Bert Grant's Perfect Porter Clone

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I had been looking for this beer for a number of years after having it in a small bar in Ohio. Just realized the Bert passed away a few years ago and the brewery is being sold. I would love to have a clone recipe if anyone has it!

Thanks!
 
So I have a tap for this beer on the way, now I just need to be able to brew it. anyone....anyone???

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Bert Grant is no longer around and this is not made anymore but was the best porter I have had to date and porter is one of my favorite styles so that says a lot.

Anyways, I was just hoping someone out there has the same thoughts.
 
BG's RIS has a recipe in BYO (I think). I'll look it up.

This was the beer that got me into big stouts back in '87. I have some very found memories of $6 pitchers of this beer at Rico's in Pullman, WA.
 
So I am going to attempt to brew this for the upcoming winter. Hopefully someone is familiar with the taste of this session porter and has some recipe skills as I don't right now.

Here is what I have come up based on the link above. Let me know if this looks good for a lighter porter than has plenty of coffee aroma and smoke taste.

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 6.86 gal
Estimated OG: 1.040 SG
Estimated Color: 17.6 SRM
Estimated IBU: 25.1 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 83.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
4.00 lb Great Western American Pale (3.0 SRM) Grain 53.33 %
0.85 lb Brown Malt (65.0 SRM) Grain 11.33 %
0.85 lb Peat Smoked Malt (2.8 SRM) Grain 11.33 %
0.85 lb White Wheat Malt (2.4 SRM) Grain 11.33 %
0.70 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 9.33 %
0.25 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 3.33 %
1.25 oz Williamette [5.50 %] (60 min) Hops 25.1 IBU
1 Pkgs British Ale (White Labs #WLP005) [Starter Yeast-Ale


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Light Body
Total Grain Weight: 7.50 lb
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Light Body
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
75 min Mash In Add 9.38 qt of water at 162.5 F 151.0 F
10 min Mash Out Add 6.00 qt of water at 198.4 F 168.0 F

The color is not within the style of a porter, I know it was on the lower part of the porter SRM but it could probably use a little more dark. I was thinking of smoking the brown malt after reading the "perfect porter" article in BYO about all the old styles. That may add some lovibond to the Brown malt.


Thoughts? Suggestions?
 
I've never had this beer (or any of Bert's others) but just this past weekend picked up a copy of "The Ale Master" from Powell's in portland (a used copy that was signed "To Laura. Bert Grant. 9/1/98"

I haven't read it yet and there is no index but I flipped through it till I found some perfect porter info.

Brewing my porter is complicated by the fact that we use so many different malts: pale malt, caramel malt, chocolate malt, black malt, as well as peat-smoked malt (our only imported ingredient, from Britain). The peat-smopked malt--the same kind of malt that's used to make Scotch whiskey--is included to give a hint of the smokiness that surely was present in the original English porters, which were developed at a time when all malt was dried over smoky direct fires. To provide a little bit of the vanilla character you might have gotten from oak casks, we originally aged the porter with wood chips for a day or two. You might still detect a hint of vanilla in it today.

We call it Perfect Porter because it's a balancing of all those different kinds of malts, plus the suggestion of oak or vanilla. One day, back when we were developing it, we had done five or six trial brews. On the sixth batch, all the right tastes came together. Most porters taste like coffee; ours tasted like chocolate. Everyone who tried it said, "This is perfect." The name stuck, and so did the beer.

Theres a few more paragraphs in that section but I think this is the important stuff.
 
I've never had this beer (or any of Bert's others) but just this past weekend picked up a copy of "The Ale Master" from Powell's in portland (a used copy that was signed "To Laura. Bert Grant. 9/1/98"

I haven't read it yet and there is no index but I flipped through it till I found some perfect porter info.



Theres a few more paragraphs in that section but I think this is the important stuff.

Thank you for the info, I didn't know about this book. I just ordered a copy :)
 
Thanks for the help again Bokonon,

What about this updated grain bill? Comes out to 1.040 at 83% efficiency

5LB 2-row Pale 66.6%
1.25LB Peat Smoked malt 16.66%
.75LB C60 10%
.25LB Black Patent malt 3.33%
.25LB Chocolate Malt 3.33%

Do you think that 16% smoked malt would make this too smokey? Beersmith says 20% max in a batch.
 
Thanks for the help again Bokonon,

What about this updated grain bill? Comes out to 1.040 at 83% efficiency

5LB 2-row Pale 66.6%
1.25LB Peat Smoked malt 16.66%
.75LB C60 10%
.25LB Black Patent malt 3.33%
.25LB Chocolate Malt 3.33%

Do you think that 16% smoked malt would make this too smokey? Beersmith says 20% max in a batch.

Only going on what I've read about the beer and never having tried it, I'd say that is too much peat. I have used peat before and a little bit goes a long way. In order to have just a slight background I'd say 1-4oz would be good, probably on the lower end. If its too low you can always change the next batch and still drink it, if its too much then you might not want to keep drinking it.

