Help me out with my Porter recipe.

[Endovelico]

So... I had some ingrendients laying around from my first batch and decided to brew a (Robust) Porter. I patched up this recipe from several Porter recipes in Beersmith and BeerTools.com; I have very little experience so let me know if theres anything glaringly unsual / unbalanced.


The recipe is for a 10,5 L (2.77 american Gallons) batch (I have small pot) so hop utilization will be very low, however ill probably end up doing late extract adittions to make up for this.

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
1.00 kg (2.20 lbs) ---------- Brewferm Amber Dry Extract (18.0 EBC) ---------- Dry Extract ----- 40.82 %
1.00 kg (2.20 lbs) ----------- Extra Light Dry Extract (5.9 EBC) ---------- Dry Extract ----- 40.82 %
0.20 kg (0.44 lbs) ---------- Chocolate Malt (886.5 EBC) ---------- Grain ----- 8.16 %
0.19 kg (0.42 lbs) ---------- Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (118.2 EBC) ---------- Grain ----- 7.76 %
0.06 kg (0.13 lbs) ---------- Black (Patent) Malt (1400.0 EBC) ---------- Grain ----- 2.45 %
28.00 gm (0.99 ounces) ---------- Northern Brewer [8.50 %] (60 min) ---------- Hops ----- 29.9 IBU
11.00 gm (0.39 ounces) ---------- Cascade [5.50 %] (10 min) ---------- Hops ----- 2.8 IBU
1 Pkgs SafAle US-05 (DCL Yeast #US-05) ---------- Yeast-Ale

Estimated OG: 1.064
FG: 1.1018
ABV: 5.9%
Color: 80.3 EBC (roughly 40 Lovibond, if i'm not mistaken)
IBU: 32.6

 

[Endovelico]

That bad, huh?

 

[Malticulous]

Not bad at all. I think it will be good.

 

[Blender]

I would use a British yeast if you have any. The Cascade hops might clash a bit with the roasted grains of a porter. Just my thoughts, good luck.

 

[Malticulous]

I think Serra Nevada uses similar hops and yeast in their porter.

 

[gxm]

I've made a very similar recipe based on JZ's Robust Porter. I was about to say you should double your steeping grains, until I saw you're doing a 2.8 gal batch I think I used a little more black patent.
I used US-05, and was very happy with the result. The beer was tasty when carbed at 4 weeks, and it was even tastier a month later.
Let it ferment 2-3 weeks, and let it age for at least a month after that.

Good luck

 

[Endovelico]

Not bad at all. I think it will be good.

Thanks Conroe.

I would use a British yeast if you have any. The Cascade hops might clash a bit with the roasted grains of a porter. Just my thoughts, good luck.

Yeah, i was really hesitant between using S-04, S-05 or the Wyeast 1056. I already used S-04 on my last batch though, so i ended up taking S-05.
Also, what i noticed in my search was that alot of Porters use 'clean' Top fermenting American yeasts, so i thought i was safe.
Interesting comment regarding the Cascade hops. I'll keep that in mind.

I think Serra Nevada uses similar hops and yeast in their porter.

Really? Well that would be a good sign i guess. I know Anchor Porter uses Cascade + NB, but thats the only commercial recipe i have unfortunately. The vast majority of Porter recipes use a combinatin of Perle / EKG / Fuggles in combination with the 1056 yeast.

I've made a very similar recipe based on JZ's Robust Porter. I was about to say you should double your steeping grains, until I saw you're doing a 2.8 gal batch I think I used a little more black patent.
I used US-05, and was very happy with the result. The beer was tasty when carbed at 4 weeks, and it was even tastier a month later.
Let it ferment 2-3 weeks, and let it age for at least a month after that.

Good luck

Thank you gxm, that was reassuring. Do you think the beer would benefit from more BP? I want the chocolate profile to dominate, but i do want some roastiness coming through.

 

[Bob]

You don't want to overdo black patent. In excess, it imparts an acrid, burnt phenolic character to the beer which I, among many, find objectionable regardless of style. That said, if you like that flavor, go nuts.

I like the recipe as written. Have fun!

Bob

 

[gxm]

I agree with Bob that you don't want to overdo Black Patent, as I did once with a Stout.
You could double your BP amount and still be fine. Give what you have a go, and you can tweak next time.

 

[jsullivan02130]

I saw a suggestion here that porter recipes should have a (roughly) 2/2/1 ratio for chocolate/caramel/patent malt, and looking over a few recipes seems to bear this relationship out.

I think what you have will be good!

 

[Endovelico]

Thanks for the replies.

You don't want to overdo black patent. In excess, it imparts an acrid, burnt phenolic character to the beer which I, among many, find objectionable regardless of style. That said, if you like that flavor, go nuts.

I like the recipe as written. Have fun!

I agree with Bob that you don't want to overdo Black Patent, as I did once with a Stout.
You could double your BP amount and still be fine. Give what you have a go, and you can tweak next time.

That was my main worry aswell, id rather have less of the BP character than just a touch to must. But i do want it to contribute something, even if just lightly.

I saw a suggestion here that porter recipes should have a (roughly) 2/2/1 ratio for chocolate/caramel/patent malt, and looking over a few recipes seems to bear this relationship out.

I think what you have will be good!

Yeah i noticed that as well, although theres alot of people who have a tendency to do 'extra' robust porters so i ended up cutting a bit on BP based on that.

I really have to get 'Designing great beers'...