Stout/Porter with belgian yeast?

So I'm a big fan of esters and roasty flavors. This has led me to consider a belgian-inspired roasty beer. What I'm thinking of is a slightly bigger, roastier version of Sam Smith's Taddy Porter, but with belgian esters and phenolics. I'm taking Jamil's Brown Porter recipe and mutilating it for this.

Looking at an OG of 1.050-1.056--more of a session beer than a goblet one. The yeast I'm looking at is Wyeast 1214.

The bill I'm looking at is this for 6 gallons:

9lb american 2-row.--Because it's cheap, and I'm experimenting.
.5lb white wheat--head retention.
1lb caramel 40--Body, sweetness, some flavor
1lb Brown malt--for the awesome flavor it has.

And a mix of roasted malts: I'm thinking 10oz roasted barley, and 4oz 350l chocolate.

For hops I'll dump in one 60 minute addition of Willamette at 35ish IBUs using the Rager formula.

I'll mash at 153f to get it slightly chewy, and ferment starting at 64f.

With 75% efficiency, that'll get me about 1.056 OG, and who knows FG.

Is this a disaster, or should I go for it?

I think that a belgian stout is somewhat of an oxymoron but that's what is nice about homebrewing is making something to your specific tastes.

If I was making this proposed recipe, I'd use the 3787 yeast instead for more plum, less banana. I think it would meld better with the darker malts. I'd also darken the crystal to something in the 80-120L range.

Have you considered adding Dark Candi sugar? Just a thought.

Yeah, this would be a Belgian specialty if I were to enter it in a competition.

3787 is a good recommendation. I would also consider adding dark candi sugar, but I'm wary of adding another layer of complexity on top of the roasts, esters, and brown malt; I'm afraid it would muddy it up. I'd consider some table sugar though, to dry it out and increase the yeast character in relation to the malts.

What I'm looking for is a dry, medium-bodied beer with brown malt, complemented by roasts and esters.

But I've never really had a Belgian beer with roasted malts before, so I'm not sure if those flavors work well together.

I haven't tried it, but AHS uses 1214 for its Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence clone. I'm not sure if a full recipe is around.

I think you'll end up more stoutish than porterish with 10oz of roasted barley.

Sounds interesting. I've had a PA with Belgian yeast and I've made a barleywine with Belgian yeast. I'm also working on a black weizen. But when I sampled it, it tasted more wheat-stoutish.

Sounds really good. I like higher gravity beers, but thats just me.

I like the idea. I agree with beernik about the roasted malts making it more of a stout. Everything else sounds good though. Once it starts warming up a bit in the Seattle area I will be using Belgian yeasts for just about everything this summer.

Here in sanantonio we have a microbrew/pizzaria that has a belgian yeast brewed stout, let me tell you, it works out great! one of the top sellers, 'La muerta'

I've done this with little success. I wouldn't reccomend it. Maybe my fermentation was way off, but I got some weird estery-burned flavors.

How off was the fermentation? If you start in the 70s I could imagine it being overpoweringly estery, but what if I pitch at 64-67f? Do you think the ester profile simply doesn't work with roasted malts?

I had a stout like this a year or two ago. It was made in Finland, I believe... Very, very delicious!

I'm a big stout fan, but hate belgians. However, I say go for it! Good for you for saying "**** you" to the styles and experimenting!

[/drunken encouragement]

Boulevard Brewing released "Dark Truth Stout" last winter as part of their Smokestack Series. It is made with a belgian yeast strain, here's what their release had to say:

"Ladies and gentleman, we present for your consideration this exotic, inky elixir, the almost magical creation of our modern day alchemists, who have turned humble grains – barley, wheat, rye and oats – into black, liquid gold. Layers of complex flavors slowly emerge from the glass: espresso, roasted fig, creme brulee. Belgian yeast provides a plum-like fruitiness, noble German hops reveal spicy, herbal notes, while the rich, velvety mouthfeel mellows to a dry, smoky finish. Such a robust beer stands well by itself, but also makes a wonderful end-note to any rich, indulgent meal. Discover the secret of combining this roasty ale to sweets, by pairing with dark chocolate or caramel, or even by pouring it over ice cream. It’s a truly enlightening experience.”

Definitely a different taste with the Belgian yeast but it's a good beer.

Mine was far too roasty when I did it, and I think the yeast played a huge role in accentuateing that. If others on here have done it with success, by all means try! Let me know how it goes and give me the recipe.

Everyone who's tried what I'm doing is saying it comes off too roasty.

These commercial "Belgian-inspired" stouts all seem to fit the imperial stout or Belgian strong ale styles. Could it be that smaller roasty beers don't work with Belgian yeast?

No success stories out there?