Gordon Strong’s Classic American Porter

Classic American Porter

by Gordon Strong, Beavercreek, Ohio
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.049 FG = 1.014
IBU = 23 SRM = 30 ABV = 4.7%

This is my take on the lagered porters of the Northeast, in the style of Yuengling. It’s important to not have an overtly roasted flavor; licorice-type flavors are desirable, but not burnt. A less bitter version of this beer without the crystal malt will do nicely as a Dark American Lager. It might work in the Brown Porter category, but entering it as a Specialty Beer would work too.

Ingredients

6.5 lbs. (3 kg) US 2-row pale malt
1.5 lbs. (0.68 kg) US mild malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) flaked maize
12 oz. (0.34 kg) crystal malt (50 °L)
12 oz. (0.34 kg) Weyermann Carafa® Special II
5 AAU Cluster hops (60 mins.) (0.66 oz./19 g of 7.5% alpha acids)
1.5 AAU Cascade hops (10 mins.) (0.25 oz./7 g of 6% alpha acids)
Wyeast 2206 (Bavarian Lager) yeast (1 qt./1 L yeast starter)
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (for priming)

Step by Step

Two or three days before brew day, make the yeast starter, aerating the wort thoroughly (preferably with oxygen) before pitching the yeast.

On brew day, mash in the malt at 152 °F (67 °C) in 17 qts. (16 L) of water. Hold at this temperature for 60 minutes. Raise mash temperature to 170 °F (77 °C), hold for 5 minutes then recirculate. Run off wort and sparge with water hot enough to keep the grain bed around 170 °F (77 °C). Collect 6.5 gallons (25 L) of wort. (Check that final runnings do not drop below SG 1.010.) Boil wort for 60 minutes, adding hops at times indicated. Ferment at 50 °F (10 °C). Lager at 34 °F (1 °C) for 8 weeks.

Variation: Add some brewer’s licorice or blackstrap molasses (very small amount, perhaps 1 Tb.)

Classic American Porter

by Gordon Strong, Beavercreek, Ohio
(5 gallons/19 L, partial mash)
OG = 1.049 FG = 1.014
IBU = 23 SRM = 30 ABV = 4.7%

Ingredients

3.3 lbs. (1.5 kg) light liquid malt extract
10 oz. (0.28 kg) light dried malt extract
1 lb. (0.45 kg) US 2-row pale malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) US mild malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) flaked maize
12 oz. (0.34 kg) crystal malt (50 °L)
12 oz. (0.34 kg) Weyermann Carafa® Special II
5 AAU Cluster hops (60 mins.) (0.66 oz./19 g of 7.5% alpha acids)
1.5 AAU Cascade hops (10 mins.) (0.25 oz./7 g of 6% alpha acids)
Wyeast 2206 (Bavarian Lager) yeast (1 qt./1 L yeast starter)
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (for priming)

Step by Step

Mash grains at 152 °F (67 °C) in 6 qts. (5.6 L) of water. Hold at this temperature for 60 minutes. Collect 2.25 gallons (8.5 L) of wort. Add water to make at least 3 gallons (11 L) of wort. Stir in dried malt extract and boil wort for 60 minutes, adding hops at times indicated. Add liquid malt extract in the final 15 minutes of the boil. Chill wort, transfer to fermenter and top up to 5 gallons (19 L). Aerate wort and pitch yeast. Ferment at 50 °F (10 °C). Lager at 34 °F (1 °C) for eight weeks.

Classic American Porter

by Gordon Strong, Beavercreek, Ohio
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.049 FG = 1.014
IBU = 23 SRM = 30 ABV = 4.7%

Ingredients

3.3 lbs. (1.5 kg) light liquid malt extract
1.4 lbs. (0.64 kg) light dried maltextract
1 lb. (0.45 kg) corn sugar
12 oz. (0.34 kg) crystal malt (50 °L)
12 oz. (0.34 kg) Weyermann Carafa® Special II
5 AAU Cluster hops (60 mins.) (0.66 oz./19 g of 7.5% alpha acids)
1.5 AAU Cascade hops (10 mins.) (0.25 oz./7 g of 6% alpha acids)
Wyeast 2206 (Bavarian Lager) yeast (1 qt./1 L yeast starter)
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (for priming)

Step by Step

Steep grains in 3 gallons (11 L) of 158 °F (70 °C) water for 30 minutes. Remove grain, add dried malt extract and enough water to make at least 3 gallons (11 L) of wort. Boil wort for 60 minutes, adding hops at times indicated. Keep some boiling water handy and do not let boil volume dip below 3 gallons (11 L). Add liquid malt extract and sugar in the final 15 minutes of the boil. Chill wort, transfer to fermenter and top up to 5 gallons (19 L). Aerate wort and pitch yeast. Ferment at 50 °F (10 °C). Lager at 34 °F (1 °C) for eight weeks.

Tips for Success:
It is important to get good attenuation and a relatively clean profile so be sure to oxygenate the wort and pitch an appropriate amount of clean, healthy yeast. Also, be sure to control the fermentation temperature. Jamil Zainasheff advises that holding the temperature steady is important to getting a proper level of attenuation and avoiding off-flavors. Letting the beer go through large temperature swings can result in the yeast flocculating early or producing solventy and/or overly estery beers. If you experience a temperature swing or two, you can optionally try raising the temperature a few degrees near the end of primary fermentation to help the yeast clean up some of the intermediate compounds produced during fermentation.