I'd go up to .75lb chocolate malt, For a little more complexity you could use two kinds of crystal.
 
Ok, here is an updated grain bill. I saw the other thread started back in June and they are looking close except the starting gravity.

I am wondering if the starting gravity should be higher than 1.040. The beer is listed as 3.8% ABV so I thought 1.040 would be good. 1.040 to 1.010 will get 3.9%

6LB 2-row Pale 81.41%
.50LB Chocolate Malt 6.78%
.25LB C40 3.39%
.25LB C80 3.39%
.25LB Black Patent malt 3.33%
.12 LB Peat Smoked malt 1.63%
 
I don't think you have enough dark malts in there. I would raise it up to 1 pound of chocolate malt, and 3/4 of a pound of black patent malt. I don't know how it will be having such a low OG..... I feel like it would have the body of a schwartzbier (like saranac black forest) rather than a true porter.
 
Ok, here is an updated grain bill. I saw the other thread started back in June and they are looking close except the starting gravity.

I am wondering if the starting gravity should be higher than 1.040. The beer is listed as 3.8% ABV so I thought 1.040 would be good. 1.040 to 1.010 will get 3.9%

6LB 2-row Pale 81.41%
.50LB Chocolate Malt 6.78%
.25LB C40 3.39%
.25LB C80 3.39%
.25LB Black Patent malt 3.33%
.12 LB Peat Smoked malt 1.63%

I think you might want to go up to around 1.045-1.050 and mash high (156-158) so your FG ends up around 1.014-1.016 or so. At 1.010 your going to be really thin.
 
I don't think you have enough dark malts in there. I would raise it up to 1 pound of chocolate malt, and 3/4 of a pound of black patent malt. I don't know how it will be having such a low OG..... I feel like it would have the body of a schwartzbier (like saranac black forest) rather than a true porter.

Beersmith is calculating this at about 25-26 SRM which is right in the middle of the style. I also remember being able to see that redish tint when held up to the light. So I definitely want to stay about the same on the color. Making the changes you suggest bump the SRM to 44.4 and well over the style.

I do think I will shoot for a OG of 1.045 or so though. I don't remember it being dry and with a ABV of around 4 it shouldn't go down to 1.010
 
I was doing some research for a future brew (plum/prune porter or stout) and came across this post. Bert Grant's Perfect Porter is possibly the first porter that i liked. Now porters are my favorite. I would love to brew it. I haven't had one in a few years but i remember it being easy to drink. I wish i could remember more to help with recipe.
 
i've never used peat but i suppose it was responsible for the charcoal aroma when poured.
 
I was doing some research for a future brew (plum/prune porter or stout) and came across this post. Bert Grant's Perfect Porter is possibly the first porter that i liked. Now porters are my favorite. I would love to brew it. I haven't had one in a few years but i remember it being easy to drink. I wish i could remember more to help with recipe.

Thanks I plan on brewing a 3 gallon test batch in a couple of weeks. I bought a second mash tun so I could do this along side my other brew.

I am hoping to do 2 brews in about 5 hours.
 
Cool thread. Subscribed. :)

I love porters and used to drink a lot of Grant's back when I lived in Seattle.

FWIW, before they stopped brewing, Grant's Perfect Porter was listed as having an OG of 1.049, a FG of 1.015, a bitterness level of 25 IBUs and an ABV of 4%. The only hop listed is Willammette.

The original web page is preserved here:
http://web.archive.org/web/20010819205243/grants.com/beer/perfp/perfp.htm

I'm eager to see how the recipe develops.

My blind stab at 5.5 gallons of it:

7 lbs 2 Row Pale
1 lb Crystal 90L
1 lb Crystal 60L
10 oz Chocolate
4 oz Black
2 oz Peated

1.5 oz Willamette 60 minutes

Danstar Windsor yeast or another low attenuator like Wyeast 1968
 
Cool thread. Subscribed. :)

I love porters and used to drink a lot of Grant's back when I lived in Seattle.

FWIW, before they stopped brewing, Grant's Perfect Porter was listed as having an OG of 1.049, a FG of 1.015, a bitterness level of 25 IBUs and an ABV of 4%. The only hop listed is Willammette.

The original web page is preserved here:
Perfect Porter

I'm eager to see how the recipe develops.

My blind stab at 5.5 gallons of it:

7 lbs 2 Row Pale
1 lb Crystal 90L
1 lb Crystal 60L
10 oz Chocolate
4 oz Black
2 oz Peated

1.5 oz Willamette 60 minutes

Danstar Windsor yeast or another low attenuator like Wyeast 1968

Very nice, I never found that archived page. Your recipe looks very close to what I was thinking, just a little more crystal.

I was thinking of using WLP002 as well.

I will be trying this out in 2 weeks.
 
The original web page is preserved here:
Perfect Porter

I noticed they list the color units at 90. How does this scale compare to SRM?


