Santa Fe Brewing’s State Pen Porter: Replicator
Dear Replicator, My daughter was visiting Cedar Crest, New Mexico, and had the pleasure of drinking State Pen Porter from Santa Fe Brewing Company. She said it was the best porter she had ever had. It’s not available within 200 miles (320 km) of where I live and I really want to try it. I hope not to find myself in the New Mexico State Pen, but I’d love it if you could help me out with a clone recipe for it!
Izzy Pike
Fairhope, Alabama
Santa Fe Brewing Co.’s State Pen Porter clone
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.064 FG = 1.016
IBU = 29 SRM = 32 ABV = 6.6%
Ingredients
11 lbs. (5 kg) 2-row pale malt
1.5 lbs. (0.68 kg) crystal malt (40 °L)
1 lb. (0.45 kg) chocolate malt (350 °L)
5.25 AAU Cluster hops (90 min.)
(0.75 oz./21 g at 7% alpha acids)
3.5 AAU Cluster hops (20 min.)
(0.5 oz./14 g at 7% alpha acids)
0.25 oz. (7 g) Hallertau hops (0 min.)
0.25 oz. (7 g) Cascade hops (0 min.)
Wyeast 1028 (London Ale) or White Labs WLP013 (London Ale) yeast
2⁄3 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Mill the grains and mix with 4 gallons (15 L) of 168°F (76 °C) strike water to reach a mash temperature of 155 °F (68 °C). Hold this temperature for 60 minutes. Vorlauf until your runnings are clear and lauter. Sparge the grains with 2.9 gallons (11 L) and top up as necessary to obtain 6.5 gallons (25 L) of wort. Boil for 90 minutes, adding hops according to the ingredient list and Irish moss as desired.
After the boil is complete, stir the wort to bring it to a brisk whirlpool and allow to settle, about
20 minutes. Then chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 66 °F (19 °C). Aerate the wort with pure oxygen or filtered air and pitch yeast.
Ferment at 67 °F (19 °C) for the first three days, then allow temperature to rise to 70 °F (21 °C). Hold there until fermentation is complete (~1.016 specific gravity, about ten days after fermentation begins).
Once the beer completes fermentation, bottle or keg the beer and carbonate to approximately 2.25 volumes. You may want to cold-crash the beer prior to packaging to 35 °F (2 °C) for 48 hours to improve clarity. After packaging, store carbonated beer at near-freezing temperatures for at least two weeks before drinking.
Santa Fe Brewing Co.’s State Pen Porter clone
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.064 FG = 1.016
IBU = 29 SRM = 32 ABV = 6.6%
Ingredients
7.3 lbs. (3.3 kg) liquid pale malt extract
1.5 lbs. (0.68 kg) crystal malt (40 °L)
1 lb. (0.45 kg) chocolate malt (350 °L)
5.25 AAU Cluster hops (90 min.)
(0.75 oz./21 g at 7% alpha acids)
3.5 AAU Cluster hops (20 min.)
(0.5 oz./14 g at 7% alpha acids)
0.25 oz. (7 g) Hallertau hops (0 min.)
0.25 oz. (7 g) Cascade hops (0 min.)
Wyeast 1028 (London Ale) or White Labs WLP013 (London Ale) yeast
2⁄3 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Bring 5.4 gallons (20.4 L) of water to approximately 162 °F (72 °C) and hold there. Steep specialty malts in grain bags for 15 minutes. Remove the grain bags and let drain fully. Add liquid extract while stirring, and stir until completely dissolved. Bring the wort to a boil and boil for 90 minutes, adding hops according to the ingredient list and Irish moss as desired.
After the boil is complete, stir the wort to bring it to a brisk whirlpool and allow to settle, about
20 minutes. Then chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 66 °F (19 °C). Aerate the wort with pure oxygen or filtered air and pitch yeast.
Ferment at 67 °F (19 °C) for the first three days, then allow temperature to rise to 70 °F (21 °C). Hold there until fermentation is complete (~1.016 specific gravity, about ten days after fermentation begins).
Once the beer completes fermentation, bottle or keg the beer and carbonate to approximately 2.25 volumes. You may want to cold-crash the beer prior to packaging to 35 °F (2 °C) for 48 hours to improve clarity. After packaging, store carbonated beer at near-freezing temperatures for at least two weeks before drinking.
Tips for Success:
Brewmaster Bert Boyce recommends a highly attenuative English yeast strain, and I’ve had good success with Wyeast 1028 (London Ale). It attenuates fully and imparts a slight mineral character that is particularly pleasant in darker beers! Other English yeasts may not give you the attenuation you need, and he particularly warns against an overly-sweet beer. If you choose not to conduct a whirlpool, add the 0-minute additions with five minutes to go in the boil instead.
