Hello from Virginia.

persinger · Oct 21, 2007

Hey folks,

I just got into this home-brewing thing about a week ago. I ordered a Brewer's Best Deluxe Equipment Kit and did my first brew, an apple porter, on October 16th.

I've been lurking around this forum since the idea of taking up home-brewing popped into my head and since I've finally gotten started, I dove in and registered.

Living in Roanoke right now, if anyone was curious.

ohiobrewtus · Oct 21, 2007

Welcome to the board!

Apple porter? Hmmm, that sounds different, let us know how it turns out.

persinger · Oct 21, 2007

ohiobrewtus said:
Welcome to the board!

Apple porter? Hmmm, that sounds different, let us know how it turns out.

It might be a little frightening.

The book that came with my kit listed a porter recipe that looked pretty good and the recipe before it was for an apple ale, which also seemed appealing. So I made the porter recipe to the exacts and added 2 quarts of apple juice, like the other recipe instructed, during the last 5 minutes of my boil. Air-lock activity has ceased, so I'm going to pull a sample for a reading tonight. I'll give an update as to how it tastes, after I grab that sample.

I'm just kind of playing mad scientist right now. We're getting ready to move into a (hopefully!) bigger place, and when we're there, I'll be able to get my brew-lab established.

Shoopdog · Oct 21, 2007

Welcome...I live in Virginia Beach. Apple Porter sounds awesome! Be sure to post the recipe and tell us good it comes out. Graduated from Virginia Tech in '91, so I have been to Roanoke about a thousand times.

persinger · Oct 22, 2007

I pulled a sample from the apple porter last night. I'm still waiting on my test tube to come in, in order to take a good hydrometer reading, so I just taste tested instead. Shameful, I know.

When poured, it's opaque, but when I tilted it against the glass, I noted that it was in fact a very dark, rich, and earthy brown.

As far as taste, it holds a lot of porter quality with noticeable apple characteristics (especially during the finish!) The only major problem I can see so far is that the beer is very thin-bodied almost to the point of being water-like. I'm hoping that as the brew sits for a few more weeks this will improve.