My first porter was ok. Tweaked my recipe a little and I think this is what I will try next. Open to suggestions. I do 2.5 gallon BIAB batches 4.5 pounds Marris Otter - 77.6% 0.5 pounds Brown Malt - 8.6% 0.4 pounds Caramel 60 - 6.9% 0.2 pounds Chocolate- 3.4% 0.2 pounds Black Patent -3.4% .2oz Northern Brewer 60 min .3oz Northern Brewer 20 min .3oz Norther Brewer 10 min .5oz Willamette 10min .5oz Willamette 5 min US-04 yeast Single infusion mash at 152 1.060 SG 1.014 FG 43.6 IBU
If this helps, here is my coffee porter recipe. This is a recipe that I got from my LHBS three years ago. The o ly thing I have changed is the method of adding the coffee.
Tell us what you liked, and more importantly what you didn't like about the first batch. Was it too sweet? Was it too bitter? Was it not thick enough (mouth feel)? ?? And what are you changing this time?
I thought it was too sweet and more chocolate flavor than I wanted, a little heavy on the body. My original grain bill was. 4.5 lbs marris otter .75 brown malt .5 caramel 90 .3 chocolate and I I had the same hop schedule as above, but last time had cascade instead of the northern brewer. Hoping for a little drier and more roasted flavor to come through. I also thought about going to s05 instead of the 04. But I don’t want to change too much right away.
One thing I forgot too. When I brewed the first one I only had 4 pounds MO, but had extra golden promise. So Base was actually 4 pounds MO and .5 pounds GP. But I’m not sure if that makes a big difference or not.
David Heath released one of his "tried and true" recipe video over the weekend. This one for a Baltic Porter. I was surprised and intrigued that he recommended lager yeast over ale yeast. He mentioned both Diamond Lager and 34/70. If the sweetness you got was possibly ale yeast esters, this could be something. I'm going to try it with my next porter.
I think it looks great but I would maybe simplify the hop schedule a bit. The brown malt works wonders!
Interesting... I have an American Lager fermenting right now at 60 degrees using 34/70 (my first time using this yeast). Depending how it turns out, that for sure is intriguing to use with a porter recipe.... let me know how yours turns out!
Disclamer: I am the opposite of "experienced and knowledgeable", whatever that is... Porters tend to have a heavy body, you can lighten it up a tad by reducing or eliminating the oats. Sweet is a function of the specialty malts you use, their sugars don't ferment out as much. Add some invert sugar or honey to dry it out a bit (counterintuitive but it works), maybe 100 grams. Reducing the chocolate malt as you did will cut the chocolate flavor. Let us know what you brew and, of course, how it came out!
With Reading more and another taste test, I think you are right. I used s04 and fermented at 72 which I read can leave a lot of fruity esters that many find unpleasant. So I think I decided my next move is to keep the grain bill the same, except for reducing a bit of the chocolate and replacing with black malt and using a cleaner yeast at lower temps. Thanks for the suggestions!!
I have had great results with S04 when fermented at 18C (64F). At 72F you are above the recommended temperature, and you will get the unintended fruity ester flavors. One thing I like about S-04 is that it ferments out pretty quick. Not like Kveik quick, but quicker than say US-05 for instance.
I guess it’s time to convince the misses that I need a temperature controlled fermentation chamber....
This is the 'conventional wisdom' on the yeast used for Baltic Porters. The reality is a bit more complex, but the locals are much more likely to use a lager yeast than an ale yeast. And some who use the lager yeast will ferment it at ale temperatures as well. Jeff Alworth did a good piece on the style. Can't remember if it was his podcast or a magazine article. I think it was the podcast.
If you get a mini fridge and an inkbird you have a great fermentation chamber. I found one cheap at a garage sale.
I will 2nd the fermentation temperature. I ferment S-04 at 63-64 degrees. I have a SS Brewtech with the heat exchanger coil. Another adjustment you might consider is the IBU’s. Porters typically have an BU/GU ratio of around 0.60. This would mean that you would drop your IBU’s to around 36 to hit that ratio. In the end, though, it all depends on your personal preference.
I keep my porter light and dry. Lowering chocolate was good. You could back down the brown and crystal and maybe more chocolate and add black patent
Would skip the late addition hops, just my opinion, porters shouldn't be hoppy Try 1098 yeast. Makes a nice dry finish
