Bert Grant's Perfect Porter Clone

[carbon111]

Nice. Let us know what your recipe reformulation ends up like.

FWIW, I'm thinking of using Windsor for my version of this.

 

[pickles]

My wife and I are expecting our first child (it's a boy!) the first week of October, we're naming him Porter Andrew. I recently made one of my wife's favorite beers, Bell's Two Hearted, and now I think I'll make one to celebrate Porter. This will be my next brew for sure. Now I need to work out a recipe.

 

[humann_brewing]

Nice. Let us know what your recipe reformulation ends up like.

FWIW, I'm thinking of using Windsor for my version of this.

I will keep you posted, Windsor would be a good option, I ended up use US-04 on this batch after my WLP005 wouldn't come back to life.

 

[carbon111]

Here's my current version of Grant's Perfect Porter (been toying with it for a while now )...will brew it once I'm done with two brews I've got coming up. At this point I'm planning it as a PM:

5.5 gallons:

3 lbs Light DME
3 lbs 2 Row Pale Malt
1 lb Crystal 60L
1 lb Chocolate Malt
2 oz Black Patent
1 oz Peated Malt

1.25 oz Willamette 60 minutes

Windsor Ale Dry Yeast

I just finished a beer recently with 2 oz of Peated and it just wasn't subtle enough, which is why I'm lowering my original recipe's 2 oz of Peat down to 1 oz.
I switched the Crystal over to only 60L as that was probably all that was readily commercially available in volume when Bert was first brewing this.
I've upped the Chocolate but lowered the Black Patent so as to still hit 34° SRM as that was just too much Black Patent.

 

[humann_brewing]

Here's my current version of Grant's Perfect Porter (been toying with it for a while now )...will brew it once I'm done with two brews I've got coming up. At this point I'm planning it as a PM:

5.5 gallons:

3 lbs Light DME
3 lbs 2 Row Pale Malt
1 lb Crystal 60L
1 lb Chocolate Malt
2 oz Black Patent
1 oz Peated Malt

1.25 Willamette 60 minutes

Windsor Ale Dry Yeast

I just finished a beer recently with 2 oz of Peated and it just wasn't subtle enough, which is why I'm lowering my original recipe's 2 oz of Peat down to 1 oz.
I switched the Crystal over to only 60L as that was probably all that was readily commercially available in volume when Bert was first brewing this.
I've upped the Chocolate but lowered the Black Patent so as to still hit 34° SRM as that was just too much Black Patent.

Yes, I had 1oz in 2.7 gallons and it was not subtle at all. I am halfing that one.

 

[tmongoose]

carbon 111. i would really like to know how this turns out..i have been searching for this recipe for some time now. if this is close it will almost be heaven in liquid form.

 

[humann_brewing]

carbon 111. i would really like to know how this turns out..i have been searching for this recipe for some time now. if this is close it will almost be heaven in liquid form.

I will be brewing a second version of this soon too, should be pretty darn close this time.

 

[carbon111]

I will be brewing a second version of this soon too, should be pretty darn close this time.

I'm looking forward to comparing notes!

 

[humann_brewing]

I'm looking forward to comparing notes!

Me too, I gave some of the first batch to my brother in law so we'll see what he says about the first batch but like I said, I think there was too much peat and not enough chocolate.

 

[humann_brewing]

I'm looking forward to comparing notes!

carbon111, I may have been a tad hasty in giving my tasting notes on such a young beer before. Now that this beer is 7 weeks old the flavor is getting very nice and think the peat malt was the right amount as it has mellowed a bit. It does need more chocolate though. I think I may have this nailed the next time.

 

[carbon111]

carbon111, I may have been a tad hasty in giving my tasting notes on such a young beer before. Now that this beer is 7 weeks old the flavor is getting very nice and think the peat malt was the right amount as it has mellowed a bit. It does need more chocolate though. I think I may have this nailed the next time.

Good to know. Are you going to stick with US-04 for the next batch? I'm seriously considering it instead of Windsor.

 

[humann_brewing]

Good to know. Are you going to stick with US-04 for the next batch? I'm seriously considering it instead of Windsor.

I am going to try to get WLP002, I remember the beer being pretty darn clear considering it was a porter so the floculation will help with that.

