English Porter Black Pearl Porter (AG)

[conpewter]

What style of porter is this in the BJCP guidelines? I know it has the alcohol content of a baltic, but I don't think it has the other attributes, I may enter it as a robust. I'm still working on developing a good beer palate. Entering my modified version of this and Hobgoblin(II) into my first competition.

 

[conpewter]

I suppose in the end I should break open a bottle of mine since no one can brew it exactly the same as someone else. Just will need to sit with the guidelines and see where it fits.

 

[DanVader]

I'm going to take this grain bill out for a spin in a couple of days, bought the grain today. I'm still playing around with hop schedule.

I'm going to skip the malto and lactose.

pacman yeast

I've got centenniel, cascade, liberty, perle, tradition and glacier on hand for hops

thinking perle for bittering, not sure where i'm going from there.

 

[9/9]

I just wanted to say that I brewed this recently and it is fantastic. Best mouthfeel of anything I have brewed so far.

 

[MacBruver]

Well, I brewed this just over two weeks ago as my first all grain batch, and while that SEEMED to go well, I think my mash temps may have been off or something. It's been stuck at 1.030 for 10 days... I've repitched yeast, shook the hell out of it, etc etc... no dice. The hydrometer won't budge off 1.030.

It tastes good, so I'll drink it... but it sucks that the attenuation was so low! It started at 1.065, so my apparent attenuation is only like 54%. I used S04, didn't rehydrate. Re-pitched a packet of munton's since it was all I had sitting around.

 

[BierMuncher]

Well, I brewed this just over two weeks ago as my first all grain batch, and while that SEEMED to go well, I think my mash temps may have been off or something. It's been stuck at 1.030 for 10 days... I've repitched yeast, shook the hell out of it, etc etc... no dice. The hydrometer won't budge off 1.030.

It tastes good, so I'll drink it... but it sucks that the attenuation was so low! It started at 1.065, so my apparent attenuation is only like 54%. I used S04, didn't rehydrate. Re-pitched a packet of munton's since it was all I had sitting around.

The malto and lactose will hold your gravities higher than normal.

Sounds like you have a nice, rich 4.6% porter to enjoy.

 

[RandalG]

Thinking about brewing this next and have a few questions:

My LHBS seems to only carry 20L & 40L on the crystal malt not 30L.Which way should I go?
Also I don't have the means to ferment this any lower than room temp at the moment which would be about 70-72 degrees.Is that to warm?

 

[BierMuncher]

Thinking about brewing this next and have a few questions:

My LHBS seems to only carry 20L & 40L on the crystal malt not 30L.Which way should I go?
Also I don't have the means to ferment this any lower than room temp at the moment which would be about 70-72 degrees.Is that to warm?

Ferment temp is fine.

Go with the 40. You can never go wrong with adding 10 lovibonds to a porter.

 

[BillyBeer]

I can't get Fuggle in time and my LHBS is recommending Yakima Goldings as a sub. Any thoughts???

 

[MacBruver]

Can you get williamette? That's the closest american hop to fuggle.

 

[BillyBeer]

Yes I can. Thank you for the advice.

 

[jagg]

Hey BM, what do you think adding a half pound of Special B will do to this recipe? I have 3# of it and was considering adding a half pound, and using the rest of your ingredients, thanks.

 

[BierMuncher]

Hey BM, what do you think adding a half pound of Special B will do to this recipe? I have 3# of it and was considering adding a half pound, and using the rest of your ingredients, thanks.

I think that would be nice. Some nuttiness added?

 

[jagg]

I think that would be nice. Some nuttiness added?

I think I will try it then, not one of your recipes have dissapointed me yet, thanks for ALL of them.

 

[oswegan]

ALL GRAIN - 5 Gallons
8.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM)
2.00 lb Munich Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM)
1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 30L (30.0 SRM)
1.00 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM)
1.00 lb Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM)

0.50 oz Fuggles [4.52%] (60 min)
0.50 oz Fuggles [4.20%] (2 min)

0.25 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 min)

1.00 cup Malto-Dextrine (Boil 20.0 min)
4.00 oz Lactose (Boil 15.0 min)

1 Pkgs London Ale (Wyeast Labs #1028)


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Full Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 13.00 lb
Mash In Add 4.06 gal of water at 170.5 F 158.0 F 45 min
Mash Out Add 2.50 gal of water at 206.7 F 175.0 F 15 min

Primary 1 Week (60 Degrees)
Secondary 10 Days (60 Degrees)
Kegged and Force Carbed or Primed and Bottled

This was a very good, very rich Porter. Nice sweetness and great mouthfeel. Friends who shy away from Stout loved this milder (but creamier) dark beer.

I was prepared to make this until someone called it a "sweet porter".

How sweet is it?

 

[robertjohnson]

I just brewed this a week ago and I have to say this is going to absolutely be the best beer I've made so far. Based on the samples, the description is right on. I did do things a little differently though, most notably skipping the lactose addition, subbing Kent Goldings, upping the IBUs to about 24, and fermenting around 67*F with US-05, but DAMN is this a rich and approachable porter. Great recipe, biermuncher.

