NorthernBrewer Bourbon Barrel Porter

Yakima 728
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Xtant said:
Are you sure it was a porter? I love Billy's. I know they keep the Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale on tap. They might have had BBC's Jefferson Reserve Bourbon Stout, as well. Both are good. The Jefferson Reserve is amazing. Easily one of my favorite beers...

Any reason why this shouldn't be my first brew? I'd picked it out as something I'd love to try, then searched this place...
Click to expand...


My memory gets a bit cloudy sometimes.....I remembered having a Bourbon flavored beer at Billy's, along with my most excellent Mutton Platter!!!

I didn't think it was a Porter, and now that you mention it I'm sure it was the Kentucky Boubon Barrel Ale.

So far as this being your first brew, this was my second, and I have had no problems. I would recommend a 6 gallon better bottle or a bucket for the primary, the first 3-5 days area pretty violent fermentation. I had mine in a 5 gallon better bottle and the blow off was pretty amazing.....

Mine has been siting on the oak and bourbon for a little over two weeks, I'll be bottling it soon. Very anxious to have a taste, hopefully in a couple months I'll be enjoying a glass.
 
I'm going with the deluxe starter kit from Northern so I'll have 6.5 carboy as a primary.

Pretty much everything is excellent at Billy's. I can't wait to get home. Billy's would be fantastic, right about now...
 
I know what you mean.....old Marine here.

Have a co-worker heading your way, she is Airforce and coming to Bagram.

Keep your head down, and thanks for your service!!!
 
Mine has a stronger oak flavor than it does a bourbon flavor (though you can still taste the bourbon). I think I let it sit on the oak for about 3.5 weeks though. My has been bottled for a month now, and it's finally starting to carb properly.
 
Mine came out way too strong on the bourbon, like a boilermaker. I used the recommended 16oz Bourbon. It is almost 1.5 years since I brewed it and still very strong but much more drinkable. I would recommend only using 8 oz of Bourbon...
 
mgo737 said:
Mine came out way too strong on the bourbon, like a boilermaker. I used the recommended 16oz Bourbon. It is almost 1.5 years since I brewed it and still very strong but much more drinkable. I would recommend only using 8 oz of Bourbon...
Click to expand...

It may have to do with the type of bourbon you used.
I used the recommended 16oz of Makers Mark Bourbon and it turned out great. It never had a strong bourbon flavor to it, next time I will use more.
 
I used 16oz of Evan Williams Single Barrel...just bottled mine last weekend, had a small sample and the bourbon flavor was almost perfect. A little strong, but I'm sure it will mellow in the bottle. Don't plan on even trying one for a few months....
 
Funny I also had stuck fermentation!

I brewed back in Feb and had a SG 0f 1.052 and a final Gravity of 1.028.


I wonder what gives on this?
 
This looks like a wonderful brew, especially since I am always ready for a pint of BBC Bourbon Stout. This just might have to be my next batch to give it time to age for winter. It's still a toss up between this or an extract Chimay Blue Recipe I found.
 
I just racked this to secondary yesterday- gravity's stuck at 1.028. There was a little more molasses overtone in the wort sample than I would have liked, but that didn't keep me from drinking every last (room temperature, un-carbonated) drop! I'm a new brewer (this is my fourth batch) so between now and when I do this one again I think I'll learn how to/get the gear to do a yeast starter. My plan at this point is to use the full 16 oz of bourbon (probably Knob Creek because that's what I like) as it might balance out the sweetness a bit.
 
How does this brew compare to Goose Island Bourbon County Stout? The bourbon in that was too strong for me, I'd like something that is more mellow but still clearly a bourbon brew.
 
MDRex,

I also recently brewed the BBP from Northern Brewer (after trying Goose Island Bourbon County Stout). The bourbon barrel porter is still quite oaky (c. 2 months post bottling), but not heavy on the bourbon (I used 24 oz MM and 2 oz oak cubes for 2 weeks in secondary)

Overall I would say the Goose Island is bigger in every way (13% ABV imperial stout). Try the northern brewer kit as recommended and see for yourself - I think you will really like it. personally, I am currently doing the Northern Brewer Imperial Stout kit and will be using 2 oz toasted oak (medium American) and 24 oz Maker's Mark in the secondary!
 
