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Post by Ken on Dec 21, 2021 13:03:17 GMT -6
You and I have similar tastes. Porter and IPA are a little off-the-map for me but the other styles you listed are right in my wheelhouse. I’ve noticed that similarity also. That’s why I like when you share recipes. Brewbama has broader taste, but I like his recipes also. Regarding, Porter. I stayed away a long time. I can’t take American Porters where they turn up the volume on roasted malts and alcohol level. The English porters are much more tame and I think English yeast takes some of the harsh edges off. On IPAs I also avoid higher alcohol content. For the most part 6.5% ABV is my limit. I was at some kind of event and outside in the lobby there was a small "drink station" kind of thing. They had wine, seltzer, mixed drinks and a couple beers but none of them were my thing. I ended up ordering a porter thinking I could muscle through it. When the selection is such that I order a porter, that's weird. It was terribly sweet in the finish and I hate sweet beer. It was probably an American version that was poorly interpreted or carried out by the brewery just as many other styles are. I feel like a porter is a good beer to "flavor" if you wanted to. Someone makes a coconut porter and I think there are coffee porters and fruit porters as well. |
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Post by tommymorris on Dec 21, 2021 13:12:43 GMT -6
I’ve noticed that similarity also. That’s why I like when you share recipes. Brewbama has broader taste, but I like his recipes also. Regarding, Porter. I stayed away a long time. I can’t take American Porters where they turn up the volume on roasted malts and alcohol level. The English porters are much more tame and I think English yeast takes some of the harsh edges off. On IPAs I also avoid higher alcohol content. For the most part 6.5% ABV is my limit. I was at some kind of event and outside in the lobby there was a small "drink station" kind of thing. They had wine, seltzer, mixed drinks and a couple beers but none of them were my thing. I ended up ordering a porter thinking I could muscle through it. When the selection is such that I order a porter, that's weird. It was terribly sweet in the finish and I hate sweet beer. It was probably an American version that was poorly interpreted or carried out by the brewery just as many other styles are. I feel like a porter is a good beer to "flavor" if you wanted to. Someone makes a coconut porter and I think there are coffee porters and fruit porters as well. Baltic porters and some American porters can get way over the top with the caramel malts. Those are trash. I can’t imagine anyone wants to drink such sweet beer. I agree Porter is a style people will add any odd ingredient to. I don’t do that. I’m not a R-bot purist but I mostly stick to malted barley in my beer. Also, sometimes I think Porter is a style name brewers will call any darker beer. When in doubt, it’s a porter. PS. Last night we started with a pitcher of PBR. I had to switch to a craft lager. The PBR was super sweet to me. |
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Post by gusso on Dec 21, 2021 14:10:35 GMT -6
Batch #29 today. A Pils that I'm bringing to Philly next month. I utilized my inground wort chiller.  |
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Post by gusso on Dec 21, 2021 14:17:49 GMT -6
I was at some kind of event and outside in the lobby there was a small "drink station" kind of thing. They had wine, seltzer, mixed drinks and a couple beers but none of them were my thing. I ended up ordering a porter thinking I could muscle through it. When the selection is such that I order a porter, that's weird. It was terribly sweet in the finish and I hate sweet beer. It was probably an American version that was poorly interpreted or carried out by the brewery just as many other styles are. I feel like a porter is a good beer to "flavor" if you wanted to. Someone makes a coconut porter and I think there are coffee porters and fruit porters as well. Baltic porters and some American porters can get way over the top with the caramel malts. Those are trash. I can’t imagine anyone wants to drink such sweet beer. I agree Porter is a style people will add any odd ingredient to. I don’t do that. I’m not a R-bot purist but I mostly stick to malted barley in my beer. Also, sometimes I think Porter is a style name brewers will call any darker beer. When in doubt, it’s a porter. PS. Last night we started with a pitcher of PBR. I had to switch to a craft lager. The PBR was super sweet to me. In general, you might be right about the bigger Porters. But I have to say, the Baltic Porter I have made a few times now, is definitely not what I would consider sweet. Boozy at 10% but not sweet. I have been using Lutra for it with great results. Roasty, but not overly so. |
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Post by tommymorris on Dec 21, 2021 15:30:28 GMT -6
Baltic porters and some American porters can get way over the top with the caramel malts. Those are trash. I can’t imagine anyone wants to drink such sweet beer. I agree Porter is a style people will add any odd ingredient to. I don’t do that. I’m not a R-bot purist but I mostly stick to malted barley in my beer. Also, sometimes I think Porter is a style name brewers will call any darker beer. When in doubt, it’s a porter. PS. Last night we started with a pitcher of PBR. I had to switch to a craft lager. The PBR was super sweet to me. In general, you might be right about the bigger Porters. But I have to say, the Baltic Porter I have made a few times now, is definitely not what I would consider sweet. Boozy at 10% but not sweet. I have been using Lutra for it with great results. Roasty, but not overly so. Sorry. I didn’t mean to accuse all Baltic porters of being sweet. I think Baltic porters use a lot more caramel malt including Special B than some other porters. I’m no expert but I have had them with lots of dark fruit flavors from dark caramels and I have had some that came off as sweet. |
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Post by gusso on Dec 21, 2021 16:09:02 GMT -6
I didn't take that. I agree that many are overly sweet. My current go to is 13# MO, 2# Munich Dark, .75 roasted barley, .75 chocolate malt, 1# oats, .5 copper, and 1# brown sugar. That gives me about 1.092 OG. The Lutra has been finishing at 1.016. Very nice beer. My wife even likes it!
