Help with creating my first all grain recipe

[RGingerelli]

I am stepping into all-grain brewing with my next batch.

I want to brew a porter and would like to formulate a recipe similar to Snowshoe Brewing's Pitch Black Porter.

There website says it is a robust porter, 7.0%ABV, smooth and dark, rich and creamy, with little to no aftertaste.

I just need some help with what types of grain I should use, I have never worked on my or built my own recipes and I am trying beer smith for the first time.

Any suggestions on grain types/amounts, hop types, would be greatly appriciated.

Thanks & Cheers

 

[RGingerelli]

Ok so I messed around with beersmith and came up with the follow recipe...What do you think, any modifications needed?

Thanks

Bungee's Jumping Midnight Porter
Robust Porter

Type: All Grain
Date: 11/28/2010
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Brewer: Rich Gingerelli
Boil Size: 6.41 gal Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 60 min Equipment: Brew Pot (7.5 gal) and Rubbermaid Cooler (10 Gal)
Taste Rating(out of 50): 35.0 Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00
Taste Notes:

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
8.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 80.00 %
1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 10.00 %
0.50 lb Black (Patent) Malt (500.0 SRM) Grain 5.00 %
0.50 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 5.00 %
1.00 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (60 min) Hops 18.0 IBU
1.00 oz Williamette [5.50 %] (30 min) Hops 15.2 IBU
1.00 oz Northern Brewer [8.50 %] (1 min) Hops 1.3 IBU
1 Pkgs English Ale (White Labs #WLP002) Yeast-Ale



Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.053 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.010 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.017 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.005 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.65 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 0.65 %
Bitterness: 34.5 IBU Calories: 43 cal/pint
Est Color: 32.7 SRM Color: Color


Mash Profile

Mash Name: Single Infusion, Full Body, Batch Sparge Total Grain Weight: 10.00 lb
Sparge Water: 4.74 gal Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F TunTemperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: FALSE Mash PH: 5.4 PH

Single Infusion, Full Body, Batch Sparge Step Time Name Description Step Temp
45 min Mash In Add 12.50 qt of water at 170.5 F 158.0 F



Mash Notes: Simple single infusion mash for use with most modern well modified grains (about 95% of the time).
Carbonation and Storage

Carbonation Type: Kegged (Forced CO2) Volumes of CO2: 2.4
Pressure/Weight: 21.6 PSI Carbonation Used: -
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 60.0 F Age for: 28.0 days
Storage Temperature: 52.0 F

 

[RGingerelli]

Please someones gotta have some suggestions...PLEASE

 

[Jebu1788]

What you have there doesn't look bad at all. I don't know anything about the Pitch Black Porter, but you are certainly well shy of 7%.

Personally with that recipe also, I'd switch the hops around using NB at 60 and then Willamette and EKG later. Or even bump up Willamette and drop EKG (because I love Willamette so).

Again, I don't know the beer you are looking at, but EdWort has a recipe for a robust porter, and his recipes are very straightforward and easy to follow and extremely good. I would recommend looking at this for a reference: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f126/bee-cave-brewery-robust-porter-56768/

 

[Jebu1788]

Also, as of writing this, there have only been 4 views, so as with all things brewing... patience!

 

[RGingerelli]

How would I go about upping the %ABV?

I'm not really worried about matching the Pitch Black Porter anymore, I just want to design my own recipe and brew it. And here it is with the hop editions edited:

8.50 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 80.95 %
1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 9.52 %
0.50 lb Black (Patent) Malt (500.0 SRM) Grain 4.76 %
0.50 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 4.76 %
1.00 oz Northern Brewer [8.50 %] (60 min) Hops 29.9 IBU
1.50 oz Williamette [5.50 %] (30 min) Hops 22.3 IBU
1 Pkgs English Ale (White Labs #WLP002) Yeast-Ale

Let me know what ya think...Thanks

 

[Dang]

hmm I don't necessary like the darker crystals but I'd say some 60L maybe up to 80L instead of 10L is called for here....10L is usually reserved for lighter and milder beers.

To increase abv I would increase your ingredients proportionally and throw in a little cane sugar after the mash as well.

Other than that I'd say go for it

 

[RGingerelli]

So something like the following and how much cane sugar should I throw in after mashing?

12.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 75.00 %
2.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 12.50 %
1.00 lb Black (Patent) Malt (500.0 SRM) Grain 6.25 %
1.00 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 6.25 %
1.00 oz Northern Brewer [8.50 %] (60 min) Hops 24.1 IBU
1.50 oz Williamette [5.50 %] (30 min) Hops 18.0 IBU
1 Pkgs English Ale (White Labs #WLP002) Yeast-Ale

Beer Profile:
Est Original Gravity: 1.084 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.010 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.027 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.005 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 7.47 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 0.65 %
Bitterness: 42.0 IBU Calories: 43 cal/pint
Est Color: 56.3 SRM Color:

 

[Jebu1788]

Oh Dang, good catch. 10L crystal would be a bit out of place.

When formulating a recipe, just make sure you have a reason for everything you put in. If you use sugar as a ferment-able, 0.5-1lbs wouldn't be unreasonable, but this grain bill is already rather beefy. Plus it can thin out the beer a bit if you use too much. 2lbs of crystal will be very thick however. Not completely out of place, but generally 1lb of crystal in a 5 gal batch is a good amount IMHO, and use higher mash temps to get a fuller beer. Lastly, 1lb of black patent can take a toll on a beer. It can taste very harsh and bitter, some say ashy or like charcoal. That said, I've also had a beer that used that much and it was one of the best stouts I've tried. So some of it comes down to what you like.

Play around with it, and take good notes so next time you can change things for the better. All the steps after the recipe formulation are just as important-- actually probably much more. Good luck!

 

[RGingerelli]

Here is a adjusted version, let me know what ya think now. I added .75lbs of Munich malt to add a little malt-sweetness. Any adjustments or things look out of place let me know cause I want to make sure it looks good before I go with it for sure, dont want my first all-grain batch to be a fail

Cheers!!

12.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 78.69 %
1.00 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 6.56 %
0.75 lb Black (Patent) Malt (500.0 SRM) Grain 4.92 %
0.75 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 4.92 %
0.75 lb Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 4.92 %
1.00 oz Northern Brewer [8.50 %] (60 min) Hops 24.7 IBU
1.50 oz Williamette [5.50 %] (30 min) Hops 18.4 IBU
1 Pkgs English Ale (White Labs #WLP002) Yeast-Ale

 

[Jebu1788]

I think it looks good! Go for it and let us know how it turns out.