Beer Forum

I'm looking to make a nice hoppy American Porter. I'm aiming for a 1:1 IBU:SG ratio to give it a nice firm bitterness to balance the maltiness.

I am using the Chinook to bitter because, while I LOVE Magnum, I feel that I need a more pronounced bitterness than what the Magnum will give me.

Any thoughts on my grain bill? I want to stay away from the roasty flavors of a stout, and keep with the sweet malty chocolaty flavors.

Thanks for your help.

Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 7.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.062 SG
Estimated Color: 30.0 SRM
Estimated IBU: 61.1 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 69.00 %
Boil Time: 75 Minutes

Ingredients:
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8.50 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) 60.71 %
3.00 lb Munich Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) 21.43 %
1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM) 7.14 %
1.00 lb Pale Chocolate Malt (200.0 SRM) 7.14 %
0.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) 3.57 %

1.00 oz Chinook [13.00 %] (60 min) 52.9 IBU
1.00 oz Centennial [10.00 %] (10 min) 8.1 IBU
1.00 oz Centennial [10.00 %] (0 min)

1 Pkgs California Ale V (White Labs #WLP051)

Mash at 152ish.

Only thoughts -
maybe drop some of the crystal, might be too sweet but maybe it'll balance better - really up to you
sub 400L chocolate for the pale (200L) chocolate, all or some of it - it just won't be dark enough otherwise. It would be like an american brown.
I think robust porters need some black patent

I think it's a great idea though, I was over at Avery's taproom the other day and they had a dry hopped porter that was awesome.

Let us know how it turns out and what you decide on the final grain bill.

Good Brewing.

I too would thorw a little black patent in there. The roast flavor will help to balance the sweetness and the bitterness.