Pondering a Robust Porter recipe

[SamT]

So, the frigid weather round here has got me thinking about Porter, specifically Robust Porter

I'm after something 6.2-6.5% roasty, chocolatey, coffee, with some toffee sweetness intially, but finishing quite dry. Firm bitterness, with moderate spicy/earthy aroma.

I've got a good stack of grain types (I'm a bit of a packrat but I do get through them) including MO, Amber, Brown, Black, Chocolate, Pale Chocolate, Melanoidin, Munich, Wheat (Malted and Torrefied) Roasted Barley and about 4 grades of Crystal (Caramalt/Light/Med/Dark) - over 600g of each, couple of kilos each of the Crystals, Black, Brown, Amber and Munich

Hops, I've got Challenger, a good stack of Fuggles and EKG, I've also got a load of NZ&US stuff (Apollo/Summer/Cascade/Citra/NZ/Warrior/Northern Brewer/Galaxy/Stella/NS) and Hallateur - but I think the UK ones will be right in this one.

As far as yeast goes I've got Notty or Windsor, and could easily get the local brewerys strain (it's bloody hungry stuff though)

Any suggestions for a recipe?

I was thinking base malt of MO, with Brown/Dark Crystal for about 8% each and some Amber and Black?

How long does Brown Malt take to mellow - I've heard it can need a little time to calm down ...

[bigdave]

If it's of any help, this is what I'll be brewing this weekend....
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=56966

[Blackaddler]

I'm after something 6.2-6.5% roasty, chocolatey, coffee, with some toffee sweetness intially, but finishing quite dry. Firm bitterness, with moderate spicy/earthy aroma.

How about brewing something similar to Old Peculier, but to a higher abv?

With slight variations in grain bill, I've brewed it a few times, between OG1.059 - 1.064, and it certainly gives the toffee, chocalatey notes. With different hops you might get the spicy/earthy aroma you're desire.

The last one I brewed was OG1.061/FG 1.012...

Maris Otter 85%
Crystal 100 5.5%
Chocolate 3.5%
Torrefied Wheat 2%
Roasted Barley 2%
Oats 2%

I used some oats in this brew, but have used a little black malt in there, previously. .

Wild and Fuggle hops for bittering and some Fuggles at 10mins . IBU ~40, [you may want a little more].
Nottingham yeast.

I don't think it'll disappoint.

[bigdave]

It may just be me but Old Pec wouldn't scratch the porter itch.

[Fuggled Mind]

I've always fancied having a go at the Exmoor Beast recipe in Graham Wheeler's BYO. That's stronger than Old Peculiar at around 6.5. I've not tried the original but it looks like a nice recipe.

Cheers

Jason

[seymour]

Ever tasted an American Brown Ale, such as Big Sky Moose Drool? It's basically a big brown hoppy beer, not unlike some porters. Delicious. This might give you some ideas:
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q= ... 6HJQWjq5MQ

[weiht]

Ur pretty set for a nice porter with those grains u have.

I've never brew with brown malt as I cant get it here!!! So this is what I suggest from my experience.

23L
Maris Otter 61%
Munich 15%
Amber 4%
Crystal - 10%-12% dark if u want strong toffee, or a blend of mid and dark up to 10-12%. Forget about anything below 75-80L, I dont seem to taste it in a porter/stout.
3% Pale Choc
5% Choc Malt (OR just 8% without the pale choc)
2% Black malt, Helps darken the beer especially needed if ur using pale choc.
Northern Brewer @ 60 mins for 25-30ibu Nice firm bittering hop that is rather earthy and herbal, the higher AA will save you on the fuggle.
Fuggles @ 20mins, 20 grams Earthy
Challenger 1min, 15 grams Some slight spiciness you wanted
WLP023 (Mash 66-67c) or WLP002/Wy1968 (Mash 64c)

I would suggest getting wlp023 or Wy1968/Wlp002. The wlp023 will give it a nice dry finish without thinning the beer or body, leaving some residual sweetness. Wlp002 attenuates 70% at best in a normal beer, so you have to mash lower for this beer with that much unfermentables. Pitch cold 17+c and ferment no higher than 19c for the first 4-5 days, raise it up 21c (As the krausen drops, the fullers strain likes to be warm at the end) to clean up the beer and allow it to finish attenuating.

