Chocolate Porter recipe critique (ag)

Hi all, i'm looking for some input on this recipe I put together to brew on Saturday...i've never brewed an all grain porter before so i'm looking for any tips/changes that could make this better! Any input is appreciated.

Mash 60 minutes
8 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM)
1 lbs 4.0 oz Caramunich Malt (56.0 SRM)
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM)
6.8 oz Chocolate malt (350.0 SRM)
4.0 oz COFFEE MALT
4.0 oz Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM)
1.6 oz Black (Patent) Malt (500.0 SRM)

Boil 60 minutes
1 oz Centennial [10.0%] - Boil 45 min
1 oz Willamette [5.5%] - Boil 15 min
4.0 oz lactose sugar - Boil 5 mins
8.0 oz COCOA POWDER - Boil 1 min

Yeast - "san diego super yeast" WLP090

Any thoughts or issues you see? My wife's uncle is actually a candy maker at an amazing chocolate company here in Connecticut and we figured we should exploit his access to top quality cocoa powder and make something chocolatey. (don't ask what the difference is from store bought regular stuff - I have no idea).

THANKS!

 

bumpzilla!

 

Seems like a pretty good recipe to me. I'd definitely want to try it .

I have a few small suggestions. I would maybe drop the caramunich from 1lb 4oz to 12oz or so. 20oz seems high. The chocolate malt at 6.8 oz seems kind of high too. 4oz is probably plenty given the fact that you're adding cocoa powder later. Too much chocolate malt and you will just get burnt flavors. If you want more chocolate flavor try adding some cocoa nibs or cold-steeped coffee.

 

I did a 5gal chocolate milk stout and added 5oz cocoa powder for 60 minutes. Had huge chocolate notes and a distinct dark chocolate bitterness. I coupled it with 1# of lactose to add mouthfeel and sweetness.

Donnie

Keg #1: Empty
Keg #2: Empty
Primary #1: Tailgater Pale Ale
Primary #2: Leiny's Big Butt Clone (as an ale)

 

Personally I'd lose the Caramunich all together and replace with more Pale Malt. I'm unfamiliar with Coffee Malt, having never used it--or even seen it in a recipe before this one--so I don't know enough to say anything about it.

Other than that, I think it looks pretty good. It should be a nice porter. Make sure to come back to this and tell us how it came out.

 

Thanks guys. Some people have also been recommending that I use some brown malt...maybe i'll get rid of most of the caramunich and a bit of the chocolate malt and add a little more pale, and some brown.

Also maybe based on someone boiling cocoa powder for the whole 60 and getting good results, i'll do 4 oz at 60 and 4 at the end.

THANKS! I will be back in a couple weeks to letcha how how it turned out.

 

i'd just add at the cocoa the last few mins, theres no need to boil it the whole time. personally i'd cut back on the crystal malts to ~1# total and swap in more chocolate malt (pale, regular, or even choc wheat) for the coffee malt, but nothing wrong with it as is

 

Coffee malt and brown malt can be overdone very easily. I'd say 4 oz is the max you want to go. I like to blend my chocolate malts - go half with a darker chocolate and half with pale chocolate malt. It adds some complexity to the overall chocolate character.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

Well, the recipe I ended with after some of the advice here is:


9 lbs - Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (3.0 SRM)
8.0 oz - Brown Malt (65.0 SRM)
8.0 oz - Caramunich Malt (56.0 SRM)
4.0 oz - Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM)
4.0 oz - Chocolate malt (Briess) (350.0 SRM)
4.0 oz - Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM)
2.0 oz - COFFEE MALT (65.0 SRM)
1.6 oz - Black (Patent) Malt (500.0 SRM)

1.0 oz - Centennial [10.0%] - Boil 45 min
1.0 oz - Willamette [5.5%] - Boil 15 min

8.0 oz - COCOA POWDER [0.0%] - Boil 5 min
8.0 oz - Milk Sugar (Lactose) (0.0 SRM)


The brew day was a bit of a mess...was my 1st time using a 10 gallon igloo with a false bottom, and I couldnt get a damn DROP of wort to come through the spigot after the mash. Turns out it was completely clogged, my false bottom must not have been flush on the bottom. Frustrating, but an oversized strainer helped us get to our volume, and the OG was right on target, so hopefully we don't see any issues with the way we ended up having to do it!

Thanks again for the tips, will check in once this thing is ready.

 

Did you use the san Diego super yeast? I just did a porter with lactose and that yeast and I realized I should have used something else. Dried it right up.

 

I used my trusty US-05 for my chocolate milk stout. Was looking for a clean yeast that didn't add much in the way of flavor. Turned out to be a good choice.

Donnie

Keg #1: Empty
Keg #2: Empty
Primary #1: Tailgater Pale Ale
Primary #2: Leiny's Big Butt Clone (as an ale)

 

I'm kicking myself right now for using the super yeast.
Also the beer won't carbonate, that might also explain some lack of body. But I think my choice of yeast is to blame for the dryness in my brew. I'll try again some day with another.

 

****, yes I did use that SD Super yeast. Hope there's some sweetness left after it's done!...if not, is there any decent way to add some at secondary?

 

Maltodextrin and or lactose sugar.

 

Ok update on mine:
After crank and shake force carbing this beer (dont judge me lol) I'm starting to think I judged it too quickly. Still a little dry but the carbonation really helps.

I'll still use a maltier yeast and maybe even more lactose next time, but even with the SD super yeast this is a tasty brew. I imagine you'll be fine and might come to the same conclusion.

Patience is a four letter word... Haha.

 

I just tasted it after a couple days of ridiculously vigorous bubbling and it tastes great so far. Hopefully that holds up for a few more days of clearing up!

 

I bottled yesterday, and the beer tastes great pre-carb. Thanks for all the advice, seems like a success as long as it carbs up properly!

 

Just as a follow up here, I actually think the cocoa powder we used was a bit much. If I brew this again, i'll scale it back to maybe 5 oz or so instead of 8.