# Cascade Chocolate Porter



## daanmuller (12/2/08)

I used a kit for this recipe but my initial OG is far lower that the average for a porter or a kit enhancer. The OG is (1030) where the average is meant to be 1047-1050. 

Also the mix looks light in colour not dark like a porter is meant to be.

But we will see in a weeks time if anything changes.

Thanks for your help


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## wambesi (12/2/08)

The directions on the can?
What did you add? That OG does seem to be abit low, but without knowing what you added we cant tell you for sure.
Also how many L did you make it up to?

If it was to the directions on the can and you added a kilo of dex or even light dry malt extract it still wont be as dark as a normal porter would be, you can use dark dry malt extract next time to give you a darker beer, you can also reduce some of the water (make up to say 21 L instead of 23) to also give it more body and stronger taste.

My personal experience with the cascade range is not very good, the only one that turned out good was the choc mahog can but it was dressed up with DDME, some honey and extra hops.

Also don't cross post mate, just as the question in one area.


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## daanmuller (12/2/08)

wambesi said:


> The directions on the can?
> What did you add? That OG does seem to be abit low, but without knowing what you added we cant tell you for sure.
> Also how many L did you make it up to?
> 
> ...





I used 1 kg of light dry malt, Norrington yeast, 250g of chocolate grain, 23litres of water and a can of cascade moghangy chocolate porter.

Hope this helps a bit


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## barry2 (12/2/08)

I brewed a Cascade chocolate mahogany porter with LDME 700g,Dextrose 250g,Maltodextrin 250g with the kit yeast.
OG was 1046 FG 1012.It finished dark brown and is darkening as it ages.
Drinkable but uninspiring and won't be doing it again.Same comment for the Cascade Imperial Voyage ale.


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## wambesi (12/2/08)

Your OG does seem a bit low.
Now that I have time (was going to work this morning), I just checked mine:

Cascade CMP
1Kg DDME
500g Yellowbox honey
20g Cascade (dry hopped)
OG: 1046
FG: 1012
22L with a S-04 yeast.

That was mine, it was nice and dark brown, taste's pretty good actually after conditioned for a while, recipe from another forum.
What was your method with the grain?


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## Fatgodzilla (12/2/08)

barry3 said:


> I brewed a Cascade chocolate mahogany porter with LDME 700g,Dextrose 250g,Maltodextrin 250g with the kit yeast.
> OG was 1046 FG 1012.It finished dark brown and is darkening as it ages.
> Drinkable but uninspiring and won't be doing it again.Same comment for the Cascade Imperial Voyage ale.




Ditto. Brewed every Cascade can on the supermarket shelf and really, couldn't get excited over anything. Pity, I've liked quite a few Cascade commercial products. The blurbs on all the cans is quite good - probably the best on any kit. Pity they put more into their advertising department than their brewing department. Sorry Cascade, but no more sales to this fat duck.


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## daanmuller (12/2/08)

Fatgodzilla said:


> Ditto. Brewed every Cascade can on the supermarket shelf and really, couldn't get excited over anything. Pity, I've liked quite a few Cascade commercial products. The blurbs on all the cans is quite good - probably the best on any kit. Pity they put more into their advertising department than their brewing department. Sorry Cascade, but no more sales to this fat duck.



I went back over my process and turns out the recipe requires 21 liters and I have almost 24.5 liters in the fermenter. Would you recommend i start from scratch and call this one a loss. Seems like its not worth the wait anyways. 

on another note I would really like to do a Smoked Stout and age it for winter...

Any suggestions?


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## wambesi (13/2/08)

Daan Muller said:


> I went back over my process and turns out the recipe requires 21 liters and I have almost 24.5 liters in the fermenter. Would you recommend i start from scratch and call this one a loss. Seems like its not worth the wait anyways.
> 
> on another note I would really like to do a Smoked Stout and age it for winter...
> 
> Any suggestions?



Dont chuck it! At least not yet.

