Porter

[Homer2728]

Hi
Just made my first Porter. So pleased how it has turned out. Will be adding some plum favouring before I bottle it. It has come out at a lovely 6.69%.
Will definitely be doing another brew in January

 

[RM-MN]

I hope you made a batch big enough to last a while. My porters are pretty good at 3-4 weeks but become much better with time up to perhaps 6 months of improving.

 

[Homer2728]

Arr ok. Think I'm going to bottle it end of this week and hopefully be able to drink in a week or so. Only managed to get around 18 litres but strength has come out good. Probably have a couple over Christmas and then leave it.

 

[beersk]

I'd wait longer than a week, it won't be very carbonated by that point yet and will still taste pretty young. Definitely try and hold out for 3-4 weeks if you can.

 

[dwhite60]

I'm with RM-MN. Any stout or porter I make doesn't start to get really good for at least six weeks. They'll improve up to six months and sometimes longer.

I just bottled a stout I made two weeks ago. I'm probably going to do a pale ale this weekend to have something while the stout ages.

 

[Homer2728]

I'd wait longer than a week, it won't be very carbonated by that point yet and will still taste pretty young. Definitely try and hold out for 3-4 weeks if you can.

arrr will do many thanks for your advice

 

[Homer2728]

I'm with RM-MN. Any stout or porter I make doesn't start to get really good for at least six weeks. They'll improve up to six months and sometimes longer.

I just bottled a stout I made two weeks ago. I'm probably going to do a pale ale this weekend to have something while the stout ages.

yes many thanks for your advice. I m going to try a pale ale next fingers crossed. Think I have got booked in this beer brewing

 

[RM-MN]

With good conditions, I have made a pale ale with 10 days from pitching yeast to bottling including 4 days for dry hopping. It was drinkable at day 13 with no heading, better a few days later. A wheat beer might be a little faster as there doesn't need to be dry hopping. Note that this is drinkable, not necessarily good beer but when you run out you accept less than perfect.

 

[Homer2728]

With good conditions, I have made a pale ale with 10 days from pitching yeast to bottling including 4 days for dry hopping. It was drinkable at day 13 with no heading, better a few days later. A wheat beer might be a little faster as there doesn't need to be dry hopping. Note that this is drinkable, not necessarily good beer but when you run out you accept less than perfect.

Lol yeah I know what you mean. When do you add dry hops please

 

[RM-MN]

I think I added the hops on day 6 but I didn't take good notes on that. I probably could have added them on day 4 if the fermentation had slowed but that is hard to see in a bucket.

 

[Homer2728]

I think I added the hops on day 6 but I didn't take good notes on that. I probably could have added them on day 4 if the fermentation had slowed but that is hard to see in a bucket.

I’m still quite new. I put my hops in during the boil. I’m guessing you don’t do that. Any advice welcome

 

[RM-MN]

I’m still quite new. I put my hops in during the boil. I’m guessing you don’t do that. Any advice welcome

There are 2 or more sets of hops for a pale ale, the first set go in at the beginning of the boil and provide the bitterness in the beer. A second set (not always used) would go in near or at the end of the boil and provide more flavor. The third set (called dry hops) go into the beer when the fermentation is complete or nearly complete. These hops provide no bitterness at all but are there for the aroma. I only do the first and last sets of hops for my pale ales.

Please note that when adding the dry hops, one should minimize the opening of the fermenter. Leaving it open any longer than the bare necessity allows oxygen in. This oxygen will oxidize the hop oils that provide the aroma and that ends the aroma. Once the oxygen is in the fermenter your hop aroma will only last a couple months before fading away.

 

[Homer2728]

There are 2 or more sets of hops for a pale ale, the first set go in at the beginning of the boil and provide the bitterness in the beer. A second set (not always used) would go in near or at the end of the boil and provide more flavor. The third set (called dry hops) go into the beer when the fermentation is complete or nearly complete. These hops provide no bitterness at all but are there for the aroma. I only do the first and last sets of hops for my pale ales.

Please note that when adding the dry hops, one should minimize the opening of the fermenter. Leaving it open any longer than the bare necessity allows oxygen in. This oxygen will oxidize the hop oils that provide the aroma and that ends the aroma. Once the oxygen is in the fermenter your hop aroma will only last a couple months before fading away.

Many thanks again. I think I will give that a go. Hops in at start of book and will put the rest in when fermentation nearly complete. Do you just scoop these out afterwards

 

[RM-MN]

Many thanks again. I think I will give that a go. Hops in at start of book and will put the rest in when fermentation nearly complete. Do you just scoop these out afterwards

I have a small paint strainer bag that I wrap around the siphon held on with a rubber band that keeps the hops from getting to my bottling bucket.

 

[corkybstewart]

Many thanks again. I think I will give that a go. Hops in at start of book and will put the rest in when fermentation nearly complete. Do you just scoop these out afterwards

Bittering hops are added when the wort begins to boil. I usually boil my ale worts 60 minutes, so 40 minutes after I add the bittering hops I add my flavor hops(usually about the same amount as the bittering hops). 55 minutes after I've added the bittering hops, I add what are known as aroma hops(they don't boil long enough to add bitterness, or to lose their hoppy aroma). The trick here is to pick the variety of hops you want to add each component-bitterness, flavor and aroma, because they all contribute to your final product. For a British style pale ale Goldings is a great hop for all three additions. But if you want a hoppier aroma, try something like Cascades or Columbus for that last minute addition. For even more hops aroma, throw in and extra wad when you turn off the heat and let the wort sit for 15-20 minutes(flameout addition). Because it's not boiled, the hops aromas are preserved and no bittterness is added.

 

[Homer2728]

I have a small paint strainer bag that I wrap around the siphon held on with a rubber band that keeps the hops from getting to my bottling bucket.

Many thanks

 

[Homer2728]

Bittering hops are added when the wort begins to boil. I usually boil my ale worts 60 minutes, so 40 minutes after I add the bittering hops I add my flavor hops(usually about the same amount as the bittering hops). 55 minutes after I've added the bittering hops, I add what are known as aroma hops(they don't boil long enough to add bitterness, or to lose their hoppy aroma). The trick here is to pick the variety of hops you want to add each component-bitterness, flavor and aroma, because they all contribute to your final product. For a British style pale ale Goldings is a great hop for all three additions. But if you want a hoppier aroma, try something like Cascades or Columbus for that last minute addition. For even more hops aroma, throw in and extra wad when you turn off the heat and let the wort sit for 15-20 minutes(flameout addition). Because it's not boiled, the hops aromas are preserved and no bittterness is added.

Many thanks for the advice.

 

[RM-MN]

For even more hops aroma, throw in and extra wad when you turn off the heat and let the wort sit for 15-20 minutes(flameout addition). Because it's not boiled, the hops aromas are preserved and no bittterness is added.

Hop oils continue to isomerize and add bitterness until the wort falls below about 170F so those late addiions do add to the bitterness. Dry hopping does not because the temperature is below that threshold.

 

[Homer2728]

Many thanks