 

[tmongoose]

humann will you repost your complete recipe with the updates of the peat malt and the chocolate malt. i want to try this recipe and just let it set till jan or feb.. thank you

 

[humann_brewing]

humann will you repost your complete recipe with the updates of the peat malt and the chocolate malt. i want to try this recipe and just let it set till jan or feb.. thank you

This is what I will be doing the next time. Small changes but it was fairly close the first time.

Don't mind all the odd amounts, this is converted from a 2.6 gallon recipe, just look at the percentages and don't mind the salts, this is based on my tap water.

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 6.72 gal
Estimated OG: 1.048 SG
Estimated Color: 35.2 SRM
Estimated IBU: 26.1 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 82.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
6.71 lb Great Western 2 Row (2.0 SRM) Grain 73.88 %
1.03 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 11.37 %
1.03 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 11.35 %
0.21 lb Black (Patent) Malt (560.0 SRM) Grain 2.27 %
0.10 lb Peat Smoked Malt (2.8 SRM) Grain 1.14 %
1.40 oz Williamette [5.50 %] (60 min) Hops 26.1 IBU
0.18 gm Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash 60.0 min) Misc
0.37 gm Calcium Chloride (Mash 60.0 min) Misc
0.55 gm Chalk (Mash 60.0 min) Misc
3.67 gal Perfect Porter Mash Water
1 Pkg English Ale (White Labs #WLP002) [Starter Yeast-Ale


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Light Body
Total Grain Weight: 9.08 lb
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Light Body
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 14.42 qt of water at 162.3 F 153.0 F
10 min Mash Out Add 7.26 qt of water at 201.2 F 168.0 F

 

[motobrewer]

session porter? sounds awesome.

carbon have you tried your PM recipe?

 

[humann_brewing]

I am brewing version 2 tomorrow. Pretty much what is above but am changing the ion additions a little to make sure my ph is where it is suppose to be.

I think I have a winner here.

 

[DSV]

Bert Grant's Perfect Porter is the beer that made me realize I love beer! It was great sitting in the Grant's pub in Yakima during my summers at home from college in the mid 1990s. The beers were fantastic, it was the only bar in town that didn't allow smoking, and the ladies serving the beer; well, I really miss them too.

I have been toying around with recreating the Perfect Porter recipe for several years now and always manage to get distracted. I can't wait to try your recipe. Thank you for your efforts and the memories they bring back. Tonight I'm raising a glass to Bert Grant.

 

[Rhoobarb]

... Tonight I'm raising a glass to Bert Grant.

Me, too! Man, how did I miss this thread all this time?! Bert Grant's beers where some of the first I enjoyed when I first came to appreciate craft beer and when I first started brewing. I can't remember which one I first had, but my favorites were the IPA, Scotch Ale and, of course, PP. Reading this thread brings back memories!

I wish I could've made it out to his brewpub back in the 90's. Calling it a shame just doesn't justify how sad and appalling it was when he died. His brewery eventually sold to investors who knew not what they were doing, just looking to make a quick buck. They ran it into the ground in less than two years.

I really hope you nail this recipe dead-nuts on this time. Please keep us updated, as I would love to brew this ASAP. Thanks for all your work on it!

 

[humann_brewing]

Great to hear the Grant fans coming to this thread now. I will raise a glass for Bert tonight as well

The other thing I read from Bert's writings is that he oaked perfect porter but he made it sound like they didn't do this after a while. I think I will be putting this batch on some oak before kegging.

What do you guys think, oak or no oak

 

[humann_brewing]

As a side note, going through the web archive of the old site, I think I want to try a shot at his IPA too. I never really liked IPAs when I use to drink Grant's beers but would probably love it now.

The fact that Randy Mosher uses Bert Grant's IPA as a beer that defines the style, yet puts a side note that it is like a session IPA just points to the fact of how good it was. The site says that it was 11.5 Plato starting (1.046) and finished at 2.8 plato (1.011) and 50 IBUs. Granted (pun intended) it only have 50 IBUs in a IPA but it is only a 4.5% beer

 

[humann_brewing]

Bert Grant's Perfect Porter is the beer that made me realize I love beer! It was great sitting in the Grant's pub in Yakima during my summers at home from college in the mid 1990s. The beers were fantastic, it was the only bar in town that didn't allow smoking, and the ladies serving the beer; well, I really miss them too.

