How to thicken my porter?

[slemler2]

Hi, I just recently started all grain brewing. I made a porter as one of my first beers and it turned out surprisingly well. We kegged it and just tapped it last night. It tastes really good, but it needs more body to it. I was thinking of using maltodextrin or lactose. Which would be better? Here's my recipe:

7 lb Munton’s Marris Otter Malt-Lovibond 3.0
3 lb Dingemans Pale Ale Malt-Lovibond 3.4
1 lb Roasted black barley (unmalted)
1 lb Briess Caramel Malt - 10 L (6Row)
1 oz Ahtanum Pellet Hops- AA 5.2% (65 min)
1 oz Ahtanum Pellet Hops- AA 5.2% (35 min)
1 oz Ahtanum Pellet Hops- AA 5.2% (15 min)
15g Cooper’s Dry Yeast

Any advice on my ingredients is welcomed as well.
Cheers

 

[malkore]

I'd say it might be thin due to mashing a little low (you didn't include temperature rests in your recipe, but check your thermometer calibration to make sure you're really hitting the temps you want to hit).

malto-dextrine is used to add body without much sweetness. Lactose doesn't ferment but it does add sweetness and thus alters the flavor as well.

But I ask, is it fully carb'd yet? If its a bit undercarb'd still it could taste thin because it needs more CO2 in the mouthfeel.
Just another piece to consider, that's all

 

[bierhaus15]

I prefer maltodextrin over lactose, though some flaked barley/oats goes very well in a porter too.

 

[gallagherman]

...though some flaked barley/oats goes very well in a porter too.

+1 on the flaked barley. Adds a nice silkiness like oats, but not as oily. I use flaked barley in my dry stouts.

 

[dirty_martini]

+1 to flaked barley and mashing a little higher. for porters i usually mash around 152-154, whereas IPA for example are closer to 150 and belgians are 148-149

 

[brettwasbtd]

I also recommend a possibly higher mash temp with a calibrated thermometer. Also, depends at what CO2 volumes you carbed at, too high or too low can make the beer seem thin. Also if bottled conditioned, how long did you chill it? Some of the darker malts, when crushed, can become like dust and those dust particles can cling to an hinder some mouthfeel/body in the beer. I good cold conditioning period will cause these particles and yeast to drop out of suspension.

 

[slemler2]

+1 to flaked barley and mashing a little higher. for porters i usually mash around 152-154, whereas IPA for example are closer to 150 and belgians are 148-149

Thanks for the help. How much flaked barley should I add? Also, I have a keggle on top of a propane burner and have difficulty getting consistant thermometer readings to be at an exact degree. Any advice on better temperature control?

 

[slemler2]

Thanks for the help. How much flaked barley should I add? Also, I have a keggle on top of a propane burner and have difficulty getting consistant thermometer readings to be at an exact degree. Any advice on better temperature control?

 

[Golddiggie]

I wouldn't go over 8oz of flaked barley in a 5 gallon batch the first time. Probably more in the 4-6oz range... Try it with one amount, and see how that brew comes out... I would also mash in the 152-154 range (if not a little higher)... Just keep in mind, the higher you mash, the higher your FG will be...

 

[bbrim]

I recommend flaked wheat. It has been a great addition to my stouts.

 

[1Mainebrew]

I used 1.25 lbs of flaked barley in my oatmeal stout which came out nice and thick.

 

[RM-MN]

The robust porter I brewed from an extract kit was thin and watery until about 2 1/2 months in the bottle when it suddenly became robust. I think yours mostly needs more time, not additives.