Crystal malt/dryness in a historical Porter?

[kyleobie]

I know there's some threads down in the archives about histoic Porter recipes, but I'm having trouble finding my answer in them.

Want to brew an 1800s historical Porter. Going to go with this recipe I found online:

80% pale malt (probably MO)
15% brown malt
5% black patent

Mash at 150F.

Not sure on hops other than a target of about 27-30 IBU.

So I'm still trying to figure out my yeast here. A little worried about having too much astringency with all that black patent and not enough body with the low mash temps. Has anybody here brewed a historical porter? Did you use crystal or flaked barley? Alternatively, did you use a less attenuative English style yeast? Thanks if you can help!

 

[BigEd]

150F is not a low mash temp. You could move it up a few degrees if you want. If you are concerned about the black patent you could substitute a portion of it with chocolate or Carafa. As far as the flaked goes IMO a small amount in place of some of the pale malt is fine, especially since we can probably assume that the malt of that time was less converted than modern versions.

 

[kyleobie]

Great, thanks!

 

[Airborneguy]

Check out the recipe on my list. I use about the same amount of black malt and slightly more brown. I mash at 153. This is my best recipe to date and the only one I don't change anymore (well, besides a brown ale that I just nailed).

 

[Ølbart]

The Durden Park recipe for Whitbread 1850 London Porter is a lot more bitter (close to 60 IBU) and fairly delicious. Crystal malt is overused in home brewing, IMO, and not needed. WLP013 is great for the style.

 

[kyleobie]

That's great, thanks. Maybe I will up the brown malt slightly. I have loved the stuff in prior batches.

Totally agree on crystal malt. It just seems like such a standard addition on everything but dry stout (which uses flaked barley) that I was worried about nothing in the recipe standing up to the black malt. Looks like I was worried unnecessarily.

Thanks, everybody!