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Post by brewbama on Dec 21, 2021 19:07:20 GMT -6
Kegging my last beer — a Stout— for 2021 now.
Here’s to 2022. 🍻
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Post by tommymorris on Dec 21, 2021 21:24:58 GMT -6
Kegging my last beer — a Stout— for 2021 now. Here’s to 2022. 🍻 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Prost! |
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Post by gusso on Dec 26, 2021 9:32:45 GMT -6
Number 30 going on right now. A Belgian Tripel. I have another brewday scheduled (big lager) before the new year but I won't catch Ken.
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Post by Leftympfrmde on Dec 27, 2021 8:02:34 GMT -6
Well, squeezed in one more brew for the year. Made a 50/50 two row and wheat beer with a kiss of Sterling at the start of the boil.
Making a kettle sour with Philly Sour; OG was 1.042, mashed at 150 for 90 minutes, to make a very consumable wort for the yeast, and going to add a puree ofripe kiwi and lime zest in a couple of days.
It's going to be a bone dry, 4% wheat beer with a bunch of fruit flavors. Not my normal go-to, but been stuck outside for work every night for the past 5 weeks, and all I want is something to remind me of warmer weather.
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Post by Ken on Dec 27, 2021 8:18:13 GMT -6
Well, squeezed in one more brew for the year. Made a 50/50 two row and wheat beer with a kiss of Sterling at the start of the boil. Making a kettle sour with Philly Sour; OG was 1.042, mashed at 150 for 90 minutes, to make a very consumable wort for the yeast, and going to add a puree ofripe kiwi and lime zest in a couple of days. It's going to be a bone dry, 4% wheat beer with a bunch of fruit flavors. Not my normal go-to, but been stuck outside for work every night for the past 5 weeks, and all I want is something to remind me of warmer weather. Interesting. Keep us posted. |
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Post by Ken on Dec 27, 2021 8:20:00 GMT -6
Number 30 going on right now. A Belgian Tripel. I have another brewday scheduled (big lager) before the new year but I won't catch Ken.Interesting since my last brewday was 10/27.  I'm working hard to get my brewery back up and running. Technically I could brew right now but I want to get things in place first and I have 8 kegs (some partial) of beer so it will be awhile. |
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Post by cliffs on Dec 30, 2021 9:21:16 GMT -6
In general, you might be right about the bigger Porters. But I have to say, the Baltic Porter I have made a few times now, is definitely not what I would consider sweet. Boozy at 10% but not sweet. I have been using Lutra for it with great results. Roasty, but not overly so. Sorry. I didn’t mean to accuse all Baltic porters of being sweet. I think Baltic porters use a lot more caramel malt including Special B than some other porters. I’m no expert but I have had them with lots of dark fruit flavors from dark caramels and I have had some that came off as sweet. Special B just comes across as insipidly sweey and pruney to me. |
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Post by Ken on Dec 30, 2021 10:40:18 GMT -6
Sorry. I didn’t mean to accuse all Baltic porters of being sweet. I think Baltic porters use a lot more caramel malt including Special B than some other porters. I’m no expert but I have had them with lots of dark fruit flavors from dark caramels and I have had some that came off as sweet. Special B just comes across as insipidly sweey and pruney to me. You just can't use a lot of it. I think that 4 ounces in 10 pounds of grain (2.5%) is about as high as I go with it. |
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Post by brewbama on Dec 30, 2021 14:26:12 GMT -6
I think I can count on one hand all the times I’ve used Special B over the years. Nothing wrong with it I just don’t seem to use it a lot.
I actually put all my recipes on a spreadsheet. (What can I say — I have a business major). I have columns for Base, Special, Light C, Dark C, Choc, and Roast.
I mostly used Pale, Munich, Flaked Barley, C40, 60, and 120, Choc, and Roasted Barley this past year.
This year I plan on less Munich replacing it with Pale. I am also thinking more specialty grains (Amber, Brown, Golden Naked Oats, Victory, Honey malt, Flaked Barley, Rye, etc). The 60 and 120, Choc and Roasted Barley will accompany those in restrained amounts.
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