1st BIAB attempt

[Scooba]

Here's my attempt at designing a recipe.  Is this along the lines of a porter? Any suggestions would be helpful.

Recipe: Vanilla Bourbon Porter
Brewer: Craig
Asst Brewer:
Style: Robust Porter
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 8.38 gal
Post Boil Volume: 6.25 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal 
Bottling Volume: 5.28 gal
Estimated OG: 1.071 SG
Estimated Color: 41.8 SRM
Estimated IBU: 25.3 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 76.5 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt                  Name                                    Type          #        %/IBU       
12 lbs 6.9 oz        Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM)          Grain        1        77.5 %       
11.5 oz              Barley, Flaked (1.7 SRM)                Grain        2        4.5 %       
11.5 oz              Black (Patent) Malt (500.0 SRM)          Grain        3        4.5 %       
11.5 oz              Brown Malt (65.0 SRM)                    Grain        4        4.5 %       
11.5 oz              Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM)  Grain        5        4.5 %       
11.5 oz              Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM)              Grain        6        4.5 %       
0.50 oz              Challenger [7.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min      Hop          7        11.7 IBUs   
0.50 oz              Challenger [7.50 %] - Boil 30.0 min      Hop          8        9.0 IBUs     
0.50 oz              Willamette [5.50 %] - Boil 15.0 min      Hop          9        4.3 IBUs     
0.50 oz              Willamette [5.50 %] - Boil 1.0 min      Hop          10      0.4 IBUs     
1.0 pkg              Thames Valley Ale (Wyeast Labs #1275) [1 Yeast        11      -           
2.00 Items            Vanilla Bean (Secondary 21.0 days)      Flavor        12      -           
0.50 Cup              Bourbon (Secondary 21.0 days)            Flavor        13      -           


Mash Schedule: BIAB, Full Body
Total Grain Weight: 16 lbs 0.6 oz
----------------------------
Name              Description                            Step Temperat Step Time   
Saccharification  Add 38.22 qt of water at 164.4 F        156.0 F      60 min       
Mash Out          Heat to 168.0 F over 7 min              168.0 F      10 min       

Sparge: Remove grains, and prepare to boil wort
Notes:
------
Primary Ferm. for 14 days, the add Vanilla beans and Bourbon to the Secondary for 21 days

 

[Maine Homebrewer]

That's a lot of dark malt.

Recently I used only one ounce each of Black Patent, Roasted Barley and Chocolate Malt and it was sufficient to make a really dark brew. 

Before that I used 4oz Chocolate malt, 2oz Black Patent and 4oz Roasted Barley with the intention of making a porter, and renamed it 'Accidental Stout'.

I would suggest backing way off on the Black Patent.

Otherwise it looks pretty tasty.

 

[Maine Homebrewer]

Oops. I would suggest backing way off on both the Black Patent and the Chocolate Malt.  An ounce or two each should do the trick. 

 

[Scooba]

Thanks so much for the help!!  So I will back off on the Black Patent and the Chocalate to about 4 oz.  Is that ok?  Everything else should stay the same?

 

[Maine Homebrewer]

The only way to know for sure is to do it. You won't let it go to waste 

When I'm making recipes I start with a basic representation of a style, then repeat it while varying just one ingredient at a time.
For example I've been on a pilsner kick this winter.  So I've made batches with and without Carapils, different varieties of hops, dry hopping vs hops at flame-out, varying amounts of bitter hops, all to get a feel for how each ingredient affects the brew.
So far I've only make one that I didn't like. I added way to much dry hops. But that's fine. I just fill the pitcher with half 'Overhop' and top it off from another keg.

I wouldn't want to dump it down the drain. That's alcohol abuse!