Smoked Porter Recipe

[rafaelpinto]

Hey guys,

Ive recently tryed an amazing example of a smoked porter, which is Ashtray Heart by Evil Twin. Its high abv (9%), has nice sweetness and quite balanced yet strong smokey/coffee/caramel/dark fruits notes. Very pleasant.

I am thinking about brewing a batch of this style. How do you think this recipe will come out?

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OG: 1070
FG: 1018 (mash around 152F?)
Yeast: S04
Hops: magnum
IBU: 30
Color: 60 SRM (yes, I like it dark)

35% Smoked Malt
30% Munich Malt (a little stronger than 2row)
10% Carapils (some sweetness and head retention)

10% Carafa III Special (color and coffee notes without the roast)
2.5% Chocolate
2.5% Torrified Barley (ashy notes, should blend well with the smoke)

5% Crystal 40 (some light caramel/honey flavors)
5% Special B (some stronger caramel/raisin/nutty flavors)​

 

[rafaelpinto]

Is it too much Carafa III?

 

[m00ps]

I've made 2 smoked porters and That looks just about perfect to me. I dont think thats too much carafa since youve only got a tiny bit of chocolate. The smoke level should be right on for a porter. But are you confusing torrified barley with roasted barley? Either way, should turn out fine. Just that torrified barley isnt ashy at all.

I might mash a bit higher though. I usually do 154 for my stouts and porters. Depends on what type of body you like

 

[Calder]

My suggestions:

- Reduce, or even eliminate the carafa.

- Drop the carapils and C40. You wont notice them.

- Increase the chocolate to 10 or even 15%. Maybe replace some or all with coffee malt.

I assume the smoked malt is beechwood or cherry, and not peat.

 

[BigPerm]

I agree with the previous post to get rid of the carapils. If I were you, I would replace it with flaked barley; you'll get a great creamy mouthfeel. In mine, I used ~7.5% of 80L crystal for some heavier toffee notes. Special B gets a little raisiny/burnt sugar for me, even at smaller concentrations (but this isn't my beer...)

I think 30% munich is a great idea for good body structure. When I made my first smoked porter, I used ~42% cherrywood smoked malt. It's VERY smoky, more smoky than I remember Ashtray heart being. I loved it; it was too much for others. I use about 2% roasted barley because the roasted character accentuates the sweetness and smoke. I make up the color difference with chocolate malt, but that's up to you. I don't have any experience with high quantities of carafa.

Good luck!

 

[rafaelpinto]

Thank you, guys! Ill raplace carapils with flaked oats or barley, reduce special B and put some crystal 80 in stead of it.

Why reduce carafa?

Oh, yes: cherrywood it is!

 

[m00ps]

I think they were saying to reduce the carafa if you up the chocolate or else itll be far into stout territory.

 

[rafaelpinto]

I get it, m00ps. But isnt carafa special supposed to be subtle?

 

[m00ps]

yeah, as far as heavily roasted malts go its much less acrid and harsh. I used to use it all the time for black ipas until I found midnight wheat malt.

But it goes great in porters and stouts to add color without like an irish dry stout degree of roastiness

 

[rafaelpinto]

Yes, I and totally love those stouts and porter that are so dark that the head is almost red. So sexy!

 

[rafaelpinto]

Brewing this today! Recipe slightly changed.

17,5% Cherrywood Smoked Malt
17,5% Smoked Wheat Malt (it has a subtle smoked flavor)
30% Munich Malt
8% Flaked Barley

9% Carafa Special III
4% Chocolate Malt
4% Torrified Barley

5% Special B
5% Crystal 60​

 

[rafaelpinto]

Pictures of the brewday! All in order.

I am rehydrating yeast right now. Ive decided to use 3 strains on the same batch: S04, US5 and Windsor.

Lets see how it turns out!

Grains right after dropped to mash.

Here in Brazil we use a kettle to mash, not a mash cooler-tun.

Grains resting on the warm wort.

Draining precious and yummy wort from the mash kettle.

Can anyone explain where these colors come from? I mean, that looks like a lot of oil!

Here boil comes!​

 

[rafaelpinto]

Wow, things are getting wild in the fermenter! Gravity got from 1.075 to 1.050 on around 19h from pitching... amazing!

 

[rafaelpinto]

Fermentation went real quick! Gravity is now stabilized on 1.030 (yes, thats what I was going for) for 24h. This means 6% ABV.

From pitching to the current gravity there were only 60 hours! I mean... fermentation complete in less than 3 days!? The yeast combo I used is really powerful :rockin:

Since its not a high ABV beer, how long should I left it on primary? Should I increase temperature to keep the yeast happily digesting fermentations by-products?

 

[Calder]

Fermentation went real quick! Gravity is now stabilized on 1.030 (yes, thats what I was going for) for 24h. This means 6% ABV.

From pitching to the current gravity there were only 60 hours! I mean... fermentation complete in less than 3 days!? The yeast combo I used is really powerful :rockin:

Since its not a high ABV beer, how long should I left it on primary? Should I increase temperature to keep the yeast happily digesting fermentations by-products?

You went from 1.075 to 1.030 using, S04, US5, and Windsor, in 3 days and you think it is done! What temperature did you mash at.

I'd leave it where it is for at least a couple of weeks before you bottle. Certainly don't remove it from the yeast for a while.

 

[rafaelpinto]

Mash temperature was around 151-154F.

Should I change temperature after primary fermentation is done? Should I increase it to make yeast more active? Should I cold crash it?

Im thinking about using gelatin to clear the beer up and let the yeast settle. Is it a good idea?

 

[Calder]

Mash temperature was around 151-154F.

Should I change temperature after primary fermentation is done? Should I increase it to make yeast more active? Should I cold crash it?

Im thinking about using gelatin to clear the beer up and let the yeast settle. Is it a good idea?

I know I would find 1.030 way too sweet for me, but I like my beer drier than a lot of people. I think I would raise the temperature now to the max range of the yeast to get as much out of the yeast as possible. Maybe even go a little above the range. It has done most of it's work now, so you don't need to hold temperature any more.

I would use gelatin. Dark roasted grain, like carafa and chocolate, produce a lot of fine dust particles that stay in suspension for a long time, which can produce a slightly harsh taste in a young beer before it has completely dropped. I think gelatin helps drop the very fine particles of the grain resulting in a smoother tasting beer.

 

[rafaelpinto]

Thanks, Calder