Noob Checking in from Maine

[Mainer]

Just bottled my first beer, a Maple Vienna Lager.
Same day brewed by second, a Smoked Baltic Porter with cardamom and star anise.

 

[porterpounder]

Way to get in there and dig deep into the ingredientsphere. Hope everything is awesome.

 

[Mainer]

Way to get in there and dig deep into the ingredientsphere. Hope everything is awesome.

Go big or go home, right?

 

[ncbrewer]

Good start. Welcome.

 

[ChemErik]

That Porter sounds delicious. Let us know how it turns out.

 

[Mainer]

It's got a nasty sulfur smell in primary, but everything I read tells me that's not unusual when using a lager yeast, and it'll come out in secondary.

 

[Mainer]

That Porter sounds delicious. Let us know how it turns out.

I just took a hydrometer read on the Baltic Porter in secondary; running about 8.5%, FG about 1.026. I tasted the Beer Thief runoff, and while it's still green and obviously uncarbonated, the spices are present but not overwhelming up front, and the smoke is noticeable on the back end. I think it's going to be a winner.

 

[sassefa]

That sounds like a very strongly flavored Porter. How did it come out? I am recently considering experimenting with spices in beer. Did you use the spices whole in their pods and let them soak during fermentation?(for the cardamom and anise.)
Can you please share some specifics? I am interested.

Thanks

 

[dkennedy]

Welcome, from a misplaced Mainer.

 

[Mainer]

That sounds like a very strongly flavored Porter. How did it come out? I am recently considering experimenting with spices in beer. Did you use the spices whole in their pods and let them soak during fermentation?(for the cardamom and anise.)
Can you please share some specifics? I am interested.

Thanks

The spice profile is actually fairly light. I used about 2 grams of each whole spice (one star of anise and about 6 whole pods of cardamom). I added them about 10-15 minutes from the end of the boil and strained them out before primary. I suspect if you allowed them to age on the whole pods, you'd get a much stronger spice profile. I wanted the spices to be present, but not to overwhelm the beer.

 

[sassefa]

Thanks Mainer, I will give it a shot.

 

[Mainer]

Thanks Mainer, I will give it a shot.

Let me know how it comes out.

 

[Oginme]

Welcome from a former northern Mainer!

 

[Cyclman]

Welcome to the hobby, and the group, from CO

 

[Mainer]

For anyone who's wondering, the Baltic Porter came out amazing. The spices are soft, and it's a little sweeter and smoother than I'd expect from an 8.75% Baltic.

 

[JimRausch]

Excellent, sounds great. A lot of fun, and yes, some pride when a batch turns out good, eh?
By the way, welcome from a fellow Mainah(Ellsworth)

 

[GeorgeHenry]

Welcome aboard from a fellow New Englander