- Recipe Type
- All Grain
- Original Gravity
- 1.035
I've been curious for some time about the last porters brewed in Britain in the 1940s. This is based on some of those brewing records, but not quite the same. I just couldn't bring myself to dropping the OG to 1.032. That's just a step too far.
Tasting notes:
- Pours a fairly dark brown. You can still see through the pint glass if the sun is out, but it looks pretty much black indoors. Good off-white head, nice lacing.
- Aroma is caramel, malts, hint of cocoa.
- Decent mouthfeel, specially for the gravity. Those dextrins in Brown malt definitively help out here! Slightly dry finish, the bitterness doesn't linger much.
- Taste is cocoa, with some sweet nuttiness. There is a hint of fresh hop flavour (floral, slightly grassy). Mellow esters, still there. Some malt loaf and instant coffee. Gentle roast after taste.
- Overall I'm surprised how good this is. It's a roastier, more bitter, very drinkable alternative to a dark mild in the same alcohol range.
5 US gallons
OG 1.035, FG 1.010, ABV 3.4%, 31IBU, 32SRM
Grist:
- 4.5lb Maris Otter (71%)
- 1lb Brown Malt (16%)
- 6oz Chocolate Malt (6%)
- 2oz Patent Malt (2%)
(4.5oz Invert Sugar Syrup #4 (or very dark) (4.5%), are added towards the end of the boil)
Use your favourite mash / sparge schedule. I add around 5 grams of gypsum to increase sulfates. Mash around 150F to retain some body.
45 minute boil:
- 45m add 2/3oz Challenger for 22IBU
- 15m add 1/2oz Challenger for 9IBU, the invert sugar and copper finings
- Once cooled, add 5SRM worth of Brewers' Caramel to bring the colour from the high 20s to the low 30s. I used Brewferm, so around 12 grams should do.
Ferment with S04. Alternatively, give a go at WLP002.
Tasting notes:
- Pours a fairly dark brown. You can still see through the pint glass if the sun is out, but it looks pretty much black indoors. Good off-white head, nice lacing.
- Aroma is caramel, malts, hint of cocoa.
- Decent mouthfeel, specially for the gravity. Those dextrins in Brown malt definitively help out here! Slightly dry finish, the bitterness doesn't linger much.
- Taste is cocoa, with some sweet nuttiness. There is a hint of fresh hop flavour (floral, slightly grassy). Mellow esters, still there. Some malt loaf and instant coffee. Gentle roast after taste.
- Overall I'm surprised how good this is. It's a roastier, more bitter, very drinkable alternative to a dark mild in the same alcohol range.
5 US gallons
OG 1.035, FG 1.010, ABV 3.4%, 31IBU, 32SRM
Grist:
- 4.5lb Maris Otter (71%)
- 1lb Brown Malt (16%)
- 6oz Chocolate Malt (6%)
- 2oz Patent Malt (2%)
(4.5oz Invert Sugar Syrup #4 (or very dark) (4.5%), are added towards the end of the boil)
Use your favourite mash / sparge schedule. I add around 5 grams of gypsum to increase sulfates. Mash around 150F to retain some body.
45 minute boil:
- 45m add 2/3oz Challenger for 22IBU
- 15m add 1/2oz Challenger for 9IBU, the invert sugar and copper finings
- Once cooled, add 5SRM worth of Brewers' Caramel to bring the colour from the high 20s to the low 30s. I used Brewferm, so around 12 grams should do.
Ferment with S04. Alternatively, give a go at WLP002.