Wait until it ferments out and see what reading you get and have a taste, if it tastes ok then drink it, if not then bin it.
Even if I am doubtful I usually wait and see.
I had one in a similar situation to yours and am about to tip it out now, but I bottled it back in April and have let it condition now a while to see if it would improve with tastings each month.

Can't help with the stout sorry, I'm not a big stout drinker and the only one I made so far was the one mentioned above!


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## Fatgodzilla (13/2/08)

Daan Muller said:


> I went back over my process and turns out the recipe requires 21 liters and I have almost 24.5 liters in the fermenter. Would you recommend i start from scratch and call this one a loss. Seems like its not worth the wait anyways.
> 
> on another note I would really like to do a Smoked Stout and age it for winter...
> 
> Any suggestions?




Wait and check out results. You might get a lighter strength beer than planned, but often the best beers brewed are mistakes. 3.5 litres extra water shouldn't really be that much a drawback in this brew. Then again, if it tastes shytehous ...

Give the smoked stout a go. I tend to like other peoples stout rather than my own so haven't made one for ages. Besides, I think I prefer a dark ale / lager rather than the fuller stouts. Gotta try it for yourself ! Try a mini mash of good smoked grain and chocolate / roast barly grains if you feel adventurous and add to tins of unhopped malt. That way you can say its your brew rather than Cascades, Lots of good recipes about if you feel adventurous. Good brewing


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## daanmuller (13/2/08)

Fatgodzilla said:


> Wait and check out results. You might get a lighter strength beer than planned, but often the best beers brewed are mistakes. 3.5 litres extra water shouldn't really be that much a drawback in this brew. Then again, if it tastes shytehous ...
> 
> Give the smoked stout a go. I tend to like other peoples stout rather than my own so haven't made one for ages. Besides, I think I prefer a dark ale / lager rather than the fuller stouts. Gotta try it for yourself ! Try a mini mash of good smoked grain and chocolate / roast barly grains if you feel adventurous and add to tins of unhopped malt. That way you can say its your brew rather than Cascades, Lots of good recipes about if you feel adventurous. Good brewing



I am still waiting for the fermentation to start.

I think the yeast is borked... The gravity is still at 1028-1029


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## Fatgodzilla (13/2/08)

Daan Muller said:


> I am still waiting for the fermentation to start.
> 
> I think the yeast is borked... The gravity is still at 1028-1029



Patience. Just see what happens from here


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## brettprevans (13/2/08)

chuck in 150g of smoked barley or smoke grain. and see how you like it. then up it bit by bit over the next few brews. It can really 'dry' out the flavours so unless you really like that be careful.


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## barry2 (13/2/08)

Daan Muller said:


> I am still waiting for the fermentation to start.
> 
> I think the yeast is borked... The gravity is still at 1028-1029



For the CCMP I brewed in November I rehydrated the yeast.Next morning (20 hours later) there was high krausen and my three piece airlock was going at 20 bubbles per minute.24 hours later the rate was 40BPM and the bubbling stopped 8 days later,four days after the brew had started clearing.Fermentation temp was 20-22C.


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## RobboMC (13/2/08)

Daan Muller said:


> I went back over my process and turns out the recipe requires 21 liters and I have almost 24.5 liters in the fermenter. Would you recommend i start from scratch and call this one a loss. Seems like its not worth the wait anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> Any suggestions?




You could throw in another 500g of dry malt, dissolved in as small a volume of *boiling* water as you can manage, which means about 200-300 ml. This would up the OG a fair bit. A decent Porter can be up to 1050, even 1055, so adding some more malt won't do anything but good. Alternatively add 500g of Brew enhancer with the same method for a less malty result.
If you use this method, add it to the fermenter by removing the airlock and trickling it in through a funnel when cooled. Don't forget to replace the airlock. If bubbling has already started you can still make the addition IMHO.


