your preference?
 
wilamette is american... lol

I had a sample of this when bottling.. wowza!
also i added a bottle of hazelnut extract, which made it even more awesome!

great job on the recipe
 
wilamette is american... lol

I had a sample of this when bottling.. wowza!
also i added a bottle of hazelnut extract, which made it even more awesome!

great job on the recipe

Tu shey :D I guess I was implying more of the C style hops. I definitely did think it was of the English variety though. Maybe because its usually in English style beers?
 
Prolly is why :) But wilamette valley is where they came from over here in the pacific northwest (pronounced will-lam-it)
 
I'm planning to make something similar to this recipe, the only thing is I wasn't going to use brown sugar(what taste does this contribute?) But I was considering also using 1oz of roasted barley and 1/2 lb of flaked oats. How do you think this addtn will turn out? Also was just going to use Williamette for finishing, but wouldn't mind using an American hop. Is this your preference?

Chapa,

Brown sugar isn't really in there for flavor; it's there to boost the gravity a touch and contribute to a drier character. I often add a bit of sugar to tweak the gravity to exactly where I want it, and prefer a dry finish to make the beer "more-ish" (in the words of the late, lamented MJ).

I'd omit the Roasted Barley; you'll get plenty of Porter-y color from the grains specified, and 1 oz is really only going to provide a deep red color. I often advocate adding an ounce of RB to Red and Amber beers for color only.

An addition of Flaked Oats to the grist can be worthwhile. Keep in mind you must mash them; steeping flaked grains does nothing other than make glop.

I like Willamette. I'm a huge fan of the variety and keep it on hand. That said, many have used other varieties for finishing and had excellent results. Cascades seem to come through nicely, and they're a distinctly American variety; Willamette, being a Fuggle cultivar, is more English than American to the drinker's palate. I've also used Hallertau, Goldings and Saaz to finish Coal Porter, and enjoyed every variation.

Cheers!

Bob
 
Planning on brewing this on Thursday. I've never used any sugars like this... when do you add the brown sugar to the kettle? I'm assuming you can add it at any point between collecting the first runnings and the start of the boil, but I find myself wondering if a late addition (45 min.?) would be a better idea. Has anyone tried this?
 
Add it any ol' time. It really doesn't matter. It won't impact utilization at all.

[RANT]
Really, this whole late-addition thing is becoming too "gospel-y", with too many people rushing to do it before they really understand what the technique does. People should understand the tool before they start using it, and they should really start asking themselves the question "Am I overthinking this?" before they apply any technique.
[/RANT]

And there's nothing personal to you about that at all, wittmania. Honest! I'm making a general observation (okay, venting a little) based on a lot of internet discussion about brewing techniques.

Hope you like this Porter as much as I do! :mug:

Bob
 
Bob, my feelings are just fine. I only do all grain, full boils so I'm not too caught up in the late addition hype. I assume I want the brown sugar dissolved pretty well into the wort so it doesn't scorch on the flame. So, I'll probably just add it in once the kettle is at a rolling boil so it's dissolved quickly.

I do tend to over-think my beer, but in this case I'm just trying to understand how to use an ingredient that I've never used before. Thanks for your feedback. I'll let you know how this beer turns out for me.
 
Have to reply here. I made this for a trip to Colorado with some guys from church. Took along a 5 gallon corny and served it on tap. Several of the guys are admitted beer snobs and each of them took the time to tell me how good it was and to thank me for making it.

I gave it 28 days in the primary, cold crashed it at 25* for two weeks, then force carbed it for 10 days.

It may be the nest beer I've made yet. Crystal clear with a deep brown body and ruby highlights. Very smooth character with a chocolaty roasted flavor and an almost creamy finish from the brown sugar. I am probably going to make this again for my first competition next month, perhaps with a few spices thrown in for some winter magic.

Thanks again for the recipe. Loved it.
 
I made a Porter very similar to this. Basically I have 4oz Kiln Coffee malt and 8oz Brown malt but no sugar. I'm intrigued by your hop schedule and am going to give this a go. I like the addition of the sugar. I'm gonna keep the Kiln Coffee but am debating the Brown Malt. Do you think the Brown Malt would make it too sweet/bready?
 
I hardly think either.

Brown malt is bitter and roasty-toasty, in my experience. It might lend some bready character, but to my palate the flavors are akin to bread that's been left too long in the toaster. Sweet is right out.

I think a half-pound of Brown Malt is a brilliant addition to the recipe. Not sure about the Kiln Coffee, as I've never used it.

Bob
 
Wow, very nice. Great recipe, excellent beer. My wife asked if I put chocolate and coffee into it, but I followed the recipe as posted except for using 10lb of Maris Otter to compensate for my system's efficiency. My first time using Maris Otter, not my last. Thanks for sharing this!
 
I think this will be my next beer, as I've been craving porter lately and haven't yet brewed one (in over a year of brewing -- jeez I'm overdue).

Only thing is: I've got 30lbs of Rahr 2-Row in the basement, so I'd like to use that as a base malt. Since I expect 70% efficiency with my system, I thought I'd get to 1.048 by adding 3/4 lb of Victory malt, which could help add some of that Maris Otter nuttiness that the domestic 2-Row lacks.

Planning on brewing this coming Saturday. Can't wait. :mug:
 
I think that's a fantastic idea! :D

I've brewed this with North American 2-row pale malt with no additions and liked it fine; I just think the result with the Maris Otter is better. Note that Victory will do its own thing, and will likely in that quantity go out the other side of Maris Otter crackery, nutty flavor. In a beer like this, the flavors provided by the base malt are by no means obvious. If you only want the characteristics of Maris Otter you'll be missing, I suggest reducing the Victory to 4 oz or so. Use the 12 oz you have planned only if you want a distinct Victory character to the beer.

Good luck! :mug:

Bob
 
Cool, thanks for the advice. I haven't tried an "amber" malt addition for the purposes of mimicking a British pale ale malt before, so I guessed on the quantity. I'll probably do the 4 oz as you say, and switch the rest of the addition back to 2-Row. The praise on this thread is enough to make me not want to mess with the recipe too much!
 
I split the difference on the Victory addition, so ended up with 8 oz of that on top of the original recipe, but I'm sure it'll be great. Also subbed out the Amarillo, opting for 8.2% Centennial instead.

20 minutes left in the boil now, and this is a beautiful beer -- actually my first dark all-grain, and it looks and smells gorgeous. Milling that chocolate and black malt this morning was a nice way to wake up.

Can't wait for this to be ready. Good thing I've got 15 gallons of other stuff ready to bottle downstairs. :D Thank god for the pipeline.
 
Swmbo requested a porter for st pattys day. So this is gonna be Tuesdays brew day (2nd time brewing this!). Hopefully it'll be amazing in a month! Thank god for kegging equipment and force carbing.
 
so i ended up picking up the grains yesterday for the brew day tonight or tomorrow (depending on if the dishwasher is fixed when i get home haha)
however, the hops were wayyyyy over priced (2.50 an oz in some cases) with the hops i have in the freezer, would they make good subs?
i have..
simcoe, cascade, centennial and about 2 oz of sazz... hrm. halp!

IMAG0659.jpg
 
always prompt! :D

thanks bob! this just gives me an excuse to get another keg ;) so i thank thee again haha
 
And now out to chill for the next few hours. Hopefully pitch before bed!
 
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