I'm craving a nice sessionable porter for this winter, and I'm looking for a few things:
1. I love that roasty/coffee aroma and flavor that you can get off bigger porters, something like Left Hand's Weak Sauce porter.
2. Want it around 5% alcohol, so that people can have a couple
3. Want it to finish somewhat sweet, to balance out the roast and coffee, but not 'heavy'. Again, looking for something sessionable, so it can't be cloying.
4. Not very hoppy, noble hops with just enough bite to balance the roast
Based on what I've read (since I have very little experience with Porters), I want to use roasted barley for the coffee, and chocolate malt for the color and sweetness.
I've formulated the following, and I'd love some input:
9lb Pilsen malt (I have it on hand and prefer it to 2row)
1lb Chocolate
1lb Caramel 60
1lb Flaked Barley (for creaminess and head retention)
.5lb Roasted Barley
1oz Willamette 60min (4.9%)
.25oz Magnum 60min (13.7%) (have it left over, purely to increase the IBUs slightly)
1oz Fuggles 5min (4%)
Using a clean English yeast, most likely Wyeast 1098
IBUs: 27
ABV: 5.2%
I'm looking for any input you guys have, the only dark beers I've made previously were over 8% alcohol, so this whole 'session' thing is a bit new for me
1. I love that roasty/coffee aroma and flavor that you can get off bigger porters, something like Left Hand's Weak Sauce porter.
2. Want it around 5% alcohol, so that people can have a couple
3. Want it to finish somewhat sweet, to balance out the roast and coffee, but not 'heavy'. Again, looking for something sessionable, so it can't be cloying.
4. Not very hoppy, noble hops with just enough bite to balance the roast
Based on what I've read (since I have very little experience with Porters), I want to use roasted barley for the coffee, and chocolate malt for the color and sweetness.
I've formulated the following, and I'd love some input:
9lb Pilsen malt (I have it on hand and prefer it to 2row)
1lb Chocolate
1lb Caramel 60
1lb Flaked Barley (for creaminess and head retention)
.5lb Roasted Barley
1oz Willamette 60min (4.9%)
.25oz Magnum 60min (13.7%) (have it left over, purely to increase the IBUs slightly)
1oz Fuggles 5min (4%)
Using a clean English yeast, most likely Wyeast 1098
IBUs: 27
ABV: 5.2%
I'm looking for any input you guys have, the only dark beers I've made previously were over 8% alcohol, so this whole 'session' thing is a bit new for me