Soliciting opinions on this porter recipe

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Tim_Kreitz

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Yeah, yeah, I know it's the middle of summer and I live in West Texas. I realize I should be brewing nothing but beers like APAs and IPAs right now. Well I don't care; I needs me a nice keg of porter, so I've designed the following recipe. This is a new formula I've never used before. It seems like it should be great (on paper, anyway), I'd just enjoy any ideas or feedback you all might be willing to offer.

Modded recipe in post 12.
 
IMO there's no wrong time to brew a porter. I brewed a porter on the 4th and its hot here in east Texas as well. I don't really brew according to season too much, I just brew what I like when I want it. As far as the recipe if it was me I'd reduce the black patent and up the chocolate malt. And also throw in some wheat or oats and possibly use a blend of two different crystal malts. But that's just me and my tastes.
 
IMO there's no wrong time to brew a porter. I brewed a porter on the 4th and its hot here in east Texas as well.

I can dig it. Plus, you guys have a whole different kind of heat over there in the forrest of the pine than we deal with out here in the badlands.

As far as the recipe if it was me I'd reduce the black patent and up the chocolate malt. And also throw in some wheat or oats and possibly use a blend of two different crystal malts. But that's just me and my tastes.

Those are all good suggestions. I had thought of upping the Chocolate Malt to one pound, but I hadn't thought of reducing the Black Patent. 8 ounces *is* quite a bit, but I like the flavor so I'll probably leave it as is. However, I'm gonna go ahead and add more Chocolate.

The only wheat I have in my stock right now is torrified. It wouldn't add any fermentability, but it might boost the head retention and add some mouthfeel. Flavor-wise, I'm not sure what it would do to a porter, though. When I eat it from the sack, it's a bit 'popcorny', to create a term.

Anyone have thoughts on adding 4 to 8 ounces of torrified wheat to the grainbill?
 
I wish I could help you out with what the torrified wheat would add as far as flavor to a porter. In porters I've only ever used malted wheat and chocolate wheat. But you should get the benefit of added head retention and body.
 
Those are all good suggestions. I had thought of upping the Chocolate Malt to one pound, but I hadn't thought of reducing the Black Patent. 8 ounces *is* quite a bit, but I like the flavor so I'll probably leave it as is. However, I'm gonna go ahead and add more Chocolate.

I agree with many of the previously posted thoughts including that it's never a bad time to brew a porter. My choice would be to up the chocolate malt a bit. A pound might be too much if you keep all of the black patent so cutting the bp back to 1/4 lb is a thought. Like WesleyS I also prefer using a blend of crystal as the 120L by itself can be a little sharp. You could try a similar approach in the crystal as with the dark malts and perhaps use 8 oz of 55L and 4-6 oz of the 120L. Whichever way you go it's going to be a good porter.

The only wheat I have in my stock right now is torrified. It wouldn't add any fermentability,

Sure it will. The torrified wheat has lots of convertable starch content. The torrified wheat to me, and I have only used it in bitters & pale ales, gives a subtle toasty/grainy flavor note. If you do deiced to use it I would go with a whole pound since a small amount is probably just going to be lost in the mix and use it to replace a pound of pale malt in the grist.

:mug:
 
I agree with many of the previously posted thoughts including that it's never a bad time to brew a porter. My choice would be to up the chocolate malt a bit. A pound might be too much if you keep all of the black patent so cutting the bp back to 1/4 lb is a thought. Like WesleyS I also prefer using a blend of crystal as the 120L by itself can be a little sharp. You could try a similar approach in the crystal as with the dark malts and perhaps use 8 oz of 55L and 4-6 oz of the 120L. Whichever way you go it's going to be a good porter.

The torrified wheat has lots of convertable starch content. The torrified wheat to me, and I have only used it in bitters & pale ales, gives a subtle toasty/grainy flavor note. If you do deiced to use it I would go with a whole pound since a small amount is probably just going to be lost in the mix and use it to replace a pound of pale malt in the grist.

