BeerSmith Forums user recipe collaboration idea.

[bucknut]

I prefer you magnum idea.

+1, it does make more since, I never did feel right about adding another type of hop.

[cmbrougham]

OK, I say we go with the Magnum full ounce addition at 30 minutes. This should make for "smooth bitterness" (which always seemed like one of those "jumbo shrimp" declarations), and we should also remember that the roasted malts will add their own bitter character. We've stayed on the lighter end of the darker malts, so it should be subtle and hopefully harmonize well with the botanically-induced bitterness.

I'll pretend for the moment that this is the plan and start considering yeasts. I had a thought but I think I'll change it slightly now. Do we want to have a go-round to do a final tweak of the malt and hop bill before moving on?

[Scott Ickes]

OK, I say we go with the Magnum full ounce addition at 30 minutes. This should make for "smooth bitterness" (which always seemed like one of those "jumbo shrimp" declarations), and we should also remember that the roasted malts will add their own bitter character. We've stayed on the lighter end of the darker malts, so it should be subtle and hopefully harmonize well with the botanically-induced bitterness.

I'll pretend for the moment that this is the plan and start considering yeasts. I had a thought but I think I'll change it slightly now. Do we want to have a go-round to do a final tweak of the malt and hop bill before moving on?

I think you can select the yeast, as I don't see any other tweaks that would be significant.

Here is where we're at:

DRB1215                           Style of recipe to be designed.                            Chose Robust Porter
Road Rocket                      Base Grain and quantity.                                    Chose 10 lbs. of Maris Otter Malt
All Grain                            Specialty grain and quantity.                               Chose 1 lb. of Pale Chocolate Malt
Scott Ickes                       Second specialty grain and quantity.                    Chose 1.5 lbs. of Munich Malt
Brewmex41                      Third specialty grain and quantity.                        Chose 2 lbs. of Brown Malt
Grathan                            Mash Profile.                                                          Chose Mash Temp of 156F/69C for a full body beer
WinnepegFats                  First hop type, quantity and time added.              Chose 1 ounce of Magnum (30 minutes)(13.7 AA,36.6 IBU)
Billy Brew                         Second hop type, quantity and time added.          Chose 1 ounce of Willamette (15 minutes)(6 AA,10.3 IBU)
Bucknut                           Third hop type, quantity and time added.               Chose 1 ounce of East Kent Goldings (5 minutes)(5.7 AA,3.9 IBU)
CMBrougham                   Yeast selection

CMBrougham.  You're up.  Please choose a yeast strain and please tell us the cell count that you think is needed.

For those that are following along.  Here is a yeast count calculator link that is very handy.

http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html

I've also attached an updated BeerSmith file of the current version.

[cmbrougham]

OK, here goes:

Given the OG of this porter and the full bodied mash, contrasting with the somewhat subdued hopping rate, my feeling is we need something relatively attenuative. However, it can't be too dry, lest the roastiness of the brown malt and chocolate malt become too overbearing.

We're going with mild amounts of flavor/aroma hops that should meld well with the roast and toast flavors, but will be relatively minor players, so other than lingering sweetness and maltiness, the party could get a little boring. As such, I think we need a yeast that's going to bring some interesting hors d'oeuvres by way of some fruity esters. These will hopefully peek out from behind the coffee and chocolate first string, enticing you to ask, "what's back there?"

With that, I'm selecting WLP023 Burton Ale Yeast from White Labs or Thames Valley Ale 1275 from Wyeast. If dry yeast is your thing, I think Nottingham would be your best bet; I like Safale S-04 but it's not the ticket here, and there is a Mangrove Jack's M79 Burton Ale, but I've not used it nor read really favorable things about it.

We could go with a drier, more attenuative strain like WLP007 Dry English, but I fear this would make the beer equivalent to drinking cold day-old coffee. Not a pleasant thought, as far as I'm concerned.

Thoughts? Comments? General ridicule?

[Scott Ickes]

With that, I'm selecting WLP023 Burton Ale Yeast from White Labs or Thames Valley Ale 1275 from Wyeast.

Thoughts? Comments? General ridicule?

I actually like either one of these, but I'm leaning towards the WLP023 Burton Ale Yeast. 

I recently brewed a Porter with an almost identical grain bill.  My hopping rate was considerably lower though at 26.4 as the beer was more in line with a Baltic Porter.  I was after some residual sweetness.  I used Wyeast 1028 London Ale in it.  The attenuation of the 1028 was 75%.  We have enough bittering, that I think we need a less attenuative yeast strain.  The Burton Ale WLP023 has an attenuation of 72%, whereas the Thames Valley Ale 1275 from Wyeast has an attenuation of 77%.

