NorthernBrewer Bourbon Barrel Porter

[MDRex]

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?

 

[craig_reed]

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?

 

[sha0056]

would probably taste good by Christmas, but continue to improve beyond with even more time

 

[cedar_lake]

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...

 

[duckmanco]

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?

 

[sha0056]

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!

 

[cntry036]

was thinking of doing this kit and using jim beam red stag. any thoughts on if you think that would be good?

 

[duckmanco]

^^^ 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.

 

[cntry036]

i like the idea of splitting to 2 different secondaries

 

[Triocd]

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.

 

[duckmanco]

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]

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.

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.

 

[gigantor]

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

 

[duckmanco]

^^^ 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.

 

[cedar_lake]

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.

 

[duckmanco]

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.

 

[duckmanco]

***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.

 

[Xtant]

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

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

 

[Xtant]

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...

 

[colinthehippie]

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.

 

[saluki_brewer]

Just ordered this one tonight and will probably be brewing it immediately when it arrives. It's been about 2 months since my last brew!!!

This seems like it would be a good one to give a little more time in the secondary with the oak and bourbon to really let the flavors meld. My question is how long in the secondary is too long with this beer? For those who have brewed it, how long did you secondary it and how did it turn out? Thanks.

 

[BeerWard]

This one has been on my list. Following with interest!

 

[duckmanco]

I have had this bottled for probably 6 weeks now, and I have to say, even with this as my first batch, its by far my favorite so far. Its roasty, vanilla, bourbon-y, pours a gorgeous head and flat out tastes like liquid goodness... I'm down to a 6'er and probably 5 bombers left and I had NO IDEA it would go so fast. I can't decide whether or not to try and give my upcoming YETI clone the same bourbon treatment or to just order this kit again and brew it all over again, its that good. Good luck to everyone else who brews it, just give it time in the bottle and it will really come through.

 

[Blone]

If you are going to opt out of secondary fermentation, but still want to add bourbon and oak chips a couple weeks before bottling, how would you go about adding them? By just opening the top and dumping them in? Or does the bourbon need to be stirred in?

 

[duckmanco]

I don't know if I'd skip secondary for oaking/bourboning this beer (unless of course someone else weighs in here) but I've always seen that long primaries are good for most beers but oaking always seems to negate a long primary by itself.

So, as for the oaking, the 16oz bourbon and toasted oak chips gets dumped right into the secondary with no stirring, it will mix around on its own, and it definitely will at bottling time when racking into the bottling bucket.

 

[Blone]

I don't know if I'd skip secondary for oaking/bourboning this beer (unless of course someone else weighs in here) but I've always seen that long primaries are good for most beers but oaking always seems to negate a long primary by itself.

So, as for the oaking, the 16oz bourbon and toasted oak chips gets dumped right into the secondary with no stirring, it will mix around on its own, and it definitely will at bottling time when racking into the bottling bucket.

Thanks!

 

[ScottyC]

I got this kit for Christmas and was thinking about using Scotch instead of Bourbon. Anything wrong with that?

 

[BeerWard]

I got this kit for Christmas and was thinking about using Scotch instead of Bourbon. Anything wrong with that?

Nothing wrong with it, but it will change the flavor profile. I have had some beer aged in scotch whisky barrels and it has been a great experience. Bourbon is going to add more vanilla and sweetness.

What kind of scotch are you thinking. Blended or Single Malt? An Islay would be interesting, turning this into a "smoked version."

 

[MDRex]

What is the quickest this can be brewed, aged, bottled and ready to drink? I don't want to rush anything, but I'd like to have this ready to drink sometime this summer or early fall for a BBQ competition.

 

[sha0056]

go ahead and brew it now - give plenty of time for fermentation and secondary with the bourbon and oak. based on my experience and reading reviews of others, this will get even better over time (1-2 years based on other reviews) and should be very good by summer time. it will be drinkable much sooner than that - just be sure you don't drink it all too soon!