Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer Chocolate Oatmeal Porter

[daggers_nz]

could remove the black patent and add 8oz of roast barley, your colour would be slightly off though

 

[Ridire]

I'm doing this beer this weekend. I'm doing it BIAB with minor adjustments to the grain bill (mostly for my anticipated efficiency). It will my first beer with my new kettle and my first liquid yeast (smack pack). It will also be the first beer I've ever made while paying attention to the water profile (RO water with calcium chloride and bicarbonate added).

Any tips or warnings from those who have made it in the past?

 

[FATC1TY]

I'm doing this beer this weekend. I'm doing it BIAB with minor adjustments to the grain bill (mostly for my anticipated efficiency). It will my first beer with my new kettle and my first liquid yeast (smack pack). It will also be the first beer I've ever made while paying attention to the water profile (RO water with calcium chloride and bicarbonate added).

Any tips or warnings from those who have made it in the past?

Make a starter!

Other than that.. enjoy it.. the mash smells awesome.

 

[Ridire]

Make a starter!

Other than that.. enjoy it.. the mash smells awesome.

Ugh, I was afraid of getting that advice. It is now Thursday, I plan to brew Saturday afternoon and the guy at LHBS said to just smack the packet 24 hours before brewing.

If I want to make a starter, is it too late? I do not have any DME, either.

EDIT: I do have a stir plate, I just have never used it.

 

[FATC1TY]

Ugh, I was afraid of getting that advice. It is now Thursday, I plan to brew Saturday afternoon and the guy at LHBS said to just smack the packet 24 hours before brewing.

If I want to make a starter, is it too late? I do not have any DME, either.

EDIT: I do have a stir plate, I just have never used it.

Yeah, you really SHOULD make a starter.. However.. I will say this. I have made this beer without a starter and it was fine. I used 1968 London ESB as well.. Keep the temps in check, and once it looks like it's dying down, make sure to swirl it a bit and allow it to warm to room temp. It will flocc out very well, so keep that in mind.

If you choose to not do the starter, be sure to use some yeast nutrient if possible, and get plenty of O2 into it. The fresher the pack, the better. When I did it, my pack was inside 2 weeks old.

It's not too late to make a starter. If I'm brewing Saturday, usually pitch that afternoon/evening anyways, and I can make it Friday afternoon, let it go all night, and it's usually done in the morning. I can put it in the fridge and it'll settle out fast.

You'd need some DME, or even LME if you have it though.

 

[Ridire]

Yeah, you really SHOULD make a starter.. However.. I will say this. I have made this beer without a starter and it was fine. I used 1968 London ESB as well.. Keep the temps in check, and once it looks like it's dying down, make sure to swirl it a bit and allow it to warm to room temp. It will flocc out very well, so keep that in mind. If you choose to not do the starter, be sure to use some yeast nutrient if possible, and get plenty of O2 into it. The fresher the pack, the better. When I did it, my pack was inside 2 weeks old. It's not too late to make a starter. If I'm brewing Saturday, usually pitch that afternoon/evening anyways, and I can make it Friday afternoon, let it go all night, and it's usually done in the morning. I can put it in the fridge and it'll settle out fast. You'd need some DME, or even LME if you have it though.

Can't get DME today. I may have time to pick up a second smack pack tomorrow. If not, I'll under-pitch and pray.

 

[FATC1TY]

Can't get DME today. I may have time to pick up a second smack pack tomorrow. If not, I'll under-pitch and pray.

A second pack would be just fine, but worse case.. I think you should be fine. Just handle the yeast and keep the fermentation controlled and you should be fine!

 

[daggers_nz]

depends which Wyeast you are using, some of them will be able to handle 1.060 OG with a few hours of activation (smacking). The bag inflates quite a bit so I'm not sure 24 hours would be safe, I usually do about 2-3 for a fresh batch that I didn't make a starter for. Wyeast is surprisingly resilient, I've made starters from 10 month old packs and they've chomped through 1.050 OG beers with no complaints.

 

[Ridire]

Thanks, guys. I got a second smack pack and should be good to go for tomorrow.

 

[mgohring]

For those of you who have brewed this beer, where are your FGs ending up? I see that a pretty wide variety of yeasts are being used on this beer, which will certainly influence FG numbers. But I am curious where these beers are typically ending up.

