Looking for a specific Porter recipe

[Getwithit]

I'm completely new to brewing, but several years ago I had a nieghbor that brewed religiously. Long story short he got me into craft brews (factory brews were a sin at his house ) . the first beers he had me taste test was a heffeweisen and a Porter. So I'm very open on the wheat beer side, but tried Porter's and hate all the ones you can buy. My question: I'm looking for a Porter recipe that in niether coffee or chocolate flavor. This beer had hints of what might have been raisin, was slightly sweet and had high carbonation. The appearance aside from the caramely head looked much like a glass of coke. Please point me in the right direction!

 

[Vex]

Raisins bring to mind Belgian dark candi syrup and Special B.

Perhaps it was a dubbel? I'm not familiar with the carbonation, but you could definitely get a dark, coke-colored beer using those ingredients.

 

[Lefou]

So a darker beer with no heavy roast or smoke flavors?

Try a mix of pilsner, darker crystal malts in the 60-120 range, possibly Gambrinus honey malt, and a bit of malted wheat. Keep your hopping in balance to offset sweetness and carb a bit higher than a normal porter. If you like fruit esters, use a yeast strain and hop variety that gives off the aromas and tastes you want and pitch accordingly.
Don't forget a bit of mineral additions to add hardness to your water.

 

[rhys333]

The tricky thing is that most porters have either chocolate or coffee undertones. What sort if flavors in addition to raisiny do you like? Roasty perhaps?

You could try a recipe that uses a healthy dose of dark crystal malt, with black patent (instead of chocolate malt) for colour and roast flavor. Maybe something like:

75% 2Row
10% Munich
10% C80
5% Black patent

 

[Redlantern]

I am guessing that the porter may have been a Baltic Porter. A little darker than what is described, but in the ball park anyway

 

[RM-MN]

From my most recent attempt to enjoy a commercially produced porter I'd say that most breweries don't let them mature long enough. One of my first porters was a Brewer's Best Kits robust porter. I didn't let it have enough time in the fermenter (followed recipe instructions carefully) and bottled it. At 3 weeks I was so disappointed as it was thin and watery, not what I expected from a robust porter at all. I kept sampling occasionally and one day, about 3 months after bottling it, it was robust and flavorful, just what I wanted.

You may have trouble finding a porter without some chocolate or coffee hints as those are in most of the grains that make a porter. Take a look through this list and see if any of them describe what you like. Midwest has a good reputation for fresh ingredients. https://www.midwestsupplies.com/recipe-kits/dark-ales

 

[burninator]

You're sure it was a porter, and not a brown or mild ale?

 

[IslandLizard]

You could use Midnight Wheat or Black Prinz (dehusked barley) to make a dark beer but without overly roasted flavors. Steep them on the side at 150F while boiling your main wort, then add that black potion after flameout when it has cooled to 170F to pasteurize. It keeps the flavors even fresher. Once you get around 30 SRM beer is nearly black in a pint glass. Only against strong light it may look deep mahogany.

 

[Lefou]

The BJCP allowances for porters are pretty forgiving.
The ABV level for a robust ranges between 4.8% to 6.5%, so you can brew a comparatively low or high alcohol beer with a wide choice of ingredients.

 

[Getwithit]

Well for my first post you guys sure make me feel welcome!! This was a Porter for sure, but to be fair this was likely one of his early on batches, he's won awards for his vanilla porter and coffee porter later on. All I know is that I loved it. Thank you all for your input, I've got an ale,and a wiesenbier in bottles. Monday I get to sample the ale, so excited(but ready for possible disappointment ). It'll be a few weeks before I'm ready to brew this, but will definitely keep you posted. RM-MN this beer was also uncharacteristically thin like that.

 

[Getwithit]

The tricky thing is that most porters have either chocolate or coffee undertones. What sort if flavors in addition to raisiny do you like? Roasty perhaps?

You could try a recipe that uses a healthy dose of dark crystal malt, with black patent (instead of chocolate malt) for colour and roast flavor. Maybe something like:

75% 2Row
10% Munich
10% C80
5% Black patent

After researshing all of the suggested ingrients from everyone, this ones seems on point but maybe C120 instead of the 80

 

[bajaedition]

I think that a problem to identify a specific porter goes back tot he history of porters. It is a long and evolved ever changing style. It has become today a catch all of beers not hitting other styles. I know from the days of when I used to compete that I won a few ribbons from my honey chocolate porter, and truth be known, that was a huge mistake I named a porter.
Basically today I think people want a porter to have a chocolate after-tone. But seeing the style has been such a catch all for so many years, I think the best bet in finding a SPECIFIC PORTER RECIPE the OP has asked for is to advise him to get a basic porter recipe and start there and add and subtract till it becomes what he wants.

