London Porter Extract Recipe

[bradford0113]

I posted this in the beginner's forum, but I don't think it's going to get much attention there, so I am reposting here.

I found the following recipe in an older thread and it looks fairly easy for a beginner to try out. It's supposed to be a Fuller's London Porter clone. Anyone ever try this before? Any comments about how this recipe loooks? Any suggested changes?

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Here's one from Beer Captured by Tess & Mark Szamatulksi.

Heat 1 gallon of water to 160 degrees & add

1 lb. British Crystal 55L
10 0z. British Chocolate Malt
4 oz. British Brown Malt

Remove the pot from the heat and steep at 150 degreees for 30 minutes.
Strain the grain water into brew pot. Sparge grains with 1 Gallon of 150 degree water.

Bring water to a boil, remove from heat and add.

6# M&F Light DME
6 oz. Malto Dextrin
2 oz. Fuggles at 4.2% AA

Add Water till total volume in brew pot is 2.5 gallons. Boil for 45 minutes then add.

1/4 oz. Fuggles (flavor Hop)
1 tsp. Irish Moss

Boil for 15 more minutes then chill for 20 minutes. Strain the wort into primary fermentor and top off with cold water to obtain 5-1/8 gallons. Once the wort temp is below 80 degrees, pitch the yeast.

1st choice: Wyeast 1968 London ESB

2nd choice: Wyeast 1028 London Ale

Ferment at 68-72 degrees for 7 days then rack to a secondary for 3 weeks.

Prime with 1-1/4 cup of M&F Extra Light DME that has been boiled for 10 minutes in 2 cups of water.

Let prime at 70 degrees for aprox. 3 weeks until carbonated, then store at cellar temp.
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[VillageBrew]

I have made a Fullers clone several months ago and will have to retrieve the recipe and post it later. Until then, I have a few questions. A Fuller's porter is dark and robust. Why use irish moss? It is a waste because your beer will not be any where near being a clear or golden beer that would benefit from that addition. Secondly, why rack to a secondary? Once again, you are making a porter. Leave it in the primary for a good three weeks or more. Thirdly, why set a temp to pitch your yeast? That should depend on the yeast that you are using. Most companies put their recomendations on the packages and they are usually below your 80 degrees. Fourthly? (is that a word), why strain the wort into the primary? I never strain off any beer that is darker or cloudier than a hefeweizen. Leaving it on the trub will not hurt anything.

 

[HerbieHowells]

That looks very similar to Graham Wheeler's Fuller's porter recipe from Brew Your Own British Real Ale. The grain bill is about the same. He leaves out the Irish moss, and his hop levels are slightly different (he calls for 1.8 oz Fuggles at the start of the boil, and .6 oz Fuggles with 10 minutes left in the boil). He also leaves out the malto dextrine. So you would probably end up with something close to Fuller's London Porter with this recipe.

(Just to brag, a bar with Fuller's London Porter on cask just opened down the street from my house. Glory hallelujah!)

 

[BenjaminBier]

Mark and Tess write some of my favorite recipes of all time. I would brew it!

 

[bradford0113]

I have a question on the grains in this recipe. My LHBS does not carry any of the British varieties nor do they carry the Muntons DME or any Brown Malt. I'm sure if I took this recipe to them they would recommend substitutions but I could also make an hour drive to another HBS which carries everything exactly as this recipe calls for.

What differences might I see if I sub US ingredients for the British?

 

[VillageBrew]

To add the recipe that I stated about earlier that came out spot on to Fuller's!
7 lbs Light LME

1lb Crystal 60
10 oz Chocolate

6 oz Malto Dextrine

2 oz Fuggles [:60]
1/4 oz Fuggles [:15]

WLP002 English Ale Yeast

OG-1.059
IBU's - 38
Color - 20.2
Alcohol - 5.91%

I am still enjoying mine! Been in the bottle since August. Very yummy!

 

[bradford0113]

Thanks VillageBrew for posting your recipe. It looks very close to the one I originally posted and just brewed this past Sunday.

Our water volumes must have been slightly different because my OG measured 1.059 exactly as yours but I used 1 less lb of DME.

I ended up using the Wyeast 1968 London ESB. I made a starter Saturday morning and pitched into 70 degree wort on Sunday afternoon.

What was your fermentation and conditioning schedule and temps? My brew has been in the primary for 3 days now at about 68 degrees F. The initial aggressive fermentation appears to already be complete as the CO2 release has significantly slowed. I haven't decided if I'm going to move to the secondary after 7 days or not. It will depend on whether or not I want to free up my primary for another batch of something else.

 

[VillageBrew]

I kept mine in the primary for almost four weeks at about 69-70 degrees. No secondary needed. I just took it to a home brew meeting and everyone really enjoyed it. Disclaimer... I bottled it in September, so they have bottle aged for over four months. Well worth the wait!