Porter recipe - your thoughts please

[RichardG]

I'm doing a wheat next, but after that I'd like to try a Porter. The basic recipe for a 25 Ltr brew will be:-

3.5kg Pale DME
250g Crystal Malt
250g Chocolate Malt
125 Black Malt

Northdown 30g 60 mins
Goldings 30g 20 mins

I believe a highly attenuative yeast is preferrable for a Porter, so I'm looking at using Nottingham. So, what advice/comments do you have?

Richard Gibson

[RichardG]

Though thinking about it, I wonder if I should lose the black malt?

[WishboneBrewery]

Might it make it a little too burnt in flavour..??

[RichardG]

Do you mean including the black malt?

[WishboneBrewery]

yes, sorry

[RichardG]

Okay, cool. It's why I was having second thoughts about it to be honest. So, my thinking is to go with my original recipe, but to lose the black malt, and maybe up the crystal a touch to make it more of a sweet stout style. What ever; think I'll give that a go and see how it comes out!

[DarloDave]

I've made
5000.0 g Maris Otter Pale
500.0 g Chocolate Malt
265.0 g Black Malt
before and it was delicious, I could definatly recommend it.

[RichardG]

Well, I think I'll base it on the ingredients I've already got, namely crystal and chocolate malt (I'd have to go and get some black ). So, DME as originally stated, plus 350g crstal and 250g chocolate, plus hops as per original posting. Let's see how it comes out eh?

[mshergold]

I've got crystal, chocolate and black malt. I've got pale spraymalt (and 500g dark spraymalt to use up). I've also got fuggles, goldings and challenger hops and S04 yeast. What do you guys think? Also, any recomendations for quantities of hops? Any thoughts on coffee or chocolate and how much/what kind to add?

[RichardG]

What brew length are you going for, and how much pale DME do you have?

[mshergold]

I'd be 25 litres and spraymalt's not a problem as I can quite easily obtain more. And I have 80g challenger 100g goldings, but no fuggles at the moment and am unlikely be able to get hold of any.

[RichardG]

Personally I'd go with the challenger for bittering and goldings for a later addition, probably with about 30mins to go (want to retain that malt dominance of the brew). From my experience of the brew I did I'd also include the black malt. My brew, whilst the initial sample tasted promising, has come out more like a slightly darker bitter. Next time I'll include the black for the additional colour and flovour profile. Personal choice of course!

[mshergold]

I brewed your porter recipe on Thursday Richard with the addition of black malt as you suggested and 200g Bournville cocoa powder. I'll let you know how it goes...

[RichardG]

Yes, please do. My other half is salivating at the thought!

[RichardG]

As a matter of thought, mshergold, what colour did your brew come out?