Fourth Quarter Porter
A more highly-attenuated, less caramel-sweet version of a brown porter. A firm, but not overpowering, roast character takes center stage on this balanced, drinkable ale. A brown porter with the session beer sensibilities of a dark mild or dry stout. Invite a few buddies over — even the ones who “don’t like dark beers” — and this keg of porter will kick by the fourth quarter.
Fourth Quarter Porter, All-Grain
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.044 FG = 1.009
IBU = 30 SRM = 24 ABV = 4.6%
Ingredients
4 lbs. (1.8 kg) US 2-row pale malt
3 lbs. (1.4 kg) Munich malt (10 °L)
8 oz. (0.23 kg) crystal malt (40 °L)
6 oz. (0.17 kg) chocolate malt
2 oz. (57 g) black patent malt
1 oz. (28 g) roast barley (500 °L)
0.75 lb. (0.23 kg) cane sugar
8 AAU Willamette hops (60 mins) (1.6 oz./45 g of 5% alpha acids)
Wyeast 1056 (American Ale), White Labs WLP001 (California Ale) or Safale S-05 yeast (1.5 quart/~1.5 L yeast starter)
7/8 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Mash at 149 °F (65 °C) for 60 minutes in 10 qts. (9.5 L) of brewing liquor. Collect around 5 gallons (19 L) of wort — stop collecting wort if specific gravity of runnings drops below 1.010 — and add water to make 6.0 gallons (23 L). Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops at times indicated in the ingredient list. Add cane sugar for final 15 minutes of boil. Ferment at 68 °F (20 °C).
Partial mash option: Omit pale malt. Add 3.0 lbs. (1.4 kg) of Coopers Light liquid malt extract to the ingredient list. Use a 2.0-gallon (7.6-L) beverage cooler as a mash tun for your partial mash. Mash at 149 °F (65 °C) for 60 minutes in 5.5 quarts (5.2 L) of brewing liquor. Collect first wort and add 180 °F (82 °C) water to cooler to restore previous liquid level. Collect second wort, add water to wort in kettle to make make 3 gallons (11 L). Bring wort to a boil. (No DME is added before the boil.)
Boil wort for 60 minutes, adding hops at times indicated in the ingredient list. Add liquid malt extract and sugar with 15 minutes left in boil. Cool wort (perhaps by placing brew pot in cold water in sink), then transfer to fermenter. Top up with cool water to 5.0 gallons (19 L), aerate and pitch yeast. Ferment at 68 °F (20 °C).
