Studio 1's Porter

[studio1]

87% Marris Otter
5% Light Crystal
3% CaraAroma
3% Pale Choc
2% Choc
Mashed in around 67-68.

Willamette:
40g @ 60
15g @ 30
15g @ 15
15g @ FO
15g Dry Hopping

Wyeast 1469

OG 1.052 > 1.010

I was in a real hurry to get these ready, so I used 2 carbonation drops per bottle. I think you will find the beer a bit fizzy, so maybe let it sit for a bit to lose some carbonation. I don't have a bottle myself to see and the kegs all gone :-(

[Dale Cooper]

Well I didn't find it too fizzy, carbonated pretty well I think. Nice dark chesnut colour, good lacing and the head lasts well. The smell strangely reminds me of (a dirty word) montieths for some reason, its kind of a slight banana like smell. I thought the beer was nice and very drinkable not a huge amount of body and i'm not getting a lot of hops out of it.

I can see why the kegs all gone its an easy beer to drink ;-)

[denimglen]

Second bottle of the night woohoo.

Bready, chocolate, a touch of caramel, and a nice fruity ester thing coming through too, cherries lollies maybe? Interesting because I get cherries in the glass but a snoutfull from the jug definitely has some banana.

Light brown head, thins a little but a swirl brings 'er back. Dark brown colour blood red hue when held up to the light. Very clear. EDIT poured second glass head was huge and creamy, glass may have been too clean first time.

Milky chocolate in flavour, fruity estery in the flavour too. Sweet-bitter balanced.

Medium body, not over carbed. Maybe a little chalky as it runs off the tongue.

Nice beer mate, easy drinker.

[Doublehoppy]

Poured this into a pint glass. If it's overcarbonated then would only be by a tad. Very deep red/brown with medium head. It's a bit cold (I usually bottle in glass and these plastic bottles are deceptive - the bottle itself doesn't get that cold when the contents are). I let it sit and once it's warmed up it's a very easy drinker. Nice balance of malt and hops. A bit of coffee and chocolate. Very yummy. Interesting that you've used West Yorkshire 1469 - there's a bit of fruity esters in there but dominated by the dark malts as you'd expect.
Very nice beer. Cheers

[studio1]

Thanks guys - definately brewed this as an easy drinker. My first porter (and only the 3rd style of beer I had tried at the time).
Have just filled another keg with this. Upped my mash temps to develop a bit more body and dropped the OG to make it more sessionable at 4.15%

1.046>1.014.

[MrC]

Last beer in the case :(

Pours very dark brown with ruby highlights, very clear with a short lasting light tan head.
Intial aroma of chocolate only, bread crust creeping in as it warms.
Carbonation is medium to low with a nice soft mouthfeel. Bitterness is low and balanced with the low sweetness. Has a dry finish wth a slight burnt, ashtray aftertaste (not in a bad way).
Big chocolatey burps. It's a shame the kids were in bed, they would have loved them.

A nice easy drinking lightish porter, similar to a light porter that I brew for myself.

Good job mate, the only changes I would consider would be to lower the carbonation and increase the crystal for more sweetness & depth of malt character.
Funny, that's exactly what people are saying about my beer in the case swap :)

Cheers Studio1, a nice way to finish off the case while relaxing on a Sunday night.

[Ged]

Buddy..I really liked this..Having had one attempt at brewing a porter (robust) this easily knocked it off the shelf..
Its head stayed like glue all the way down the glass..Not a huge amount of lacework but fluffy cotton wool on top from first pour into the steinglass to bottom.. Nice reddish tinge - burnt colour when held upto the light...

Really enjoyed the silky smoothness of this, as did my wife, and her aunt...Both hate beer but announced - we could drink this one! Chocolate and toffee hints and a nice fullness/roundness to the whole affair. Not a lot of bitterness but I liked this that much I'm planning on brewing it soon. Thanks for a great beer

[studio1]

i should stop smoking when transferring to the fermenter huh ;-)

Thanks for the feedback and comments guys!

[Reviled]

Pours a dark colour with ruby red highlights. When held up to the light the beer is completely ruby coloured and quite clear! Awesome! Tan head with wicked retention. I did find it a tad fizzy but not overly. Nice earthy roasted malt aroma with a taste of subtle chocolate and burnt toast. Nice robust earthy bitter finish - fu*k I love Williamette in a dark beer!

Cheers bud

[Stu McKinlay]

Pours red-brown with a diminishing light tan head and a nice lace. Coffee, plum, wood (and a hint of varnish). Dry and chocolaty in the mouth with a hint of cola-like caramel. Probably a little thin and overcarbonated for my "loving" but i really dig it as it warms. Roast lingers nicely.

Another well made beer... I'd just like to see a little more body and depth of malt flavour in the recipe. Seems like an NZ-style Porter.

Varnish character (ketone) is probably caused by warmish ferment but could be a number of other, less likely, things. It is not at all unpleasant, barely perceived. Most people, I imagine, wouldn't notice at all. And you'd certainly not notice it in a beer that had a bigger character. This is a subtle drop, is well made, and i enjoyed it every drop. Thanks.

[studio1]

Thanks for the feedback. fermented at 20 for this - although the rest possibly reached a highish temp.

Too add more body/depth - would this work by building in a reasonable amount of crystal as well as mashing higher?

[Stu McKinlay]

I'd add the crystal first. Higher mash will add to sweetness, with some body, but it will not add depth of malt character. You could try multiple crystals, and as a part of that you would be upping overall crystal content. This may need a slight increase in hopping to counter it... here's where the black art of intuition and gut feel come in.

A rest should not cause esters... they're all caused earlier in the ferment. it was only the slightest whiff... I could be wrong. Nobody else has mentioned it so don't worry about that.

[Ally Mcg]

Last beer of the CS for me.
Nose - chocolate and some grapefruit hints. In the glass it pours a rich brown with red highlights. Quite fizzy in the mouth which isn't a bad thing I don't think, with some soft chocolate notes and a pleasing sweetness
Very nice beer, could easily have a few of these, well brewed, cheers