Thanks, that is what I was hoping to hear and really makes me want to try it. I am going to do this one later in the fall and plan on having it ready for next Christmas, along with my barley wine.
 
I brewed mine in January and it is really starting to come into it's own. I entered it into a fair this August and it did well. (Got a blue ribbon, but a lot of other people did too.)

The oakyness has subsided some, and the bourbon has mellowed. I think that when the weather cools, I'll be drinking a lot of mine, and I doubt it will survive much past Christmas.
 
Those of you with stuck fermentation, did you use a yeast starter?

I did a starter, and I'm 7 days into primary today, and after a rapid take-off my kearauesesnssedn (sp?) is gone and things are taking it easy in my temp controlled freezer. Maybe I'll kick it up 2 degrees tonight.
 
Just racked my NorthernBrewer imperial stout into secondary with 2 oz medium toast American Oak, 24 oz MM bourbon, as well as 6oz mocca java coffee brewed in French press. will be leaving this for another month and then bottle

will let ya'll know how it compares to the bourbon barrel porter (which is starting to mellow and tastes quite nice now!)
 
That sounds great. I like the idea of a coffee bourbon barrel porter very much.

I love raspberry stout. How do you guys a raspberry bourbon barrel porter would be?
 
Hey guys - With it being the 23rd of September. Do you think I could make the Bourbon Barrel Porter in time for Xmas? Or does it REALLY need months and months to condition?
 
would probably taste good by Christmas, but continue to improve beyond with even more time
 
10/8 and mine (which I racked to secondary on 9/13 at 1.028) is still at 1.028. I'm considering drastic measures as I really don't like the big molasses hit at the front end of the flavor profile. I have a Scottish 80 shilling finishing up primary right now and have the mad scientist idea of racking the Porter over on to the yeast cake. (Both use Wyeast 1728)

Somebody talk me out of this...
 
hey guys, figured I'd add to this thread, but just took a 2nd gravity reading (1st reading before pitching was 1.074) and this reading, taken 9 days later from the primary reads 1.033 (appears to be in between the 32 and 34 reading mark).

Needless to say this sounds like a high finishing for this beer, so any ideas other than wait? which I already plan to do, this beer is getting the full 2 weeks in the primary before racking to secondary. I have heard of others at least getting to 1.028, but I was also wondering if using the dry windsor yeast (which I did) would cause the lower attenuation (I read that the windsor yeast may cause that, IDK?)

Anyway, I am going to RDWHA SN torpedo as this is my first batch ever.

P.S. I drank every bit of the sample, and it was delicious, which also pushes me towards "who cares" about the final gravity?
 
BBP flavors are continuing to blend / mellow. suspect this will be fabulous by Christmas time! will also try my bourbon coffee imperial stout at that time (first bottle), but expect that to be at its best next winter - hope I can wait!
 
^^^ I'd bet it'd be good personally, the red stag black cherry flavor isn't all that dominating and its not cloying overly sweet either... could see it working. Why not split the batch into two different secondary's and do one with straight bourbon and the other with the stag? Food for thought anyway.
 
I brewed this beer 21 days ago. After 14 days in the primary, it was at 1.026. I moved it to the secondary (probably too early, but lesson learned). A week in the secondary and it is now 1.024. Will this be fine to bottle in three weeks or should I pitch more yeast?

I originally pitched at 1.060 with 2 packs of Danstar dry yeast with no starter. Crazy fermentation within 8 hours, but it was pretty much "done" 2 days later.

Reading the previous posts this seems pretty normal, so I'm not too concerned anymore. I just am curious if I should pitch more yeast or just let it be.
 
If I were you, I'd let it be, and considering that I transferred mine to secondary at 1033 because it wouldn't move. Finishing around 1024 seems pretty normal for this beer from what I've read. If its dropping, you'll hear from everyone on hear to make sure you get two gravity readings a day or so apart that are the same to make sure its done.

Let it be I'd say.
 
Triocd said:
I brewed this beer 21 days ago. After 14 days in the primary, it was at 1.026. I moved it to the secondary (probably too early, but lesson learned). A week in the secondary and it is now 1.024. Will this be fine to bottle in three weeks or should I pitch more yeast?

