NorthernBrewer Bourbon Barrel Porter

[dotJerdot]

Any help or thoughts on the grain bag situation would be great!

I doubt you will notice anything, it will be fine.

 

[Dylan42]

This is crazy I just ordered this kit to try for the first time. I was at work reading my NB catalog and decided it would be a good beer for the cold winter days. Then I see it on the first page of the extract forum...Sweet! I can't wait, a question though.....

Does the bourbon up the abv at all? Does it give the smooth slight warm feeling going down the hatch that I love on the cold days?

What have been your guys' abv?

 

[Dylan42]

I am actually thinking of using this bourbon instead of makers mark, I got this eagle rare for my birthday and I really like it. However, I've never tasted makers mark so ill have to sample it first before I make my decision (not much of a bourbon geek).

 

[jacko-45]

I am actually thinking of using this bourbon instead of makers mark, I got this eagle rare for my birthday and I really like it. However, I've never tasted makers mark so ill have to sample it first before I make my decision (not much of a bourbon geek).

I used "Jefferson's" Kentucky bourbon. It's less oaky than MM. Since we are adding oak to the bourbon, I didn't want to overdo it.

 

[butterpants]

Bottled it today. Entire basement reeked of this brew. Glorious! Now just to wait 4 months for it to gel....

 

[pjilsner]

Brewed this on 10.27.12; I've been opening a 12oz bottle once a month since June 2013, and the bourbon is still a little strong for me but I think I know why. I only used 2.8 oz of corn sugar and I find the carbonation lacking. Personally, I would have preferred a little more bite as it's relatively flat at the moment. It almost reminds me of a cask-conditioned Red Seal Ale I had at North Coast Brewing once. The difference is the CC Red Seal blew me away with all the flavors I'd never tasted in kegged/bottled Red Seal, while mine seems off-balance. I would use something closer to 3.5 oz if I could do it again.

I have always been underwhelmed with the carbonation levels of all my brews, minus an Irish Red kit from MoreBeer (my 2nd brew ever!). I have never kegged, and generally use 22oz bottles and a few recycled 12oz if I fill up 2 cases. I have always found that the 12oz bottles tend to be flatter than the 22's; can anyone concur with that or explain why (it could be coincidence or my imagination)?

In the past I have followed the recommended amounts in the recipes, or added more in the case of the Patersbier I brewed. That particular beer had an inconsistent carb between bottles, but I didn't take good notes on it and I suspect it had to do with how I added the priming sugar to the wort.

This was easily one of the more exciting kits I've ever made! I added the bourbon in two additions, one week apart.

 

[butterpants]

I tried one last night.... even though I promised myself to wait until Thanksgiving. Carb was perfect... think i used 4 oz of corn sugar. Great porter but I felt like it needed more bourbon and a little. more nose. Virtually no nose on my brew while cold. I used the 16 oz the kit recommend too and barely any hint of booze in there..... maybe it wasn't mixed up enough.... time will tell as my batch is only a few months old.

 

[jacko-45]

I just added the bourbon, oak, n vanilla bean this weekend. The oak was sitting in 8 oz of bourbon for 1 month. The vanilla bean in another jar for about 2 weeks. After placing the oak and bean in my secondary, I remeasured the bourbon and had to add another 2.5oz of fresh spirt to make the full 16oz.

One thing I found was after 10 days in the primary and about a week in the secondary, my fermentation came back to life for about 4 more days. I waited another 3 or so to let the krausen settle before adding the bourbon.

 

[glenn514]

I brewed up a batch of Bourbon Barrel Porter just about two years ago, to help celebrate Christmas 2011 and the baptism of my first grandchild. I drank one of the two remaining bottles about a week ago...and it was awesome! Since my daughter and son-in-law are expecting their second child in October, I will brew up another batch today to celebrate Thanksgiving 2013 and the baptism of my second grandchild. Bourbon Barrel Porter has become one of my all-time favorites!

glenn514

 

[butterpants]

I'm not a huge bourbon fan and I think that 16oz is not enough Makers Mark for a 5 gal batch. Unless the flavor really stands out with age, as mine is still a bit young.... but I figured if anything the bourbon flavor would mellow over time.... already pretty mellow after 3 months

 

[SevenFields]

Has anyone use Rum instead of Bourbon?
I am thinking about using a nice dark rum in place of the bourbon.

 

[Philip_T]

Has anyone use Rum instead of Bourbon?
I am thinking about using a nice dark rum in place of the bourbon.

I did and didn't really like it at all. I used Zaya which is an excellent Rum, but the flavor didn't transfer at all like I thought it would. Stick with Bourbon.

 

[SevenFields]

I love Zaya. I would never "waste" it on beer. I was thinking more of a dark Rum like Meyers, Goslings or Kraken.

 

[jshake]

I just brewed this up yesterday. I am going to use george dickel #12 in mine I think it should turn out ok.

 

[MisterGreen]

Just opened one up after 5 weeks in the bottle. Starting to get some nice carbonation. Nice tan foam. Amazing taste. A few more weeks and this thing will be stellar.