I have been toying around with recreating the Perfect Porter recipe for several years now and always manage to get distracted. I can't wait to try your recipe. Thank you for your efforts and the memories they bring back. Tonight I'm raising a glass to Bert Grant.

Living in Seattle, they use to sell 6-packs of Grant's seasonal at Trader Joes for $3.99. It was a must buy, great beer, great price Lazy days was a good beer, well I don't think there was a bad beer by Grant's IMO.

 

[humann_brewing]

Well, I kinda screwed up on this one. I tried to setup a circulation mashout to raise the temp up at the end of the mash and it worked well for the most part but I didn't pay as much to the rest of the sparge and I overshot my boil volume by 1.25 gallons and had to boil for like 100 minutes or more, I pulled the hops out after 60 minutes but boiled for 30 minutes after that. Hopefully that won't mess things up too much.

 

[DSV]

It's funny you mention hops, one of the great Bert Grant stories I heard was from a friend who used to work for the Hop Union in Yakima. Grant was rather famous for walking in at the end of the hop processing season with burlap sacks and a scoop shovel. He would go clean out the corners and scoop up any residual hops on the floor. I think he bought them for something ridiculous like $5 a sack! He used them for bittering. I imagine the porter got a heavy dose of these! Not to say this is bad, as the hops running through Yakima are all pretty damn good, but the good scotsman was nothing if not frugal!

Humann, I'm looking forward to your results!

 

[humann_brewing]

Started the crash cool last night. Will transfer onto some oak in a few days and leave for a week then keg!

Can't wait for the results on this one, should be really good. I will post my results.

 

[dale1038]

I've been following this thread for awhile. As an old WA native I'm waiting till you guys nail this one and then it's on. Keep up the good work.

 

[brew hoperator]

I never heard of Bert Grant before this thread, but reading the article linked earlier and all the raves from the other posts, it is a real shame that Bert Grant and the brewery is gone.

I am looking forward to seeing the results of your recipe humann.

 

[humann_brewing]

I never heard of Bert Grant before this thread, but reading the article linked earlier and all the raves from the other posts, it is a real shame that Bert Grant and the brewery is gone.

I am looking forward to seeing the results of your recipe humann.

Thanks, is that the monkey from Three Sheets in your avatar?

 

[brew hoperator]

Thanks, is that the monkey from Three Sheets in your avatar?

Yes it is. You now have to take a drink.

 

[carbon111]

Let me know how that tastes, Humann.

I still haven't done mine yet...I've had a few other things in the pipeline to use up the ingredients I've got on hand.

Here's my current thinking for my mini-mash version:

5.5 gallons total, 4 gallon boil.

3 lbs Light Dry Malt Extract (Briess)
3 lbs Two-row Pale (Maris Otter)
1 lb 4 oz Crystal 60L
12 oz Chocolate Malt
2 oz Black Patent
1 oz Peat Smoked

1.5 oz Willamette @ 60 min (4.8 AA)

I've decided to use Safale US-05 on this one - the estimated attenuation jibes with my current recipe and I've just got a weird gut feeling on this. I don't remember BGPP having much yeast "character" at all - so something ultra-clean like 05 might do it (for me, anyway).

I'll ferment at a straight 65F.

 

[humann_brewing]

Let me know how that tastes, Humann.

I still haven't done mine yet...I've had a few other things in the pipeline to use up the ingredients I've got on hand.

Here's my current thinking for my mini-mash version:

5.5 gallons total, 4 gallon boil.

3 lbs Light Dry Malt Extract (Briess)
3 lbs Two-row Pale (Maris Otter)
1 lb 4 oz Crystal 60L
12 oz Chocolate Malt
2 oz Black Patent
1 oz Peat Smoked

1.5 oz Willamette @ 60 min (4.8 AA)

I've decided to use Safale US-05 on this one - the estimated attenuation jibes with my current recipe and I've just got a weird gut feeling on this. I don't remember BGPP having much yeast "character" at all - so something ultra-clean like 05 might do it (for me, anyway).

I'll ferment at a straight 65F.

Yes, I don't remember a yeasty taste either, that is why I picked WLP002, a very high flocculating yeast with english notes and not a big attenuater. This beer went from 1047 to 1015, right in range of what I wanted. I transferred last night and had the sample gravity check and it was mighty tasty.

If you are going to use 05, make sure to mash high as I messed up on the first attempt by letting the gravity finish too low, this needs that residual sweetness to it.