Oswegan: Like I said, it isn't the same beer but I didn't notice a cloying or lingering sweetness if that's what you're worried about. It was more of a malt forward sweetness while the chocolate malt and the nuttier flavors from the oatmeal stole the show in the finish. You could always up the IBUs to more familiar territory in order to balance out the sweetness, but I would keep them on the lower side of things to let everything else come through. Hope you don't mind me cutting in here, biermuncher.

 

[robertjohnson]

This turned out awesome. Thanks again.

 

[MacBruver]

I only have one 12oz bottle of this! where did all my precious beer go! Next time I make it I'll be omitting the Lactose as well. My attenuation kind of sucked, so mine did end up on the sweet end. But it was still really, really good. I still have beer left of all of the other batches I've done, but all of my friends absolutely loved this beer- both big beer drinkers, and others who have not liked my more aggressive beers.

What I would do- wait until bottling to decide if you want to add the lactose. It's not goign to do anything sitting in the fermenter, so you might as well wait until the very end to decide if you need it or not.

 

[Palefire]

I brewed this about 2.5 months ago ... I subbed EKG for the Fuggles cause I had 'em around. After 3 weeks in the bottle it was like, eh, fine but not great. But after 5-6 weeks in the bottle? Hot damn!! Seriously, it's a little like drinking a delicious roasty milkshake, it's so smooth and creamy. Part of me wants to pour it over ice cream, it's so good!

Brought it to a party last week and lots of people were seriously impressed. I'm really bummed that I drank so many before it really came together. But as soon as it did I threw 6 in the back of the closet to be discovered in a few months, when I'm sure it'll get even better. Great beer - highly recommended!

 

[BierMuncher]

I brewed this about 2.5 months ago ... I subbed EKG for the Fuggles cause I had 'em around. After 3 weeks in the bottle it was like, eh, fine but not great. But after 5-6 weeks in the bottle? Hot damn!! Seriously, it's a little like drinking a delicious roasty milkshake, it's so smooth and creamy. Part of me wants to pour it over ice cream, it's so good!

Brought it to a party last week and lots of people were seriously impressed. I'm really bummed that I drank so many before it really came together. But as soon as it did I threw 6 in the back of the closet to be discovered in a few months, when I'm sure it'll get even better. Great beer - highly recommended!

Heading into the cool seasons, this is a nice one to have on hand.

 

[RandalG]

Made this yesterday. Everything went well except when I tasted my sample it had what I would describe as a slightly burnt after taste. I'm not sure if I scorched the wort or if it was maybe the chocolate malt as I haven't done an AG with that dark a malt yet.Hopefully I didn't screw it up.

 

[BierMuncher]

Made this yesterday. Everything went well except when I tasted my sample it had what I would describe as a slightly burnt after taste. I'm not sure if I scorched the wort or if it was maybe the chocolate malt as I haven't done an AG with that dark a malt yet.Hopefully I didn't screw it up.

Dark roasted malts need some time to mellow. Green beer has a tendency to be very harsh tasting.

 

[JesseRC]

You know the other day I made an Oatmeal Stout, and my boil off was just less than usual, so I had to boil longer. When I tasted the sample, I thougth the same thing, it tasted burnt. 3 Weeks later I kegged it and tasted it, I couldnt taste it any more. Should be even better by November.

 

[Pleepleus]

I brewed this last Saturday on my double batch brew day. Took a Hydro sample today, sitting at 1.031, so still a bit to go but that sample tasted awesome! I am very much looking forward to this, thank you for sharing this excellent recipe BM!

 

[RandalG]

Just bottled this Saturday after 4 weeks in primary. My FG was at 1.033 which is a little high but seems to be fairly common as I read through the thread.My OG was 1.071 so it's still just a shade under 5 abv. I'll check back in 3 weeks after the first taste test.

 

[OMJ]

tried this for the first time today after brewing it on 8/8 and I just wanna say thanks BM its an awesome recipe. Wasnt even cold or very carbed up yet and it tasted fantastic.

 

[BierMuncher]

tried this for the first time today after brewing it on 8/8 and I just wanna say thanks BM its an awesome recipe. Wasnt even cold or very carbed up yet and it tasted fantastic.

Excellent

 

[Snafu]

has anyone tried this using the fly sparge? Would you still sparge at 175 as opposed to the usual 168? I'm also curious what might happen if I increase the grain/water to 1.4 qrts water/grain. Thoughts?

 

[RandalG]

Well it took 8 weeks for the burnt taste to subside but it's turned into a really nice beer and will only get better as it ages I suspect. I steeped 2 vanilla beans in vodka and added them at bottling so if anything it's a little too sweet but still very drinkable and that too should get better with age. I've been holding off on letting anyone try it until I thought it was acceptable but as BM says I think many of my friends that shy away from stout will really like this.

 

[Brewenstein]

Just brewed this last night and pitched S-05 (all I had on hand). Looks and smells great! Just a quick question / thought about the IBUs. They calculate to about 6. This seems kind of low - should they be higher? All of the other BM recipes I have made have been great, so I am trusting this one also but I was just wondering.