[SamT]

Ever tasted an American Brown Ale, such as Big Sky Moose Drool? It's basically a big brown hoppy beer, not unlike some porters. Delicious. This might give you some ideas:
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q= ... 6HJQWjq5MQ

Yup - Brooklyns I think during the BJCP classes. It was tidy (and one to add to my to brew list)

[SamT]

It may just be me but Old Pec wouldn't scratch the porter itch.

This - I'm the thinking smoother, roastier , stronger coffee/chocolate flavours than OP

[Manx Guy]

It may just be me but Old Pec wouldn't scratch the porter itch.

This - I'm the thinking smoother, roastier , stronger coffee/chocolate flavours than OP

Hi!

Interesting I've had a similar craving and I decided on a Chocolate & Coffee 'Stout' (with a bit of oatmeal) would suit me - its also influenced by Batemans 'Mocha Beer'...

Its proabably more of a Porter with roast (and Coffee & Choclate/cocoa nibs)...

I also think that Exmoor Beast might get you close (as mentioned above) - its the right ABV and has a strong presense from the Chocolate Malt (about 3.7% of the grain bill)
I think add a pinch of roast to the Beast recipe in BYOBA and it might hit the spot!

Keep us poste don what you decide!


Cheers!

Guy

[SamT]

Will do - don't have the Graham Wheeler book, so scuppered for the Beast, but am thinking (with help from other brewing mates)

OG. 1.060
Pale Ale Malt 50 %
Munich Malt 20 %
Brown Malt 11 %
Amber Malt 6 %
Torrified Wheat 5 %
Med Crystal 2.5 %
Dark Crystal 2.5%
Chocolate Malt 2 %
Black Malt 1 %

Not sure of the need for Amber, as well as Black/Brown and chocolate

Hopped with lots of Fuggles to about 35 IBU with about 35g of the same at flameout, fermented with Notty

[seymour]

Looks like a tasty and complex Big Brown Beer to me. Go for it!
If you have an English ale yeast with more character than Nottingham, I'd strongly recommend it.

[SamT]

Looks like a tasty and complex Big Brown Beer to me. Go for it!
If you have an English ale yeast with more character than Nottingham, I'd strongly recommend it.

I could get the local Bristol Beer Factory yeast, but that's about it ... might do it anyway as it's been a while since I said hello to them down there

[Paddy Bubbles]

Here's a robust porter I did a couple of months back. One of the best beers I've done to date. Fantastic combination of caramel and roasted flavours. It's based on Jamil Zainasheff's recipe. It's a partial mash, just convert the DME to base malt.

Code: Select all

Category: Robust Porter
Recipe Type: Partial Mash
Batch Size: 19 L
Volume Boiled: 12 L
Total Grain/Extract: 4.09 kg
Total Hops: 72.0 g

Ingredients

    1 kg Maris Otter Pale
    0.45 kg Crystal 40
    0.17 kg Amber Malt
    0.34 kg Chocolate Malt
    0.225 kg Black Malt
    1.1 kg Dry Light Extract
    1 kg Dry Light Extract
    30 g Northern Brewer (Whole, 8.00 %AA) boiled 60 min.
    21 g East Kent Goldings (Pellets, 6 %AA) boiled 15 min.
    21 g East Kent Goldings (Pellets, 6 %AA) boiled 1 min.
    0.5 ea. Whirlfloc Tablets (15 mins)
    Yeast: Fermentis Safale US-05

Original Gravity: 1.065 (1.048 – 1.065)
Terminal Gravity: 1.015 (1.012 – 1.016)
Color: 29.63 °SRM (22.00 – 35.00 °SRM)
Bitterness: 37.9 IBU (25.00 – 50.00 IBU)
ABV: 6.6 % (4.80 – 6.50 %)

[SamT]

Didn't spot your post before I made this one last Sunday.

Ended up with

3kg MO
1.2kg Munich
0.5kg Brown
0.5kg Amber
0.3kg Torrified Wheat
0.25kg Rauchmalt
0.18kg Chocolate
0.15kg Med Crystal
0.15kg Dark Crystal
0.06kg Black

(soooo, quite a complicated grain bill - I hemmed and hawed about the Rauch and splitting the crystal into a couple of type - as I was wanting a more toffee than caramel sweetness)

Mashed at 68C

Miffed with my efficiency as I only got 65% for some reason, heated to the boil uncovered so recovered my OG to 1.068 (which is over the 1.063 I was aiming at) but lost volume instead

40g 5.1% aa Fuggles at 90 minutes and 30g each at 10 and flameout, fermenting at 20C with Notty for a week now.

Tasting promising at the moment