I originally pitched at 1.060 with 2 packs of Danstar dry yeast with no starter. Crazy fermentation within 8 hours, but it was pretty much "done" 2 days later.

Reading the previous posts this seems pretty normal, so I'm not too concerned anymore. I just am curious if I should pitch more yeast or just let it be.
Click to expand...

After pitching in the bourbon 5 days ago (1.025 gravity), I got all ready to bottle tonight. Cleaned my tubing, bucket, bottles, boiled primer and went to take the airlock off and I noticed the damn thing has 0.5 cm of krausen on top! After a month of no activity, it finally started bubbling again. Could this somehow be due to the bourbon and not actual fermentation? Anyone else get bubbling when they added bourbon? I'm going to give it a few more days and try again.
 
I started at 1.058, 2 weeks later I am at 1.020. Is that ok? If so I will check it again tomorrow and then hopefully toss it into the old secondary.

Going with Jefferson Reserve for the bourbon
 
^^^ from what I gather for this brew, getting the windsor dry yeast (if that's what you used) down to the mid to low 1020's is right where you want to be(according to the helpful folks at NB), so yeah it probably is just fine, but I'd check it to get consistent readings anyway. Mine has been in the bottle for 13 days.... one of them goes into the fridge tomorrow to see whats what... I know I should wait for the 3rd week, but this is my first brew and I have to see how its coming along.
 
Mine never budged below 1.028, but man is it ever tasty!

I even racked it on to the yeast cake from a Scottish 80 shilling, let it go another couple weeks, no dice, no change in gravity.

I guess it's one of those classic RDWHAHB situations. It just gets better and better every time I try it. It has a lot of body, but no cloying sweet aftertaste or anything like that.

I think I may do it again at the end of next summer but use a big starter instead of just smacking the pack a few hours before brew time. But honestly maybe this one just finishes high sometimes.
 
I think I would do this brew again but use S-04 instead of windsor... I realize this brew needs body, but finishing that high for my first brew even still has worried about what its doing in the bottles.... I wrapped them in plastic just in case of bottle bombs... I know, I'll RDWHAHB tomorrow night at the two week mark.
 
***UPDATE***

With exactly two weeks in the bottle, I threw one in the fridge last night for a couple hours because after waiting the full 2 weeks (and not the 3rd like I probably should have) I had to try it. So, I pop the cap, get a hiss (very happy at this alone) pour and watch a gorgeous khaki colored head form and am now very excited. The beer smelled and tasted delicious, a little green I'm sure and once it has even more time to mellow out ( I went with probably 20 oz. of bourbon) it will be even better, but I am very happy to drink it as is.

Moral of the story, even for my first brew, after all the complications I THOUGHT I had, horrible attenuation, unsure of infection, yada yada... this beer turned out great thus far and I can't wait to do it again.
 
I finally got around to brewing this, today. I did get a little ahead of myself and dumped all the extract in at the start of the boil. When I checked the hop schedule, I noticed the LME was to be added at 15 minutes left. Oops. I hope it doesn't affect it too much. My other concern was the boil over. It boiled over instantly. It was heating up and heating up then it erupted into a huge, rolling boil. It was just as I added the bittering hops. I'm pretty sure I lost quite a bit of the hops in the boil over :( Oh well. It'll be beer. It'll be delicious and I can look forward to my next batch being even better :D

On a positive note, when I checked on it 7 hours after I brewed it, it has full krausen and is glubbing at least once a second. I wasn't expecting it to take off so quickly. I'm pretty excited. Unfortunately, I leave for work on monday for ten days. I won't be able to watch it progress :(
 
I got stuck at 1.032. SG was 1.064. I've moved it upstairs. It was 64* when it was sitting in the basement. I did go ahead and move it to secondary and added the bourbon and wood chips. They were soaking for about three weeks.

I'll check on it in about a month...
 
I brewed this in late 09 and drank it throughout 10. I still have a bottle, I think. Seemed like the bourbon flavor never settled down, never mellowed out. Every bottle tasted like bourbon to me. But my buddies loved it. Not enough porter in the bourbon porter equation for my taste.
 

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