It's a beer-ical! Our Bourbon Vanilla Porter is GOOD!

goofiefoot · Sep 4, 2009

All it took was 6 months.

So, me and my brewing partners brewed a partial-mash Bourbon Vanilla Porter and bottled it in mid-February. 3 weeks later we began to pop the bottles, and were disappointed, to say the least. Some smelled bad (I didn't experience this, but the other guys did), most were under-carbonated, and overall taste was a little funky. I never disliked it so much that I didn't finish a bottle, but it just wasn't that great.

My buddies, much to my chagrin, poured out the remainder of their share, but (being a regular reader here) I held on to my remaining supply, hoping for a miracle. Every month or so, I have opened another, and have remained disappointed.

Until last night...

I put a flip-top liter bottle in the fridge 3 days before. I opened it up to a nice "pffffffft". I poured carefully and was enamored with a nice, ivory head buildup. Then I took a sip.

Holy crap! Magically, vanilla notes came through the aroma; along with a slightly sweet, slightly malty flavor with distinct, but not overbearing, bourbon flavor. Nice, clean finish. This is the beer we were hoping for.

Unfortunately, I only have 2 more.

Denny · Sep 4, 2009

Bourbon vanilla porter....now THERE'S a wacky idea!

Congrats on your beer.

JefeTheVol · Sep 4, 2009

Sounds great...just like Guns N Roses man, all you need is just a little patience. Yes I did make a corny, power ballad reference.
-Jefe-

carnevoodoo · Sep 4, 2009

I made 10 gallons of Denny's BVIP 2 weeks ago. It doesn't have the V or the B yet, but the base beer is really damn nice. 1.093 --> 1.020 at this point and there's some alcohol coming through in the front, but it is so damn smooth. I'm adding Knob Creek to it. I can't wait to drink it all.

ChshreCat · Sep 4, 2009

Time to brew up another batch and put it away until springtime!

bkov · Sep 4, 2009

was it dennys recipe? i did that one last year, probably my favorite homebrew so far

JamesClark · Sep 4, 2009

JefeTheVol said:
Yes I did make a corny
-Jefe-

You made your own KEG?!?!

Bsquared · Sep 4, 2009

time cures all ale's or porters in this case...

I'm almost through a Rye experiment from '05. I can't get my self to pour it out, I just keep hoping for a Beer-ical too.

thataintchicken · Sep 4, 2009

JefeTheVol said:
Sounds great...just like Guns N Roses man, all you need is just a little patience. Yes I did make a corny, power ballad reference.
-Jefe-

you will now be taken out and beaten. You may choose the music -- either Warrant or Winger.

bkov · Sep 4, 2009

i find the BVIP to be better slightly young.

but denny perfected this porter recipe and the rye ipa recipe

dontman · Sep 4, 2009

I have a Belgian Dark Strong that has been in bottle since November '08. Slowly, VERY slowly, it is becoming almost drinkable, but really it still is mostly a combo of coke syrup and soy sauce.

I'm hoping that magically at 12 months in bottle it will transform into a wonderful Blegian elixir.

Denny · Sep 5, 2009

bkov said:
i find the BVIP to be better slightly young.

but denny perfected this porter recipe and the rye ipa recipe

I prefer both of those younger rather than older.

Jim Karr · Sep 5, 2009

So the question remains: Will Denny share his recipes with us commoners?

bkov · Sep 5, 2009

you can find them all over the net but some are wrong. theres a thread on the BVIP on the northernbrewer forum thats over 50pages long, same with the rye ipa. i think the recipes are the in the database here also

bkov · Sep 5, 2009

i believe this is the correct recipe:

Bourbon Vanilla Imperial Porter

Batch Size (Gal): 5.00 Wort Size (Gal): 5.00
Total Grain (Lbs): 17.75
Anticipated OG: 1.086 Plato: 20.58
Anticipated SRM: 45.4
Anticipated IBU: 31.8
Brewhouse Efficiency: 73 %
Wort Boil Time: 70 Minutes

Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
62.0 11.00 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row) America 1.036 2
8.5 1.50 lbs. Brown Malt Great Britain 1.032 70
2.8 0.50 lbs. Crystal 40L America 1.034 40
14.1 2.50 lbs. Munich Malt (Durst) Germany 1.037 10
5.6 1.00 lbs. Crystal 120L America 1.033 120
7.0 1.25 lbs. Chocolate Malt America 1.029 350

Hops
Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.65 oz. Magnum-Domestic Whole 15.00 29.2 60 min.
0.40 oz. Goldings - E.K. Whole 6.00 2.6 10 min.

Extras
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.00 Unit(s)Whirlfloc Fining 15 Min.(boil)

Yeast
-----
Yeast US-56 Fermentis American Ale
Notes
-----
After primary, slit open 2 vanilla beans. Scrape the insides, chop the pods
into quarters, add to secondary fermenter, rack beer onto vanilla. Taste p
eriodically for the correct balance. I left the beer in secondary for 11 da
ys. Rack to bottling bucket and add 10 ml. per pint of Jim Beam Black Bourb
on (or to your taste). Bottle, enjoy!

bkov · Sep 5, 2009

and i think this is the correct ipa recipe:

Denny Conn's Rye IPA
Batch Size (GAL): 5.00 Wort Size (GAL): 5.00
Total Grain (LBS): 16.25
Anticipated OG: 1.073 Plato: 17.8
Anticipated SRM: 12.2
Anticipated IBU: 75.1
Brewhouse Efficiency: 65 %
Wort Boil Time: 70 Minutes

Grain/Extract/Sugar
% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
67.7 11.00 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row) America 1.036 2
18.5 3.00 lbs. Rye Malt America 1.030 4
7.7 1.25 lbs. Crystal 60L America 1.034 60
3.1 0.50 lbs. Cara-Pils Dextrine Malt 1.033 2
3.1 0.50 lbs. Wheat Malt America 1.038 2
Hops
Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.00 oz. Mt. Hood Whole 4.90 15.0 FWH
1.00 oz. Columbus Whole 17.80 54.4 60 min.
0.50 oz. Mt. Hood Whole 4.90 5.7 30 min.
1.50 oz. Mt. Hood Whole 4.90 0.0 0 min.
1.00 oz. Columbus Whole 15.00 0.0 Dry Hop

Extras
Amount Name Type Time
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.00 Tsp Irish Moss Fining 15 Min.(boil)
1.00 Tsp Gypsum Other 60 Min.(boil)

Yeast
-----
BrewTek CL-50 California Pub Brewery Ale or Wyeast 1272 Am. ale II
Or us05 dry

Denny · Sep 7, 2009

Thanks, bkov! Both of those look correct to me.

It's a beer-ical! Our Bourbon Vanilla Porter is GOOD!

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