Denny’s Bourbon Vanilla Imperial Porter
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.086 FG = 1.028
SRM = 45 IBU = 32 ABV = 7.8%
Ingredients
12 lbs. (5.4 kg) 2-row pale malt
2.5 lbs. (1.13 kg) German Munich malt (10 °L)
1.5 lbs. (0.68 kg) brown malt
1.25 lbs. (0.57 g) chocolate malt (350 °L)
1 lb. (0.45 kg) crystal malt (120 °L)
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) crystal malt (40 °L)
9.8 AAU Magnum hops (60 min.) (0.65 oz./18 g at 15% alpha acids)
2.4 AAU East Kent Goldings hops (10 min. ) (0.4 oz./11 g at 6% alpha acids)
2 vanilla beans, split, scraped, and chopped
1.6 cups Jim Beam Black Bourbon
1⁄2 Whirlfloc tablet (5 min.)
Wyeast 1450 (Denny’s Favorite 50 Ale) or SafAle US-05 yeast
2⁄3 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Mash at 155 °F (68 °C) using 23.6 quarts (22.2 L) of water for 60 minutes. Lauter as you normally would. Bring wort to a boil. Total boil time is 70 minutes with the first hop addition 10 minutes into the boil and the second hop addition during the final 10 minutes. Add the Whirlfloc with 5 minutes remaining.
Chill the wort down to yeast-pitching temperature, aerate heavily, and pitch a sufficient starter (or 2 packets) of yeast. Ferment around 66 °F (19 °C).
When fermentation is complete, split 2 vanilla beans lengthwise. Scrape all the seeds and “gunk” from them and add it to the fermenter. Chop the beans into 2–3 in. (5–7.5 cm) long pieces and add them, too. Leave in secondary for 10–14 days, then taste. You want the vanilla to be a bit on the strong side since it will fade. If the vanilla flavor is adequate, rack to bottling bucket or keg and add approximately 375 mL (1.6 cups) of Jim Beam Black Bourbon. You don’t need to use an expensive Bourbon, and you don’t want to add a lot. The beer shouldn’t scream “BOURBON!” at you. You should have an integrated flavor of the chocolatey porter, vanilla, and Bourbon. This beer does not benefit from extended aging. I prefer it within a few months of brewing. The FG should be in the mid-high 20s, so don’t worry about trying to get it lower.
Denny’s Bourbon Vanilla Imperial Porter
(5 gallons/19 L, partial mash)
OG = 1.086 FG = 1.028
SRM = 45 IBU = 32 ABV = 7.8%
Ingredients
6.25 lbs. (2.8 kg) light dried malt extract
2.5 lbs. (1.13 kg) German Munich malt (10 °L)
1.5 lbs. (0.68 kg) brown malt
1.25 lbs. (0.57 g) chocolate malt (350 °L)
1 lb. (0.45 kg) crystal malt (120 °L)
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) crystal malt (40 °L)
9.8 AAU Magnum hops (60 min.) (0.65 oz./18 g at 15% alpha acids)
2.4 AAU East Kent Goldings hops (10 min.) (0.4 oz./11 g at 6% alpha acids)
2 vanilla beans, split, scraped, and chopped
1.6 cups Jim Beam Black Bourbon
1⁄2 Whirlfloc tablet (5 min.)
Wyeast 1450 (Denny’s Favorite 50 Ale) or SafAle US-05 yeast
2⁄3 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Place the crushed Munich and brown malts in a large muslin bag. Mash at 155 °F (68 °C) using 9 quarts (8 L) of water for 45 minutes. Add crushed chocolate and crystal malts to a separate muslin bag. After the 45-minute mash is complete, add the specialty grains. Steep for 15 minutes. Remove both grain bags and rinse with hot water. Top off kettle to about 6 gallons (23 L). While the heat is off, stir in the dried malt extract, stir until all the extract is dissolved. Bring the wort to a boil. Total boil time is 70 minutes with the first hop addition 10 minutes into the boil and the second hop addition during the final 10 minutes. Add the Whirlfloc with 5 minutes left.
Chill the wort down to yeast-pitching temperature, aerate heavily, and pitch a sufficient starter (or 2 packets) of yeast. Ferment around 66 °F (19 °C). Follow the remainder of the all-grain instructions.