Porters seem to be very independent to each brewer. I mean you can tell when a brewer hit an IPA, ESB, or German Pilsner. It is a well designed category, but to hit a specific porter is as broad as Rosanne's Ass.

just my 2 cents

 

[madscientist451]

Most commercial porters try to be big and bold, that's the selling point.
Some are called Robust Porter or American Porter. The earlier English style Porters were more subdued in flavor and ABV. A good resource to read up on any style is the Brew Your Own website, there are several articles about porter available there.
Beersmith covered Porters in a blog post back in 2008, there's some background info and recipes, very worthwhile reading:

http://beersmith.com/blog/2008/03/01/beer-styles-making-a-porter-recipe/

 

[Getwithit]

I guess the title was a bit misleading, was just looking for a nudge in the right direction. The hard parts going to be refining to my liking (the fun part)

 

[bajaedition]

I guess the title was a bit misleading, was just looking for a nudge in the right direction. The hard parts going to be refining to my liking (the fun part)

OK just find a basic porter recipe, maybe a clone of a porter that is close. Brew that and then ask on how to get different flavors you want in it.
drink it
brew again
drink it
repeat
drink it

I really see no down side

 

[KeyWestBrewing]

After researshing all of the suggested ingrients from everyone, this ones seems on point but maybe C120 instead of the 80

You'd probably like Belgian Special B, its heavy on toffee and raisin. Though 10% special B would be way too much. Something like ~3% adds a nice complexity to my stout.

 

[Getwithit]

You'd probably like Belgian Special B, its heavy on toffee and raisin. Though 10% special B would be way too much. Something like ~3% adds a nice complexity to my stout.

If the C120 doesn't give enough of the raisin tones that would definatly be my next go

 

[rhys333]

After researshing all of the suggested ingrients from everyone, this ones seems on point but maybe C120 instead of the 80

You could add in some C120, but 10% would be a lot. C80 in higher amounts is really quite raisiny, complex, and not very sweet at all. If you're keen on C120, perhaps 6% C80 + 4% C120. Special B as mentioned above might work too. Either way, if you go the dark crystal + BP route, you'll end up with a roasty, dark fruit complexity to your porter. Mmmmm porter.

 

[jmark]

Most commercial porters try to be big and bold, that's the selling point.
Some are called Robust Porter or American Porter. The earlier English style Porters were more subdued in flavor and ABV. A good resource to read up on any style is the Brew Your Own website, there are several articles about porter available there.
Beersmith covered Porters in a blog post back in 2008, there's some background info and recipes, very worthwhile reading:

http://beersmith.com/blog/2008/03/01/beer-styles-making-a-porter-recipe/

+1 on this. I recently entered a porter I've been experimented with into a competition under the American Porter category... scored a 29, with most of the comments indicating that the character was too subdued. Two weeks later I entered the same beer in another competition under the English Porter category (2008 BJCP guidelines)... scored a 42 and took a silver, losing out in the category to the beer that went on to finish 2nd BOS.

 

[Brownalemikie]

As a rookie home Brewer, I may be off base but about 2 months ago I brewed White House Honey Porter from Northern Brewer. Even though it was a extract recipe, it is the best tasting Porter I've ever had. Not sure if it's what you are looking for, but definitely worth checking out. JMO

 

[Getwithit]

I never had a beer with a honey in its name I might give it a shot. I just opened my first brew today, and am saddened that it tastes of metal :'( . i did some research and the only thing it could possibly be is the tap water I used. I believe I was simply misinformed, as the video I watched said "if it's good enough to drink, it good enough for your brew".

 

[jmark]

I never had a beer with a honey in its name I might give it a shot. I just opened my first brew today, and am saddened that it tastes of metal :'( . i did some research and the only thing it could possibly be is the tap water I used. I believe I was simply misinformed, as the video I watched said "if it's good enough to drink, it good enough for your brew".

It could be your water (if it's high in iron content) but more likely metal brewing vessels or poor quality malt. With respect to water, it represents 95%+ of your brew, so attention to it is more than warranted. However, while there are plenty of things to worry about before focusing on water adjustments, simply using a carbon filter or campden tablets to remove chlorine/chlorimines should be a vital first step. Using chlorinated water can lead to some pretty horrible band-aid plasticy off-flavors... I remember my first couple of batches were just like that

 

[Getwithit]

All my equipment is stainless. the beer did come with kit, so my hopes are that's it, but its likely the water by the sound of it. Will know for sure in a week when I open my second for a tasting. live and learn I guess.

 

[Mainer]

Baltic Porters are often lighter on the coffee/chocolate notes with stronger raisin/date sort of flavors. I've got a good recipe for one that also uses anise and cardamom. The spice really cuts the heavier roasty notes you indicate not liking.

 

[20grit]

If I were doing this, I'd start with the BYO Fullers London Porter Clone. Swap the 75L crystal for some special B or Simpson's Extra Dark crystal. Read up on each and decide what sort of fruit flavor you're after.
Since you have an aversion to chocolate flavors, you could swap the chocolate malt for some debittered black malt.

 

[Getwithit]

I just don't like the coffee note, chocolate is ok if done well. I'm just trying to get ahold of the first Homebrew I ever tasted that had niether and was Delicious. Update on my metallic brew: I "pre-tested" my second brew a bit early...no metal taste, so my assumption is that the new metal pot in my very first brew didn't get rinsed enough before use. Whew!! Gonna get s couple more brews under my belt, since this Porter is looking upwards of $40.

 

[Getwithit]

BTW love the pic 20grit, watch out for the samsqaunch

 

[rhys333]

Well, if you're cool with chocolate notes, you could try this awesome beer. Not that I'm biased or anything.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=601441

 

[fourfarthing]

Try cold steeping the roasting grains. It takes the edge/elbows out of them while leaving some of the flavor and all of the color.