Vanilla Porter Recipe Thoughts

[putorious]

I've been thinking about trying to make my own recipes and I thought I might try and make a vanilla porter. I've mostly been reading descriptions of various grains and malts and learning the flavors they impart, and what their typical use is. I've been tried finding some of the more popular porter recipes (here and elsewhere) as a kind of base to start with. This is what I've come up with, but I fear I might have too much going one.... Curious to hear your thoughts..

All Grain Recipie
OG 1.060
FG 1.012
IBUs: 29.8
Color 31.9 SRM

7 lb Marris Otter
1.5 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt 40L
1 lb Brown malt
.5 lb Flaked Barley
.5 lb Special B
.5 lb Chocolate Malt
.5 lb Special Roast


1 oz Goldings 60 min
.5 oz Willmette 30 min
.5 oz Willamette 15 min.
1 pkg of Denny's Favorte (with starter)
.5 lb of Molasses @ flameout

Rack to secondary with 2 vanilla beans and monitor until desired vanilla strength is achieved.

I'm afraid I'm just trying to add too much stuff in... but it all sounds yummy to me. I've only been brewing since July, and have 5 brews behind me, but they've all come out great so far. For some reason it just doesn't feel like "my beer" since I used someone else's recipe.

 

[estricklin]

Understand completely, when it comes to my recipes I just try e'm, they either work out great, or I have a lot of "ok" beers to drink.

I think it may be quite a bit of late hops for a Porter, but you probably know that.

I'm not familar with special roast? I try to limit really dark roasted grains to 8 or 10 ounces for a 5 gallon batch. Too many can be obnoxious.

The molasses sounds good.

2 vanila beans aren't going to add much vanila to that beer. But maybe that's what your going for?

Whatever you decide, keep us updated with your results and good luck!

 

[putorious]

Thanks... I figured I would just try it and find out what it's like, but figured some of the more talented types on here might be able to point out some simple stuff, like you did. I didn't really realize that that may be too much of a late hops addition.

Special Roast was described as being a bit like biscuit malt only darker, and adds a bit of a nut flavor, used in browns and porters. (according to my local homebrew store's website)

 

[dcp27]

with the 1lb of brown malt it might be ok, but 0.5lb chocolate is usually too light of roast for a porter. to simplify, i'd just go with more brown malt and ditch the special roast.

I think it may be quite a bit of late hops for a Porter, but you probably know that.

I try to limit really dark roasted grains to 8 or 10 ounces for a 5 gallon batch. Too many can be obnoxious.

2 vanila beans aren't going to add much vanila to that beer.

i dont agree with any of this. while i'd prolly ditch the late hops in a beer like this, i dont think they're too much at all.

 

[estricklin]

Oh another thing I was looking back at some of the Porters I brewed, I always used black patent with some chocolate malt, I think black patent is a big part of a Porter if your trying to be true to style.