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## daanmuller (13/2/08)

Update

Today I have boiled 500g of dark dried malt in 350ml of water (took about 20mins to supersaturate the water) in to the batch. I have also added more yeast as the OG was still at 1028 (22c) 

I will took another OG reading 1 hour after adding the malt and it came to 1056. I have added the yeast and with in 30 minutes the yeast has begun to work bubbling about 20bpm.

I will go head and see this one till the end of the fermentation and I will give you another update.

Cheers Thanks for your help


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## discoloop (13/2/08)

I made a great beer using CCMP as the base with 1.5kg Amber LME. I did add about half a kilo of various speciality grains, flavouring hops and dry-hops. Although, given all that, I don't imagine the kit provided much more than the bitterness.


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## daanmuller (14/2/08)

Update.

Checked Gravity this morning 1019 (19.8c) and tastes like rubbish. 

This has become a problem brew and I am going to dump this as I do not feel more effort or ingredients will fix the problem


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## Fatgodzilla (14/2/08)

Daan Muller said:


> Update.
> 
> Checked Gravity this morning 1019 (19.8c) and tastes like rubbish.
> 
> This has become a problem brew and I am going to dump this as I do not feel more effort or ingredients will fix the problem



If you haven't dumped it yet, I 'd say keep it until fully fermented and see how it goes. Down from 1.056 to 1.019 so something working.

Unless you need the fermenter.


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## BOG (14/2/08)

I've done the Cascade Choc Mog about 5 times now and recommend throwing out the instructions.

Try this next time.

CascadeCan plus a Can of Wheat Malt or 1Kg of Dry Wheat Malt.
200g Crystal Malt Steep for 15 minutes
20 Grams Saaz Boiled for 3 minutes.
Use the Yeast provided but you will need 2 packets. or any ather ale yeast you have. 

Add the lot to the Fermenter and brew to 13 to 15 Litres (Depending on your taste)

Takes about 3 months to mature in bottle

The Wheat adds body and head, (Pours like a guiness), Crystal some malt flavour the can is missing and Saaz a bit of bitternes and some aroma.

Worth the wait. Better than Brewers Selection Fresh Wort Kit Celtic Red Ale.


BOG


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## daanmuller (14/2/08)

BOG said:


> I've done the Cascade Choc Mog about 5 times now and recommend throwing out the instructions.
> 
> Try this next time.
> 
> ...



I will give this a go

Thanks for your input


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## Billhouston (14/2/08)

Hi
I am drinking this kit at presant, very nice, I added one can of black rock malt extract my start SG was 1040 finnished at 1009, also used 28 grams of cascade hops boiled in 3L of water for 15 min and added at the end of the boil; fermented at 20 deg C bottled after 16days. there yest was slow to start.
Mudwiggle


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## Sprungmonkey (14/2/08)

Hi I am new to this forum (well actually forums altogether) -- just bought one of the Cascade Porter kits and was it was mentioned to leave it mature for 3mths in bottles? If i am kegging do I leave it for the same period of time in kegs to achieve this or a secondary feremtor? If so at what temperature should I mature porters at (fermenting or refrigeration (4degrees)). 
Btw I am new to the brewing game so applogies if i get any terms etc mixed up, but please correct me.


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## daanmuller (15/2/08)

I went ahead and bottled 20 bottles or so just to see if anything comes of it.

I decided to hold on the stout and pushed a honey wheat to the front of the list.

1 Can blackrock wispering wheat 1.7kg
1kg dried wheat malt
500g dried LDME
250 corn syrup
400-500 grams HQ honey
Wyeast

OG 1068


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## wambesi (15/2/08)

Daan Muller said:


> I went ahead and bottled 20 bottles or so just to see if anything comes of it.
> 
> I decided to hold on the stout and pushed a honey wheat to the front of the list.
> 
> ...



Nice amount (1750g) of fermentables, I'd probably drop the corn syrup though with that lineup. My first honey wheat was bloody nice, second not so good....


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