:mug:

Thanks for the feedback. I think I'm gonna take your advice on all aspects and modify the recipe. Maybe I'll even change the name to 'Homebrew Talk Porter'. Heh-heh.

I'll post the modded recipe in a bit. :mug:
 
Looks great to me. Here's something I've started doing with my porters/stouts.

I add my dark grains and heavy caramel malts at vorlauf. I find this gives me the color I want, with a smooth flavor, that I prefer. Before doing that, my stouts/porters would be to acrid or roasty.

You could try adding .5lb of the chocolate to the mash, and probably the crystal malts, while adding the other .5lb chocolate and the roasted malt at vorlauf.

That's my two cents. Cheers.

PS: I suggest chinhook in a porter. I find it delicious.
 
I'm gonna take that suggestion, too, because I've just discovered that all my Fuggles are gone. As luck would have it, I have exactly two ounces of Chinook.

Updating recipe! :mug:

Check the AA% on that Chinook. It may not be a 1:1 sub for the Fuggles, not to mention the totally different flavor characteristics.
 
Check the AA% on that Chinook. It may not be a 1:1 sub for the Fuggles, not to mention the totally different flavor characteristics.

Yes, I actually thought of that as I was driving home this evening. The Chinook I have is extra high in AA, even for Chinook. Here's the final (I think) recipe, to be brewed Friday night:

Tim Kreitz Ales - Homebrew Talk Porter (A.K.A. Placid Porter)

Grain Bill:
8 lb. Maris Otter
1 lb. Torrified Wheat
1 lb. Chocolate Malt
4 oz. Black Patent Malt
4 oz. Crystal 120L
4 oz. Crystal 60L

Hop Schedule:
0.5 oz. Chinook [60 min.]
0.5 oz. Chinook [Flameout]

Inoculation:
WLP005 (500ml starter)

Mash:
154º @ 60 min. (standard batch-sparge w/o mashout)

Primary:
3 weeks @ 66º

Data:
OG: 1.057
FG: 1.013
ABV: 5.8%
EFF: 73%
 
I humbly suggest .5oz at 60, .25oz at 30 and .5oz at flameout. I use this schedule for my stouts/porters and I find it smoothed out the bitterness, just my opinion.

If that's not what you're looking for I think you're on the track to a delicious porter.

Also, I add my roasted, chocolate and heavy Carmel malts(60+) at vorlauf to keep the acrid-ness. So for me those malts are mashed for about 30-45min as opposed to 1 hour and a half+.

They mention this in Brewing Better Beers. You'll be fine with adding them straight to your mash, but in my experience the roasted, Carmel flavors and chocolate is smoother and more balanced without to much acrid-ness.

Cheers! Have a great brew, looks like its gonna be tasty.
 
Definitely gonna take your advice on the vorlauf-stage addition of the dark malts, but will probably leave the hop schedule as is. I appreciate your feedback greatly.

In fact, thanks to *everyone* who offered input. I have no doubt that you all helped to make this porter even better than it otherwise would've been. Now it's officially time to mash in. Everyone have a blessed evening.

:mug:
 
Kegged and carbonating as of tonight. Thanks again for all the feedback, everyone:

314848_4038207286319_2071394610_n.jpg


BTW, tasted great out of primary!
 
How did this turn out? I'm putting a Chinook Porter recipe together right now but am having trouble deciding whether to do all of the hopping at 60 min purely for bitterness, or do as you did with half bittering and half aroma. Thanks!
 
How did this turn out? I'm putting a Chinook Porter recipe together right now but am having trouble deciding whether to do all of the hopping at 60 min purely for bitterness, or do as you did with half bittering and half aroma. Thanks!

It turned out great. In fact, it went to Best of Show in the 2012 Basin Brewers Summer Brew-Off. Not bad at all considering it was going up against a bunch of IPAs in the West Texas heat.

Thanks again to everyone who offered their input. This bad boy will definitely be brewed again.

:tank:
 
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