I went into the fermenter at 1.055 and am sitting at 1.016 as of last night (7 days in primary). I used 007 for the first time on this beer. I guess I thought I'd be a couple of points lower as I always seem to over-attenuate. I'm fine with 1.016 as long as it doesn't end up too sweet. The sample I pulled was pretty good, albeit a touch sweeter than I had anticipated. Warm/flat primary samples always seem to taste sweeter than they do cold/carbed. Oh well. I roused the fermenter last night and again this morning. Will recheck in a couple of days to see if it went any lower. Then it's time for the vanilla and cherries!

 

[sloanfamilydsm]

I lowered the base grain to 7 lbs and came in at 1.060. Mashed high 156, added lactose n some PB2.

 

[bolus14]

My OG was 1.058 and finished at 1.015 and used WLP002. Definitely not too sweet, mine is a tad "thin" for what I wanted but I have deducted that that was caused by my mash temps. Either that or as I've read more about the hops I used, all Perle, it could be coming from them. They're said to have a minty like character and while I don't get a mint flavor it's the same "cooling" affect that mint has.

It's actually a pretty unique characteristic to a Porter. I'm not sure if you get that using other hops or if it truly is from Perle hops though, since this is the first time I used Perle.

 

[Ridire]

Would you think 2 weeks with the vanilla beans would be too long?

It's been in primary for one week. I'm planning to leave it in primary (no secondary) and adding the beans sometime this week. Bottle in the 19th or 20th and then let condition until Christmas.

 

[FATC1TY]

Would you think 2 weeks with the vanilla beans would be too long? It's been in primary for one week. I'm planning to leave it in primary (no secondary) and adding the beans sometime this week. Bottle in the 19th or 20th and then let condition until Christmas.

I don't think it's too long. Taste it as it goes and you decide.

 

[Ridire]

FG at 1.020 after 3 weeks. Should I be concerned? I've never had a beer finish up over 1.010 but I've also never used liquid yeast. Also, lots of big bubbles on the surface. Just from the chocolate?

EDIT : tastes good, though, and I'm not overly concerned. Started cold crashing tonight.

 

[FATC1TY]

FG at 1.020 after 3 weeks. Should I be concerned? I've never had a beer finish up over 1.010 but I've also never used liquid yeast. Also, lots of big bubbles on the surface. Just from the chocolate?

EDIT : tastes good, though, and I'm not overly concerned. Started cold crashing tonight.

The gravity is a little high, closer to a stouts FG, but I don't think you'll have an issue. If you didn't make a starter, you underpitched, or you could have mashed higher than you thought.

As for the bubbles, I've had that before, didn't have a problem. Depending on the chocolate you used, and if you also used vanilla beans, there could be a sheen on top trapping some of the co2 that is coming out of solution.

 

[Ridire]

The gravity is a little high, closer to a stouts FG, but I don't think you'll have an issue. If you didn't make a starter, you underpitched, or you could have mashed higher than you thought.

As for the bubbles, I've had that before, didn't have a problem. Depending on the chocolate you used, and if you also used vanilla beans, there could be a sheen on top trapping some of the co2 that is coming out of solution.

Thanks. The FG is probably a combination of a few things. I did shoot for a slightly higher mash temp to hold a little more sweetness. It was also the first beer I ever brewed with liquid yeast (if you'll remember my whole dilemma with whether one smack pack, without a starter, would do the trick). I'm not over concerned with that, though. There was a sheen on the surface when I added the vanilla. I assumed that was due to the chocolate, as well. It smells fine, does not look moldy and tastes really good. No worries. Just posting my update. I'll likely be bottling this on Saturday.

 

[FATC1TY]

Thanks. The FG is probably a combination of a few things. I did shoot for a slightly higher mash temp to hold a little more sweetness. It was also the first beer I ever brewed with liquid yeast (if you'll remember my whole dilemma with whether one smack pack, without a starter, would do the trick). I'm not over concerned with that, though. There was a sheen on the surface when I added the vanilla. I assumed that was due to the chocolate, as well. It smells fine, does not look moldy and tastes really good. No worries. Just posting my update. I'll likely be bottling this on Saturday.

Yeah, no worries on the sheen. First time I saw it, I thought it was an infection. Had the off bubbles and sheen.

It's the oils from the chocolate and the vanilla beans.

 

[Ridire]

She's in bottles and the partial from the bottle bucket tasted awfully good for uncarbed beer.

