How to add more Body to Robust Porter

[mi6op]

I've been tweeking my Robust Porter Recipe. I'm happy with the amount of dark grain bitter that I'm getting now, however I feel the beer is light on body and could use more of the sweeter (I sometimes even think chocolately) flavor that I find in good Porters such as Bell's and Smuttynose.

Here is the recipe for 5gal. 152* mash for 60 min.

9lb 8oz 2 row
2lb crystal 60
1lb chocolate
1lb Munich
4oz Black Malt

2.75 oz Willamette (whole hop) 60min
1 oz Fuggles 20min
1.25oz Fuggles 10min

Burton Ale Yeast wlp023

 

[tre9er]

Mash higher. Go up to about 155 or 156. Should give it a nice malty sweetness and some mouthfeel.

 

[BrewinHooligan]

Mash higher. Go up to about 155 or 156. Should give it a nice malty sweetness and some mouthfeel.

+1. Hotter mash = more body and residual sweetness.

 

[mabrungard]

Adding a bit of flaked Barley or Wheat will add beta-glucans to the wort. These create the creamy texture that Guiness displays. Don't overdo it. 1 percent would be plenty. The higher mash temperature suggested above will also aid in adding sweetness and reducing fermentability, but the flaked grain addition will add viscosity to the wort and beer.

 

[MikeinCT]

Just brewed a Porter this weekend. My tun will hold only 12 lbs so I used:
10# - Crisp MO
0.5# Chocolate
0.5# 120 Crystal
0.5# Black Patent
0.5# Brown Malt
1 oz Centennial for 60 mine
1 oz Magnum for 60 min
0.5 oz Cascade for 15 min
0.5 oc Cascade for 5 min

Mash at 156 for 75 min. OG = 1.065
1 packet Safale 04
Fermenting now - so we will see.

good luck, Mike

 

[tre9er]

Just brewed a Porter this weekend. My tun will hold only 12 lbs so I used:
10# - Crisp MO
0.5# Chocolate
0.5# 120 Crystal
0.5# Black Patent
0.5# Brown Malt
1 oz Centennial for 60 mine
1 oz Magnum for 60 min
0.5 oz Cascade for 15 min
0.5 oc Cascade for 5 min

Mash at 156 for 75 min. OG = 1.065
1 packet Safale 04
Fermenting now - so we will see.

good luck, Mike

sounds like damn-good efficiency

 

[MikeinCT]

I am pretty happy with the efficiency. A year ago I was lucky to get 1.050 out of 12 pounds of grain. Now I am over 1.060. I went through a process that stretched over several batches of beer. This calculates to 80% +. Good luck, Mike

 

[tre9er]

I am pretty happy with the efficiency. A year ago I was lucky to get 1.050 out of 12 pounds of grain. Now I am over 1.060. I went through a process that stretched over several batches of beer. This calculates to 80% +. Good luck, Mike

What are the changes you made, out of curiosity? I'm happy in my 75-80% world, but just curious because it comes up a lot.

 

[solo103]

Also try using marris otter as a base malt. I also second the higher mash temp as well.

 

[MikeinCT]

I love the MO grain and do think it mashes well. I also believe that I get extra efficiency from the 155 and up mash temperatures. I know that when I am down around 150 I don't seem to get the same results. Another thing I do is get my sparge temperature right up so the grain is right below 170 F. I hold the sparge for 5 or 10 minutes and stir well before moving on. I do 2 sparges - 2 gallons each. I extended my mash time to 75 minutes up from the recommended 1 Hr.

When I first started I would add the grain to the mash tun before the water. So I was putting the water in on top of the grain. Even though I was stirring I think I had dry pockets.

Now I put 80% of the water in first and stir the grain in about a pound at a time. I am real sure there are no grain balls when I am done.

I also have gotten pretty good about knowing where all the wort is hiding before I through out the grain.

That's all I can think of for now.

BTW - I have only been over 80% for last two batches. So who knows if it will continue.



good luck, Mike