First Go At My Own Porter

[Thefatdoghead]

I'm thinking of doing a porter in a week and it's my own recipe (for disaster) so id'e like your opinions on it please.

22L

OG-1.075
FG-1.019

Maris otter floor malted- 3kg
Rye malt -2kg
Munich 1- 1kg
Black malt- 0.25kg
Caramel Rye-0.3kg
Chocolate wheat-0.15kg
Rice hulls- 0.2kg
Cascade 60min 0.20kg
Cascade 20min 0.15kg
Cascade 0min 0.10kg
Maple syrup-0.26kg
Cocoa nibs 0.11kg (after 3 days fermenting)
Dark candy syrup .3kg (half after 3 days primary then other half 3 days after that)

Wyeast 1214 Belgian Abbey

Mash in 53deg 10 min
infuse to 66deg 60min
infuse 70deg 10min
Mash out
1.5 hr boil
IBU-30
SRM-27.38

Once again this is my first go at anything like this so go easy. Im trying to use these adjuncts because I just want to see how they turn out. Was also thinking of some coffee beans cold steeped for 5 days in secondary or to taste.
All opinions and knowledge very welcome

 

[manticle]

Depends what you're going for.

Looks very experimental which is not necessarily a bad thing but if you are just wanting a good, drinkable porter then the time for experimenting might be once you have made a base porter you are happy with.

If going for a basic, decent porter I would forget about rye and use a decent english base like simpsons Marris and build up the flavours you want using spec malt. Choc, coffee and toast work for me so choc, roast barley and some black malt for colour is good. Throw in some victory or biscuit and a touch of crystal and you have a complex, layered porter. Definitely back off on the black.

The amount of black you have might be a bit ashy - I'd look at getting colour from a few dark malts rather than just all black.

Also 1762 is going to give a Belgian profile - again, that's OK if you know the yeast profile and that's what you are after but if you just want a basic decent porter, then a good liquid UK yeast like 1099 or 1968 or the irish one (1048? forgot the number) will probably work better.

Hop additions look a little nuts if I'm reading them right (and would be over 30 IBU). Cascade 60min 0.20kg = 200g of cascade@60 minutes??

 

[VBisGod]

Too much black/off white malt. Cascade?WTF, sorry cant see that working in a good porter.
The yeast isnt quite right either bud. I suggest have a look see at a few recipes here brew365 and elsewhere and get some euro/uk hops.

 

[Thefatdoghead]

Ok all noted and changed a few things

Pale malt-3.6kg
Munich 1 -0.45kg
Crystal-0.225kg
Black patent-0.225kg
Chocolate-0.225kg
Perle hops-28g 60min
Cascade-14g 60min
Cascade-14g 0min
Yeast 1056

OG -1.052
FG-1.013
IBU-40
SRM-40

 

[VBisGod]

Ok all noted and changed a few things

Pale malt-3.6kg
Munich 1 -0.45kg
Crystal-0.225kg
Black patent-0.225kg
Chocolate-0.225kg
Perle hops-28g 60min
Cascade-14g 60min
Cascade-14g 0min
Yeast 1056

OG -1.052
FG-1.013
IBU-40
SRM-40

Gav, just do it and see for yourself. If I was to use your recipe as a base. Firstly I would go a uk yeast aka 1084 1187, dry-windsor.
i would cut the black patent to about 25% of what you have, I would at least double the crystal, and last get rid of the cascade and stick with the perle, if you have some goldings or a woody type hop like northern brewer even better.
Cheers

 

[Tanga]

By the looks of it you'd like Kieran's Rye Robust Porter. Check the recipe DB. It has rye and hops, and is seriously one of the best beers (homebrew or commercial) I've ever tasted.
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...amp;recipe=1414

PS Pretty sure the version I tasted wasn't dry hopped though. It was perfectly balanced.

 

[manticle]

Looking much better but I'd still drop the black malt back a bit. Chuck in a bit of roast barley or carafa to make up the colour.

I agree with haysie/vbisgood on the hops too. Unless you specifically want an american hopped porter, I'd go for simple UK bittering hops like fuggles or goldings and leave the late additions alone.

Northern brewer is a good, neutral high aa bittering hop if you want to cut back on the amount you need to use.

1084 was the number I was trying to remember - good yeast for this style. That or 1099. 1056 will work though - much better choice than 1762.

 

[Thefatdoghead]

Righto drop the black and go with uk hops no late additions. I just made that rye robust porter thats why i had rye in my last recipe. Anyway thanks heaps for your help people

 

[manticle]

If you've used rye before and enjoyed the results then no reason you can't use it here. I'm basing my suggestions on the notion that this is your first attempt at a porter and you are new to recipe design.

Basic porter = english malts + spec malts + english hops.

Tweak that according to taste and experimentation.

 

[Thefatdoghead]

If you've used rye before and enjoyed the results then no reason you can't use it here. I'm basing my suggestions on the notion that this is your first attempt at a porter and you are new to recipe design.

Basic porter = english malts + spec malts + english hops.

Tweak that according to taste and experimentation.

Well I have a Rye porter so it's a good idea to do a basic porter and compare and go from there
Cheers

 

[VBisGod]

Basic porter = english malts + spec malts + english hops.

yeah, what andrew/manticle said and keep with some good yeast 1084. Lotsa beers you can make good from having some of that on hand. 1056 will work, just need to punch more with the specialties.

 

[Tanga]

+1 for Northern Brewer in a Porter. The cool spicy flavours really work well with the warm choc malt.

 

[Mayor of Mildura]

The first recipe looks rad. If it was me i'd do as the others suggest and drop back the black malt and up the choc wheat. Maybe swap them around. 150 of black and 250of choc wheat.

 

[Thefatdoghead]

I have 1335 british ale yeast and i'll stick with 2 additions of pearle 60min and 20min to 42 IBU. Instead of black I have Roasted barley and i'll throw in the choc wheat. Hows that? Sorry i got about every other hop but not northan brewer.

 

[VBisGod]

I have 1335 british ale yeast and i'll stick with 2 additions of pearle 60min and 20min to 42 IBU. Instead of black I have Roasted barley and i'll throw in the choc wheat. Hows that? Sorry i got about every other hop but not northan brewer.

42ibu will mask your Porter beer Gav, you got nothing but bitterness and dark malts.......... Try 30-35 ibu, even less I would I go.

 

[super_simian]

Perle is descended from NB, and is an often used substitute.