Great Beer Working Day, but...

[landhoney]

...I have some questions
1. My porter, whick I started last friday, had a OG of 1.069. I kept a sample in the fridge since then and only got to check it today. Once I add fruit in the secondry it will be well outside style guidelines. I'd like to stay within them. What should I do?
2. I dry-hopped for the first time, bottled it today,will the hop aroma fade or will it be more present early on bottled with carbonation?
3. I froze yeast with glycerine for the first time today. It was wyeast trappist. When I make a starter with it eventually, will I be safe using it as long as it doesn't seem weird/unusual in the starter?

 

[the_bird]

If you're dry-hopping and adding fruit to a porter, WTF are you worried about style guidelines for?

Do what you want to do, but there's no style for "fruited, dryhopped porter." If you like it, to hell with the guidelines.

 

[landhoney]

Those are in different beers. Dry hopped an APA. Porter is seprate. Sorry I didn't explain.
But also, I wouldn't be bottling a porter I started last friday.

 

[the_bird]

Still, point remains - a fruited porter is out of style anyway, so who cares if it's too big?

 

[landhoney]

What is a higher gravity porter going to taste like? I don't want to pick up any alcohol. I just wanted a good porter to add some fruit to. I'm more concerned with taste than style if you know what I mean. I just meant that I want to brew a normally 'styled' porter that will taste like a porter, not something out of the ordinary.

 

[the_bird]

Keep the ferment temp on the low side, and you'll limit the production of higher alcohols (which are what you taste when something tastes like alcohol). I've had plenty of beers with OGs in that range that didn't taste hot, as long as the ferment temp is kept fairly low it should be OK. You'll be adding the fruit after the primary fermentation is done anyway, so it won't be adding any MORE stress on the yeast (most of their hard work will already be done).

 

[landhoney]

What difference would you say the additional 1.010(or so) makes in a porter? I guess not that much. Also, I wasn't aware that 'stressed' yeast in anyway contributed to alcohol 'heat' or fusels. Thanks for the help. Any thoughts on the other two?

 

[the_bird]

Hop aroma is the first thing to go away as a beer ages.

Never froze yeast, so I can't help you on that.

 

[landhoney]

What I mean is, smelling the uncarbonated beer today vs. smelling the carbonated beer early on -which is more hoppy smelling? I know I've read somewhere that the bubbles help waft(?) the smell, but is this reputable?

 

[CBBaron]

...I have some questions
1. My porter, whick I started last friday, had a OG of 1.069. I kept a sample in the fridge since then and only got to check it today. Once I add fruit in the secondry it will be well outside style guidelines. I'd like to stay within them. What should I do?
2. I dry-hopped for the first time, bottled it today,will the hop aroma fade or will it be more present early on bottled with carbonation?
3. I froze yeast with glycerine for the first time today. It was wyeast trappist. When I make a starter with it eventually, will I be safe using it as long as it doesn't seem weird/unusual in the starter?

1) Adding water during any point of will reduce the effective OG. But like the bird says why does it matter.
2) From my one time experience the aroma was much more noticeable after one week in bottles than it was a bottling time. I'm sure it will fade with time but carbonation does seem to accentuate the aroma.
3) No experience

Craig

 

[Sir Humpsalot]

I hear that a strong porter is being called by a new name nowadays. They call it a "Stout".

I guess if it's too strong for a porter, then you can either add water or else call it a stout.

 

[Raffie]

I say add a big can of canned peaches to your porter and let the chips fall where they may.

 

[landhoney]

In my experience stouts are usually roastier/coffee/bitterer than porters, right? It's not like that, only higher in gravity. I am really NOT a stickler for style guidelines, but I really wanted a good normal porter to add cherries to(not peaches, sorry Raffie). So I guess I'll add a little water -maybe.
Thanks for the help.
I froze more yeast today - Pacman & Roeselare! And I'm glad to hear my APA may have more hop aroma than at bottling time - Simcoe and Amarillo smell so good!