Barren Hill Tavern & Brewery Justa Porter clone

Barren Hill Tavern & Brewery Justa Porter clone

Erin Wallace re-opened one of the oldest taverns in the United States two years ago, as a logical next step from her successes running some of the best craft beer bars in Philadelphia. You can’t visit Barren Hill without noticing a distinct Colonial American style, and the tavern comes by it honestly; there has been a brewery and tavern in this historic building since 1732, predating the Revolution by more than forty years. The three (documented) resident ghosts must be overjoyed to have the place full of life again, since it had sat vacant for nearly three years before Erin and company took on the challenge of reopening an historic institution. Her decision to do so saved the building from the developers’ wrecking balls, as other bidders were considering condos for the site, and local beer lovers are the real winners. Barren Hill’s beer lineup features everything from outstanding and simple classics (a recent visit provided me with a brilliant English bitter and a wonderfully bready Maibock) to more exotic sour and barrel-aged options, to say nothing of a variety of collaborations with local, national, and international breweries. Brewer Dave Wood keeps the taps full, and Barren Hill beer is also featured at another of Erin’s enterprises, a local beer garden. You can visit the brewery and tavern just outside the Philadelphia city limits at 646 Germantown Pike, Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania.

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.048 FG = 1.012
IBU = 27 SRM = 48 ABV = 4.9%

Ingredients
7.6 lbs. (3.45 kg) 2-row pale malt
1.25 lbs. (0.6 kg) black patent malt
10 oz. (0.3 kg) flaked barley
10 oz. (0.3 kg) crystal malt (40 °L)
6 oz. (170 ­g) chocolate malt (450 °L)
5.6 AAU Challenger hops (60 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g at 7.5% alpha acids)
3 AAU Bramling Cross hops (15 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 6% alpha acids)
Wyeast Labs 1028 (London Ale) or White Labs WLP013 (London Ale) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step
Mill the grains and mix with 3.3 gallons (12.4 L) of 164 °F (73 °C) strike water to reach a mash temperature of 152 °F (67 °C). Hold this temperature for 60 minutes. Vorlauf until your runnings are clear. Sparge the grains with 4.35 gallons (16.5 L) and top up as necessary to obtain 6 gallons (23 L) of wort. Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops according to the ingredient list.

After the boil, turn off heat and chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 65 °F (18 °C). Aerate the wort with pure oxygen or filtered air and pitch yeast. Ferment at 66 °F (19 °C) for 7 days. Raise to 72 °F (22 °C) for seven more days. Once the beer reaches terminal gravity, bottle or keg the beer and carbonate to approximately 2.5 volumes. You may want to cold-crash the beer prior to packaging to 35 °F (2 °C) for 48 hours to improve clarity.

Barren Hill Tavern & Brewery Justa Porter clone

(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.048 FG = 1.012
IBU = 27 SRM = 48 ABV = 4.9%

Ingredients
5.5 lbs. (2.5 kg) pale liquid malt extract
1.25 lbs. (0.6 kg) black patent malt
10 oz. (0.3 kg) crystal malt (40 °L)
6 oz. (0.17 kg) chocolate malt (450 °L)
4.35 AAU Challenger hops (60 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g at 7.5% alpha acids)
3 AAU Bramling Cross hops (15 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 6% alpha acids)
Wyeast Labs 1028 (London Ale) or White Labs WLP013 (London Ale) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step
Bring 5.6 gallons (21 L) of water to approximately 162 °F (72 °C) and hold there, and steep milled specialty grains 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. Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops according to the ingredient list.

After the boil, turn off heat and chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 65 °F (18 °C). Aerate the wort with pure oxygen or filtered air and pitch yeast. Ferment at 66 °F (19 °C) for 7 days. Raise to 72 °F (22 °C) for seven more days. Once the beer reaches terminal gravity, bottle or keg the beer and carbonate to approximately 2.5 volumes. You may want to cold-crash the beer prior to packaging to 35 °F (2 °C) for 48 hours to improve clarity.

Tips for Success:
Head Brewer Dave Wood notes that Barren Hill’s water is slightly on the hard side, with a generally neutral pH level, so a light mineral salt addition may yield better results if your water skews toward the softer side. Since this is a porter that lands more on the lighter side, brewers may also want to mash slightly warmer than usual to retain a bit more body and mouthfeel.