Thought on Robust Porter recipe

[myndflyte]

My dad loves his porters and stouts so I want to brew up a porter for the upcoming fall/winter. I scaled this recipe up from a Basic Brewing episode:


It ends up being almost 7% black patent and I know it has a reputation of being ashy and I'm wondering if I should sub de-bittered black malt. Any other input would be appreciated as well.

Brew Method: BIAB
Style Name: American Porter
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 5 gallons (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 6 gallons
Boil Gravity: 1.073
Efficiency: 80% (brew house)


STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.087
Final Gravity: 1.022
ABV (standard): 8.62%
IBU (tinseth): 41.8
SRM (morey): 50

FERMENTABLES:
12 lb - United Kingdom - Maris Otter Pale (80%)
1 lb - American - Chocolate (6.7%)
1 lb - United Kingdom - Black Patent (6.7%)
1 lb - New Zealand - Brown Malt (6.7%)

HOPS:
3 oz - Fuggles, Type: Pellet, AA: 4.5, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 41.8

MASH GUIDELINES:
1) Infusion, Temp: 150 F, Time: 60 min

OTHER INGREDIENTS:
1 each - oak spiral, Time: 14 days, Type: Flavor, Use: Primary

YEAST:
Imperial Yeast - A01 House
Starter: No
Form: Liquid
Attenuation (avg): 73%
Flocculation: High
Optimum Temp: 62 - 70 F

NOTES:
Allow to ferment 1 week and then add oak spiral.

 

[jafo28]

In my Porter recipe, which is very similar to yours. I'm only using 4oz of black patent. A full pound, just sounds like way too much, like you were saying.

 

[myndflyte]

In my Porter recipe, which is very similar to yours. I'm only using 4oz of black patent. A full pound, just sounds like way too much, like you were saying.

That's what I was kind of worried about. I suppose it's better to start low and can always bump it up if I brew it again than have to stomach 5 gallons of something that doesn't taste right.

 

[BrewMan13]

I just made a porter which coincidentally has black patent at exactly 7%, and it's not too "ashy" at all for my tastes. That's what matters here: the tastes of the person drinking it. I can drink the **** out of porters and stouts, so this was nothing to me. I actually dialed it back from my original recipe formulated many years ago.

 

[myndflyte]

I just made a porter which coincidentally has black patent at exactly 7%, and it's not too "ashy" at all for my tastes. That's what matters here: the tastes of the person drinking it. I can drink the poopy out of porters and stouts, so this was nothing to me. I actually dialed it back from my original recipe formulated many years ago.

Well that's good to know that 7% isn't ashy. I mean in the Basic Brewing episode, his grain bill ends up being 10% black patent and they don't mention any off flavors from it.

 

[dmtaylor]

Black malt is acrid. I'd double your brown malt to 2 lb, and reduce the black malt to 2-3 OUNCES. That's what I use in my perfect award-winning stout.

Note: If mash pH is lower than about 5.1 or so, dissolve like 1/8 teaspoon baking soda in a little water and stir it into the mash.

 

[ProblemChild]

Personal tastes is to use Flaked barley in a robust porter. To me, it should be slightly chewy, and about .5 lb of flaked barley adds character to the flavor and boosts body.

Otherwise, reduce black patent as stated above and it is really solid.

Just for fun - look up Extra special roast malt. I am hooked on that in porters - about .25 lb.

 

[rhys333]

Black patent gets a bad rap due to its unfortunate and rather ominous-sounding name. In my experience, it's milder than chocolate malt. That said, I haven't used it at 7%, but I have used it at 3 and 4% in dark mild and its as smooth as I could ask for. I would go for it and see what happens.

 

[tennesseean_87]

I've done a side-by-side brew with chocolate, BP, and RB. The BP and RB were REALLY close. I don't get the hate. It was 8% or so in a session stout, but without other dark malt, FWIW.

 

[asterix404]

That is almost an 8.5% abv. I would add a minimum of 8oz Black Patent to it or the full pound recommended. That is a huge beer. If you want it just for color, 4oz should be sufficient but if you want a bit of flavor from it, I don't see 1 pound to be unreasonable.

 

[BrewMan13]

Well that's good to know that 7% isn't ashy. I mean in the Basic Brewing episode, his grain bill ends up being 10% black patent and they don't mention any off flavors from it.

For the record, I just won best in show at a small local homebrew competition for this brew, so 7% of the grist (12oz for my recipe) is clearly not too much And this was only a 6% abv beer, so yours can surely handle that much roast.

 

[fourfarthing]

I love some caramel malt (120 or 80) in my robust porter.