NorthernBrewer Bourbon Barrel Porter

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Headcase

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Grand Junction, CO
I seen the Bourbon Barrel Porter on Northern Brewer, and thought it would be too good to pass up! So without a second thought it went into the cart.:D I was just wondering if anybody else has tried this kit out and what they've thought about it.
 
I have this kit and it has been in bottles about a month and a half now. I plan on trying a bottle in a few days before I give a bottle away.
I have heard all great things about this kit, so I wouldnt worry.
I will report back after I have tried a bottle.
 
I haven't brewed this one yet, but a buddy brews this every year for his Christmas beer. It makes a fantastic brew. Very good with or without the Bourbon. It does need at least 6 to 8 weeks to age nicely.
 
What do you do with the bourbon? I made a porter kit once and poured bourbon into a handful of oak chips. I let it sit for 2 weeks and then drained the bourbon and added the chips to secondary. It made a really nice sipper.
 
I put a pint of makers mark and the oak chips in a a sanitized jar for about a week, then dumped it all into secondary.
 
Oh man I can't wait to brew this! I'm away from home for work but when I get back Sunday I'm hittin the kitchen! (The only time a man should be excited about that):D
I won't mind the wait. I allready have a couple of batches in the pipe line and two more that will be bottled next week. I will probably brew two or three batches next week while I'm home. Yes, I know. I'm addicted:mug:
 
I too just purchased the bourbon barrel porter and plan on brewing it this week.

But I am curious, there does not appear to be any guide for target gravities hop schedule, etc.

Anyone have any idea, perhaps I missed them and they went out with the trash.

Gonna look around and maybe check their site or call tomorrow if nothing shows up
[edit]
Purchased the extract kit
 
I cracked a bottle open yesterday after two months and its still not fully carbed but Boy does it taste Great!!!! Just in time for the cold weather and christmas.
I am going to be brewing this kit over and over. My best so far!!!
 
What do you do with the bourbon? I made a porter kit once and poured bourbon into a handful of oak chips. I let it sit for 2 weeks and then drained the bourbon and added the chips to secondary. It made a really nice sipper.

I put a pint of makers mark and the oak chips in a a sanitized jar for about a week, then dumped it all into secondary.

I added the oak into a pint of makers then put it in the secondary.

I brewed this beer in September 2008. Secondary with oak and bourbon for a month then kegged. It was aged until I tapped it last weekend. It is excellent!

Definitely use Makers Mark. Don't consider a cheaper bourbon and make sure you use the full 16 oz. It sounds like a lot but it is a very well balanced beer.
 
Grats on your brew Bopper. I tell ya, waiting that long to tap that keg is EPIC! Some day I'll be able to hold out that long.:mug:
Thanks! It's easy to wait once you get a solid pipeline going. It's nearly impossible at the beginning!
 
I'm working on my pipline. Next week when I get home I'll be bottling two batches, and throwing another into secondary. Then I'm going to try to crank out three more brews, one of which is the Bourbon barrel porter and then a couple of Brown ales. I haven't even started these batches and the wheels are turnin to think of what I'm going to brew after those! This is one sick obsession! Thankfully the SWMBO loves it too.
 
I'm working on my pipline. Next week when I get home I'll be bottling two batches, and throwing another into secondary. Then I'm going to try to crank out three more brews, one of which is the Bourbon barrel porter and then a couple of Brown ales. I haven't even started these batches and the wheels are turnin to think of what I'm going to brew after those! This is one sick obsession! Thankfully the SWMBO loves it too.

Having SWMBO's support is very helpful!
 
@Headcase
Thanks much will be brewing this along with an experimental mango wine and possibly another experimental mead. Time will tell.
 
Will do Headcase, didn't get a chance to brew them tonight as I seem to be missing some drilled stoppers and air-locks.

Well, just brewed the porter, we'll see.

Does anyone have any experience with bourbons other than makers mark?
While I do not have a particular dis-like of MM I have a fondness for Woodford Reserve.
 
I made an all grain batch last January using 16 oz Woodford Reserve Bourbon. Personally, I thought it was way too much Bourbon at that time so I cellared it. I just broke into the stash, and it is delicious now!

So if you want to drink it shortly, I personally would decrease the bourbon to probably 8-12 oz. If you want to wait a year 16 oz is great! Maybe add 8 oz to the secondary and then adjust to taste in the bottling bucket?
 
I made this with Knob Creek bourbon which I figure is about as good or better than Maker's. Some things I did differently - I let the oak chips soak in the bourbon longer than most people, over a month I'd say. I hope this doesn't dull the oak flavor too much but I figure that it isn't such a bad thing.

I also let this one sit in primary for about 5 weeks before transferring to secondary with the oak/bourbon where it is now. The big question is how long to keep it in secondary. Seems like a month seems right - any suggestions?

I'm hoping that all this aging in primary and secondary will produce a nice, smooth beer as soon as it's bottle carbed.
 
I did this one and used Makers Mark. Soaked the oak cubes in a pint of makers mark for about 3 weeks. Dumped it all in secondary and let it sit for 10 days.
It took about 3 months in bottles for the flavors to really come out, but it has become my best & favorite beer that I have brewed. I will be brewing it again and again.
 
Would you secondary longer next time or do you think 10 days is about right? I've heard anywhere from 1 week to 1 month is best.
 
I left mine in secondary for 6 weeks. I just bottled mine last week and just from the SG sample it tasted great! I plan on opening my first bottle around the end of March to see how it's coming along. The only thing I think I might do differently is use 16 oz of MM instead of only 10 oz. :mug:
 
I have a batch thats been in the primary for about a week......from what I'm reading I should have already started soaking the oak chunks.

I guess a trip to the ABC store is order.......