Original Gravity (Degrees Plato) 11.8°
Final Gravity (Degrees Plato) 3.5°
Alcohol (% by Vol.) 4.0%
Bitterness Units (IBU) 25
Color Units 90.0
Malts Used Pale, Caramel, Chocolate, Black & Peat-smoked (imported from Scotland)
Hops Used Willamette
Adjuncts Used None
 
I noticed they list the color units at 90. How does this scale compare to SRM?

Maybe they're using the EBC (European Brewing Convention) Scale.

To convert EBC to SRM, multiply EBC by .375 and add .46

So, 90 EBC = 34 SRM...a little dark but not out of the question for a porter.

My "blind stab" recipe comes right in at 34° SRM! :eek:

Pretty lucky really, because I only tweaked the less fermentable ingredients' amounts to hit the 1.049 OG (11.8° P), and the 1.015 FG (3.5° P), and just let color "fall where it would". :D
 
BTW, to anyone who hasn't read this, this always chokes me up:

Michael Jackson's Beer Hunter - How Bert Grant Saved The World

Man where are you digging this stuff up from? That is great.

I will say it again, Bert was the man. I wish I knew really how good his beer was when I lived in Yakima but I was a little too young.
I like this quote:

"When you were brewing Canada, ales were still very popular. How many units of bitterness did they typically have?" I once asked. "I don't know. I hadn't invented the scale," he replied. He was reputed to carry a vial of hop oil, and to add it to glasses of Bud, Miller or Coors when they were the only brews available.
 
We lost two "beer greats" in Bert and Michael. :(

BTW, my earlier post was just a guess that color was EBC...but it makes sense.
 
Let me know how it turns out. :rockin:

You've totally got me fiending for Grant's Perfect Porter now! ;)
I'm thinking I'll give my recipe a shot too as my pipeline is pretty much empty at this point. I've currently got a high gravity porter I made with real cherries bottle conditioning - but it's going to take months for that beast to mellow out. A "Bert's Porter" in the meantime might be just the ticket!

Cheers! :mug:
 
I had my first taste at bottling yesterday on my first attempt at this recipe. The smokiness is definitely there, maybe more than the original and the chocolate is not as present as I remember. We will see when I have one ready, but may be going down a little on the Peat and up a little on the chocolate in the next batch.
 
Update: This is a good porter but not Grants yet. As said before at bottling, I will descrease the peat and increase the chocolate. Also, my yeast didn't work out last time so I need to try something else next time. Any suggestions on yeast. Bert had his own that he brought over from working in Canada but sounds to be like a english style.
 
Nice. Let us know what your recipe reformulation ends up like.

FWIW, I'm thinking of using Windsor for my version of this.
 
My wife and I are expecting our first child (it's a boy!) the first week of October, we're naming him Porter Andrew. I recently made one of my wife's favorite beers, Bell's Two Hearted, and now I think I'll make one to celebrate Porter. This will be my next brew for sure. Now I need to work out a recipe.
 
Here's my current version of Grant's Perfect Porter (been toying with it for a while now ;))...will brew it once I'm done with two brews I've got coming up. At this point I'm planning it as a PM:

5.5 gallons:

3 lbs Light DME
3 lbs 2 Row Pale Malt
1 lb Crystal 60L
1 lb Chocolate Malt
2 oz Black Patent
1 oz Peated Malt

1.25 oz Willamette 60 minutes

Windsor Ale Dry Yeast

I just finished a beer recently with 2 oz of Peated and it just wasn't subtle enough, which is why I'm lowering my original recipe's 2 oz of Peat down to 1 oz.
I switched the Crystal over to only 60L as that was probably all that was readily commercially available in volume when Bert was first brewing this.
I've upped the Chocolate but lowered the Black Patent so as to still hit 34° SRM as that was just too much Black Patent.
 
Here's my current version of Grant's Perfect Porter (been toying with it for a while now ;))...will brew it once I'm done with two brews I've got coming up. At this point I'm planning it as a PM:

5.5 gallons:

3 lbs Light DME
3 lbs 2 Row Pale Malt
1 lb Crystal 60L
1 lb Chocolate Malt
2 oz Black Patent
1 oz Peated Malt

1.25 Willamette 60 minutes

Windsor Ale Dry Yeast

I just finished a beer recently with 2 oz of Peated and it just wasn't subtle enough, which is why I'm lowering my original recipe's 2 oz of Peat down to 1 oz.
I switched the Crystal over to only 60L as that was probably all that was readily commercially available in volume when Bert was first brewing this.
I've upped the Chocolate but lowered the Black Patent so as to still hit 34° SRM as that was just too much Black Patent.

Yes, I had 1oz in 2.7 gallons and it was not subtle at all. I am halfing that one.
 
carbon 111. i would really like to know how this turns out..i have been searching for this recipe for some time now. if this is close it will almost be heaven in liquid form.
 
I'm looking forward to comparing notes! :mug:

carbon111, I may have been a tad hasty in giving my tasting notes on such a young beer before. Now that this beer is 7 weeks old the flavor is getting very nice and think the peat malt was the right amount as it has mellowed a bit. It does need more chocolate though. I think I may have this nailed the next time.
 
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