 

[bolus14]

She is good right out of the bucket. The next time I make this I'm going to shoot for around 1.5-1.6 CO2.
I shot for 2 and its a little more carbed than I would like.

 

[FATC1TY]

She is good right out of the bucket. The next time I make this I'm going to shoot for around 1.5-1.6 CO2.
I shot for 2 and its a little more carbed than I would like.

Indeed. Wanted to quote this for some others to see again.

If you keg, then you obviously know your system well, but if you bottle, use a calculator online, and shoot for some lower carb on this. 1.5 is a good middle ground.

If you keep the carb low, you'll get great tight little bubbles, and you'll get a really creamy thick head on this beer that will stick around nicely.

 

[Ridire]

Indeed. Wanted to quote this for some others to see again.

If you keg, then you obviously know your system well, but if you bottle, use a calculator online, and shoot for some lower carb on this. 1.5 is a good middle ground.

If you keep the carb low, you'll get great tight little bubbles, and you'll get a really creamy thick head on this beer that will stick around nicely.

Think I measured to hit 2. But I had more in the bucket than I anticipated. Should be OK.

 

[rideincircles]

How well will Nottingham work on this?

Seems like it should be a clean yeast. I have the ingredients for this, but won't be able to brew until next weekend. Still debating on adding coffee, extra chocolate, vanilla beans, and or bourbon soaked oak cubes. Plan on adding one of those if not two. Still debating.

 

[FATC1TY]

How well will Nottingham work on this?

Seems like it should be a clean yeast. I have the ingredients for this, but won't be able to brew until next weekend. Still debating on adding coffee, extra chocolate, vanilla beans, and or bourbon soaked oak cubes. Plan on adding one of those if not two. Still debating.

I'm not a fan of Nottingham, so I can't really comment, as I haven't used it. All told, I would assume it would be fine. I like 1968 because it leaves a good malty backbone to the beer, floccs well, which does wonders for a brilliantly black beer, and the mouthfeel, IMO. It's not super ester driven, and clean when used at the appropriate temps.

Only suggesting is, try it. I'm sure it'll be fine. Do your best to keep the temps in check if you don't have the means of fine control over fermentation temp.

I myself have had the grain milled for weeks now and haven't brewed. Might try this Sunday perhaps. I'm planning on a split batch. All aged with vanilla beans, half being with pumpkin pie spice, rum, and oak to age a little longer.

 

[sail681]

So i want to make a chili infused porter. Sounds like this base is a great place to start. Has anyone added heat to a beer?

Trying to figure out when and what peppers to add to the secondary. Seem to be mixed reviews on how to prepare the peppers (roasted/soaked/etc).

 

[FATC1TY]

So i want to make a chili infused porter. Sounds like this base is a great place to start. Has anyone added heat to a beer?

Trying to figure out when and what peppers to add to the secondary. Seem to be mixed reviews on how to prepare the peppers (roasted/soaked/etc).

Look up some info on Hunaphu, or a clone of it. It has chilies in it, and I think it's all added to secondary right before packaging. Dried chilies is what I've seen used a few times.

I personally love peppers, but don't like it in my beer, so I haven't done it.

 

[sloanfamilydsm]

I lowered the base grain to 7 lbs and came in at 1.060. Mashed high 156, added lactose n some PB2.

Kegged yesterday and came in at 1.016 with 1335 yeast. There was considerable volume loss due to trub (approx. 1 gal).
At 5 wks old there was only a minimal trace of peanut butter or chocolate flavor. Next time I will add more cocoa and more than one 16oz contained Pb2 to achieve the Peanut Butter Cup Porter flavor I am after.

 

[FATC1TY]

PB flavor is pretty hard to nail down. Very delicate.

I keg, and was able to get the PB flavor really easy early, but it fades. I would wonder how it would be bottling, I bet worse.

 

[user 161257]

Brewed this about 6 months ago with slight variations and it turned out amazing. Will be doing another similar one this weekend but I am going to rack onto some fresh roasted young thai coconut in the secondary. I am already looking forward to this.

 

[Ridire]

Mine has been in the bottles for 2.5 weeks now. I am tempted to throw one or two in the fridge to see how they're doing. I am planning to age most of them out until Christmas. If I succumb to temptation, I'll let you know how mine turned out. I'm going to try and fight the urge for another couple of weeks and maybe taste test on Thanksgiving. I have pretty high hopes about this beer.