Robust porter with Special B

[JonM]

I've been kicking around some ideas for a robust porter that I can brew now and bulk age until the fall.

I really like the flavor from chocolate malt and I think it'd go really well with the raisiny, dark fruit flavor I get from Special B. If I want to put those two together and have them balance well, do ya think it'd be best to use equal portions of each, or is one more potent than the other so that i should use a little less of the stronger one?

(Oh, and the rest of the recipe will be Marris Otter base, maybe with some Munich, and a little bit of black malt. )

Thanks everyone!

 

[Oldsock]

I think you may want to go with less Special B than chocolate malt, although that also depends on how much black malt you are adding. I think it sounds like a good combination, especially if you go on the stronger end of the style, and keep the hops low (a bit of oak might be a nice touch as well). Good luck!

 

[bierhaus15]

Don't know if you've ever tried it, but Smuttynose Porter uses over 8% of special B in their recipe... and it's one of the most delicious commerical robust porters out there IMO.

Edit: They also use 6% chocolate malt

 

[JonM]

Thanks, all! My thought is to use X amount of chocolate (to be determined) and then use maybe a max of 60% of that amount for the Special B. I'm pretty excited for this one because I love a good dark porter. Cheers!

 

[Yankeehillbrewer]

I use equal amounts of Special B & Chocolate in my Porter. 1/2lb each and supplement that with a 1/4lb of Black Patent. BUT....It's a Coffee Porter so I can't say for sure exactly what it brings to the table. There is a nice sweetness that comes through as the beer ages a few weeks, but I don't get any Dark Fruit type flavors. It does seem to compliment the Coffee well though. Not sure if that helps you, but I thought I'd throw it out there.

 

[JonM]

'preciate all the input, folks! I'm gonna tinker with this recipe for a week or so and then have at it. Thanks again!

 

[1ratdog]

i dont know but it sounds yummmmmmy. id prob go with a small amount of spec b. you can always ramp it up next time if its not enough.
+1 on adding oak also

 

[Calitexcomin]

Recently I've started thinking about brewing a porter using Special B. I've been looking around at recipes and find few out there that include it. I will be looking for Smuttynose Porter to try - thanks bierhaus15. JonM - How did yours turn out?

 

[JonM]

Wow - blast from the past!

I actually do remember this one. I was still bottling back then, and I had one of those dumb stick-your-hand-in-the-bottling-bucket moments on the worst and messiest bottling day ever. Needless to say, it got infected and I dumped it.

I have, however, recently made a Founders porter clone I found here and it is really, really good. Maybe I can find the recipe.