My reasoning is that I think we want to have some residual sweetness and not dry it out too much, since we have the IBU's so high.  The WLP007 Dry English has an attenuation of 75%, which is the same as the Wyeast 1028 London Ale that I recently used in my Porter.

So, my vote is for the WLP023 Burton Ale Yeast.

[Roadrocket]

+2 on the WLP023 Burton Ale Yeast.

It's interesting to see the thought process. It's a great choice.

[all grain]

hey guys what is the closest dry yeast to that? notty is what I 'm thinking. yes.

[cmbrougham]

Yes, I think Nottingham would be your closest dry yeast alternative.

When I listed both, it's because all the literature I read and the comparisons listed by those who have used both suggested these are the same, or at least very similar, strains. That's not based on anything other than hearsay, though. I recognize that some folks will only use one or the other of the major liquid yeast brands, so part of my decision was fueled by finding something similar from both providers that would give the necessary characteristics. Personally, if I do brew this, I'll probably use WLP023 as well, but I wanted to leave the option open.

[drb1215]

+1 on the WPL 023, although I can see using the 1275 as well (but I'll stick with the White's).  Great choice and this is going to be awesome beer and exercise!

-Dan

[bucknut]

Not sure which I'll use yet, prob going with the 1275 or the notty.

[Scott Ickes]

I've used the nottingham dry yeast.  I actually have some of it that I harvested.  It's a nice strain of yeast and I've always had good success with it.  I probably won't use it in this beer though.  I'll use the WLP023.  There are enough people using the WLP023, that I want to brew it identical to them.

Brewmex41 only lives a couple of miles from me and where going to probably brew this side by side at my house.  We'll just get one vial of the yeast and I'll make a huge starter on my stir plate so that we can split it.  We'll save $7 between us that way.

[Scott Ickes]

Here is the recipe.  Are we good to go with it as is?  Any last minute changes?


DRB1215                           Style of recipe to be designed.                            Chose Robust Porter
Road Rocket                      Base Grain and quantity.                                    Chose 10 lbs. of Maris Otter Malt
All Grain                            Specialty grain and quantity.                               Chose 1 lb. of Pale Chocolate Malt
Scott Ickes                       Second specialty grain and quantity.                    Chose 1.5 lbs. of Munich Malt
Brewmex41                      Third specialty grain and quantity.                        Chose 2 lbs. of Brown Malt
Grathan                            Mash Profile.                                                          Chose Mash Temp of 156F/69C for a full body beer
WinnepegFats                  First hop type, quantity and time added.              Chose 1 ounce of Magnum (30 minutes)(13.7 AA,36.6 IBU)
Billy Brew                         Second hop type, quantity and time added.          Chose 1 ounce of Willamette (15 minutes)(6 AA,10.3 IBU)
Bucknut                           Third hop type, quantity and time added.               Chose 1 ounce of East Kent Goldings (5 minutes)(5.7 AA,3.9 IBU)
CMBrougham                   Yeast selection                                                        Chose White Labs Burton Ale Yeast (WLP023)                                                    

[all grain]

Yaba daba doo ,Its ready to brew!
  Ok, I had to do that. ...all looks good to me, I really like the hops.

[cmbrougham]

I really like the hops.

Funny--what I like least is the hops. In fact, if I brew this (which is looking doubtful since I have some higher priority brews I want to make), I'll keep the grain bill but abandon the hop bill pretty much completely. The malts are something I'd probably pick if I were doing this on my own; the hops, not so much. This recipe is about 85% British--I don't see a reason not to make it 100% for my own personal consumption. I'm sure it'll make a tasty beverage as it stands, though.

[all grain]

I really like the hops.

Funny--what I like least is the hops. In fact, if I brew this (which is looking doubtful since I have some higher priority brews I want to make), I'll keep the grain bill but abandon the hop bill pretty much completely. The malts are something I'd probably pick if I were doing this on my own; the hops, not so much. This recipe is about 85% British--I don't see a reason not to make it 100% for my own personal consumption. I'm sure it'll make a tasty beverage as it stands, though.

\

well I did say hops were my weakness. I should not say this but I will. i have been known to grab a few oz s of hops "the first ones I see"  and brew. now 31 batches latter i'm just now starting to get them right. at least in some of my brews.