Rye Whiskey Barrel Imperial Chocolate Porter Recipe Opinions Needed

[najohns]

Hi All,

I have the following imperial porter recipe I'm considering brewing and sticking in an rye whiskey barrel. I'm leaning and building the recipe toward the bitter dark chocolate (which I'm hoping will be complimented well by the rye barrel). I don't want a lot of sweetness, so i was thinking light on the crystal. How does everyone feel about the recipe (specifically the chocolate percentage, with the crystal levels)? and it's potential to be a good rye barrel beer? Thanks.

2 x 3.25 gallon batches (no sparge)
1.087 OG
1.023 FG

11 lb United Kingdom - Maris Otter Pale 70.4%
1.57 lb American - Dark Chocolate 10%
1.18 lb United Kingdom - Munich 7.5%
0.78 lb United Kingdom - Pale Chocolate 5%
0.47 lb American - Caramel / Crystal 150L 3%
0.31 lb American - Caramel / Crystal 80L 2%
0.32 lb American - Black Malt 2%
15.63 lb Total

WLP013

 

[m00ps]

I feel like thats too much chocolate. Generally, Ive found ~10% roasted malts total works well for stouts and porters. I never go above 20% specialty malts in any of my brews so I'd cut back the dark chocolate or take out the pale. Adding some flaked barley or oats instead may be really nice

What yeast are you using?

 

[najohns]

Wlp002

I've seen a few recipes out there with 10% dark chocolate. This one is based on a Founders porter clone, which used 10%. I wanted to see if bumping it with the pale chocolate would play off the spice and vanilla of the barrel. Too much?

 

[najohns]

Sorry... wlp013.

 

[sfish]

consider using some rye in your grain bill

 

[Hopper5000]

What is your mash temp going to be? Have you used wlp002 before in this high gravity of a beer. I would be doubtful that it will make it to that high of an attenuation but I haven't made a super high gravity beer with it before. I would cut down the chocolate to 3 - 5% and use some brown malt to make up the difference. Pale chocolate might be interesting but again I would sub black malt for this. What are your IBU's going to be? I made this recipe a while back that aged in a 5gal rum barrel and it turned out really nicely. I know it's a different type of barrel but that really is a lot of chocolate IMHO.

http://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/9277/imperial-porter

 

[Hopper5000]

Ok well I have the same comment about wlp013 that I did about wlp002. The attenuation is better so that might not be as much of a worry but I would be a bit wary of the alcohol tolerance. You're probably fine though.

 

[JKaranka]

With that post title you might as well only use Slovenian hops!

Ps: As above, less roast malts and 10-15% brown.

 

[najohns]

I've done a 11% bourbon barrel RIS with wlp002. It was really nice. Attenuated 75%. It was really nice.

 

[najohns]

OK.... I know I'm being stubborn here with the chocolate, because I'm just curious and I kind of wanted a dark / bitter chocolate porter (not hop bitter). That said, I do want it to taste good and if there is something here that says yuck, please tell me. I reduced the darker / roasted grains to 10% (I'm not counting the pale chocolate as a "roasted" grain. Should I?). So, I am at the following recipe at about 7.5-8% ABV (to hopefully hold up in the barrel a bit better). Do I have enough residual sweetness here?

72.5% Maris Otter
8% Dark chocolate (420L)
7% Pale Chocolate (200L)
7.5% Light Munich (4-7L)
3% C150
2% Black Patent

WLP013

~30-35 IBUs Fuggles at 60 mins.

 

[Hopper5000]

If you want to stick with that much chocolate then that is up to you and that is why it's homebrewing! What is your projected FG? In the low 20's is usually good for barrel aged beers as the booze and wood tent to dry the beer out.