I can't wait to taste this, I had a Bourbon Porter in a BBQ joint called Billy's in Lexington KY awhile back and have been searching for a commercial version eversince........When I saw this thread I thought, since I can't find one I can buy, I might as well do it myself.
 
I started soaking my cubes in bourbon the same day I racked to secondary. After two weeks of secondary I then added my bourbon and oak cubes. Then I just left it alone for another 4 weeks.
 
What's funny is that I was just at the Northern Brewer website yesterday and this was one of 3 kits I was looking at getting. I really want to try this one before the end of the year. Question, when soaking the oak chunks...it that done in an open container or closed container???
 
What's funny is that I was just at the Northern Brewer website yesterday and this was one of 3 kits I was looking at getting. I really want to try this one before the end of the year. Question, when soaking the oak chunks...it that done in an open container or closed container???

I'd soak in a closed container just to keep dust, dog hair or anything else from floating into it.
 
I'm doing this recipe, but have had trouble with stuck fermentation. I had an OG of 1.065, and after adding more yeast and even a little yeast nutrient, can't get it past 1.024. That's an attenuation in the low 60 percentages I think... Will I be safe to bottle with that? The hydrometer reading hasn't changed in over a week.
 
@Thakog, honestly I wouldn't know, best to ask someone more knowledgable e.g. BM, EdWort, or Revvy these guys aren't the only ones but they're just the ones I first think of when there's a question like that in the offing.
I bottled my BBP Tuesday the second of this month
I plan on bottling the Apfelwein tomorrow or Sunday.
for BBP I let
4wks in prim
add woodchips to bourbon at week 2 in sealed container
4wks in 2ndary with bourbon and woodchips added at transfer time.
Hopefully the f'ing temp thing didn't kill it for me we'll see.
and always RDWHAHB
 
I had the same issue with stuck fermentation. I started around 1.068, and made it just below 1.030. I added a second yeast packet with nutrients and stirred as well. Got nothing.

Sample taste pretty good. I'm kegging it instead of bottling so I'm not worried about explosions. Added the Marker's Mark to the cubes today. Should dump it all in next week.

Not thrilled with the low attenuation but I think it might still turn out great.
 
Just pulled one out for a tasting Sunday and OHH yummiees. My fear of the yeast being murdered by the arctic blast of my freezer seem to have been for naught. Carb'd really really well and the only thing I can say is if it keeps getting better over the next year it'll be unbelievable at Christmas / Thanksgiving.
 
I also have a stuck fermentation with this kit...OG: 1.066 and it won't budge past 1.024.

Started oak-soaking in a "dash" over 16 oz of Bulleit Bourbon. Can't wait to try this brew...
 
I put one of my first taster bottles in the fridge yesterday morning. I'll be tryin one out tonight when I get home. I brewed this up 12th of December so it's taken an epic amount of patience to go this long without drinkin any!:mug:
 
This is my 5th batch and I'm really excited because it seems like people rave over this beer. I usually only use a secondary for beers that I really want to clear up or dry hop. In that light, I think I will only be using a primary fermentor for this Porter. Probably let it sit for about 6 weeks and I'll just add the oak-soaked bourbon and wood chips in the last 1-2 weeks.

Thoughts anyone? Is this a bad idea?
 
This is my 5th batch and I'm really excited because it seems like people rave over this beer. I usually only use a secondary for beers that I really want to clear up or dry hop. In that light, I think I will only be using a primary fermentor for this Porter. Probably let it sit for about 6 weeks and I'll just add the oak-soaked bourbon and wood chips in the last 1-2 weeks.

Thoughts anyone? Is this a bad idea?

That will be OK but I would age this in bottles for a while before drinking too much of it. It ages really well. I'm still drinking the batch I brewed in 09/08.

On the other hand, I usually don't secondary beers but I did secondary this one to provide for extended bulk aging. I don't have my notes at work but I think I left it in secondary for about six months. You'll be OK if you bottle after 6 weeks in primary though, just be patient and age them for a while before you drink both cases. You'll be glad you waited.

Also, welcome to HBT!!
 
Thanks! I just don't want to leave it in the primary too long because it will be on the yeast cake. Maybe I'll do 2 months. At what point during your six month secondary fermentation did you add the oak chips and bourbon?
 
Thanks! I just don't want to leave it in the primary too long because it will be on the yeast cake. Maybe I'll do 2 months. At what point during your six month secondary fermentation did you add the oak chips and bourbon?

I'm not sure off the top of my head. I want to say I added the oak and bourbon 4 weeks before I kegged. Just keep tasting it every week or two to see if the oak is where you want it then bottle. You'll be fine leaving it in primary 6 weeks before bottling. Just let the bottles age for a few months at room temperature.
 
I too just brewed this beer. Can anyone tell me what the target final gravity for this beer is? I can't seem to figure that out.

I got an OG of just over 1.065. Took a sample today after being in primary for 9 days and it's just over 1.023. Saw a few posts in this forum saying that they feel they have a stuck fermentation with similar readings.

I'm not getting any more airlock activity (though I know this isn't a good indicator of fermentation). I suppose I'll take another reading in a day or two before racking to secondary.

Any idea what FG i should be shooting for?
 
I can't wait to taste this, I had a Bourbon Porter in a BBQ joint called Billy's in Lexington KY awhile back and have been searching for a commercial version eversince........When I saw this thread I thought, since I can't find one I can buy, I might as well do it myself.

Are you sure it was a porter? I love Billy's. I know they keep the Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale on tap. They might have had BBC's Jefferson Reserve Bourbon Stout, as well. Both are good. The Jefferson Reserve is amazing. Easily one of my favorite beers...

Any reason why this shouldn't be my first brew? I'd picked it out as something I'd love to try, then searched this place...
 
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