 

[RhodySeth]

Tried my hand at a 2.5 gallon batch of this recipe over the weekend. Had my first real SNAFU since I began brewing - I burned the LME that I added with 15 minutes to go. Stupid. I had taken it off the burner but not completely and after adding the LME it smelled burnt. I tasted the OG wort sample and got he same burnt taste.

Still, if I'm going to scorch the malt extract I suppose the B.B. Porter is about as good a recipe to pick to do it in.

 

[nextgenxx]

Put this in a mason jar last night 1.25 oz oak chips to 14oz ish makers. How long to soak and can I add it all (chips+makers) to corny as my secondary? Then should I take chips out after week or so?

 

[HeritageHD]

Hi All,

I've been wondering around the site for the past few weeks reading and researching all I can for my first brew which is going to be the BBP. Thank you everyone for the HUGE amounts of help an info on here. So far I have decided:
1. Make and use a starter
2. Oxygenate before pitching
3. Going to Soak my oak in a full bottle of Buffalo Trace Bourbon then add a vanilla bean or two about a week before I pitch to secondary
4. condition 3 weeks in secondary before pitching bourbon mix
5. condition about a month on bourbon before bottling
6. reduce priming sugar to about 3.5 ounces
7. Bottle condition for 10-12 months

Now... I have been researching and would like to add some oatmeal for that nice creamy smooth mouthfeel, but I dont know if it's possible with an extract.

I found this on Plamer's site: http://www.howtobrew.com/section2/chapter12-2.html but no indication on how to with an extract.

Any thoughts?

 

[butterpants]

You could do a partial mash with the oatmeal/flaked oats....

 

[Hamsterheadsalem]

So I'm curious, how does the Makers taste after oak is in it for a week? I can't imagine wasting damn good bourbon!

 

[RhodySeth]

I racked my BB Porter to the Beer Machine for two weeks. There's a lot of more headspace than I'd like but I'm just going to stay the course as this point. At the same time I put 8 oz of Jim Beam in a mason jar with 1 oz of heavy wood chips. This weekend I'll dump it all in and then leave it for two more weeks before I bottle. Not sure how this'll all play out but I'm excited to taste the result regardless!

 

[ScottG58]

To use the oatmeal, I believe you would need to partial mash with something that had enzymes that would convert the starch in the oatmeal to sugar. You would need some base malt with the oatmeal.

My first brew, I was so wrapped up in figuring water volumes and timing, I am glad I did not do a partial mash. I would also have found it impossible to wait several months to check my work.

Welcome to the hobby. Good luck on your first brew.

 

[IronLion409]

Put this in a mason jar last night 1.25 oz oak chips to 14oz ish makers. How long to soak and can I add it all (chips+makers) to corny as my secondary? Then should I take chips out after week or so?


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I put woodford reserve and oak chips in canning jar for two weeks then added to secondary about two weeks before kegging it. Left chips in carboy. Tasted great with nice hints of bourbon all the way to the end of the keg.

 

[nextgenxx]

My update... I let the chips soak for a week in MM then dumped everything into corny. Then pulled chips out of corny after another week so I wouldn't over oak it. (Don't know if this is good/bad) but it's what I did. I haven't sampled yet as keezer is still filled with other kegs so letting it wait till one space frees up. Been drinking chocolate vanilla bean Porter in meantime! Can't wait to carb and try out!

 

[RhodySeth]

Finally going to bottle this badboy tonight. No idea if it'll be good or not but we'll find out soon!

 

[RhodySeth]

Finally going to bottle this badboy tonight. No idea if it'll be good or not but we'll find out soon!

Bottling went smoothly and if the sample I took was any indication, this beer is gonna be delish. Despite scorching the LME, the burnt taste has really faded. The bourbon and oak flavors are definitely noticeable but not overpowering.

I left it in primary for three weeks, then I transferred it to secondary (the fabled Beer Machine) for two weeks. When I transferred I also put the oak chips and bourbon in a mason jar. After two weeks I added the bourbon/oak chips to the secondary and left for another two weeks then bottled.

 

[HeritageHD]

I just transferred to my secondary after about 3 weeks in the primary. My readings have been stuck at 1.021 for the last 5 days. I tasted my measurement sample and it was fizzy(carbonated?) and did not taste good like others have mentioned. The last time I measured it it had no fizz but the same taste. Any ideas? Did I do something wrong?

 

[EZmacncheese]

How long should this sit in the bottle before it is in it's prime?

I bottled this recipe back in late October and so far it tastes like liquid ***hole. Almost undrinkable but not really infectiony or anything. This was my first time using dry yeast(Danstar Windsor Ale) so maybe I messed something up there.

 

[jshake]

I just brewed this up yesterday. I am going to use george dickel #12 in mine I think it should turn out ok.

tried this beer after a month in the bottle and man is it good glad i went with the george dickel .

 

[butterpants]

Mine was ok after a month but after 6 everything mellowed out. Give it time.

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