[JJeffers09]

The style is what got me into Craft Beer.  At first sip I was hooked on everything porter, from crap commercial to homebrew in the quad.  Well now its my turn, and here is what I am thinking of as a starting point.

Spiced Vanilla Porter
5.5 Gal
6# Light DME
1.25# Pale 2 row
1.1# Chocolate UK
.625# Vienna
.625# Crystal 30l
.25# Demerara
1 oz East Kent Goldings - 60
1 oz East Kent Goldings - 30
.5 oz Willamette - 5
1 oz Vanilla Bean split - 2

1 pk  WLP051

**?Decoction/no Decoction?***
If no I am thinking single infusion BIAB Medium body
Mash-in 6.84qt
Pro Rest 142F for 25
Steep 158F for 50
Sacch. 168F for 10


BUT how do I get the toffee notes? crystal? Is 30L on point?  Is the variety of  Hops on point? Which yeast?  I wish I had some better knowledge of UK Yeast strains. 

60 boil
~OG 1.065
~FG 1.018
~ABV 6.17%
~IBU 33
~Color 34

Do I need to use a fining agent? Whirlfloc is what I have on hand.

Primary ~66-68F depending on yeast for 21-28 days
Bottle condition for **** ?how long?

Carb ~ 2.0vols ?

[stevemedd]

How much dark grain roast flavor do you like in a porter?  If you're going for a robust porter that usually has a rather strong roast component, you might want to add some black malt/roasted barley.

I have used WLP005 for porters and liked the results but I haven't tried enough of the other available British yeasts to say that's the one you should use.

[JJeffers09]

Something like Blackprinz?  I have 8oz left over from another ale that's coming out of the fermenter in 10 days.  I have no problems with dark roast in my porters, as long as they don't come across as coffee flavors. My favorite porters had a balance of dark roast character and nutty-toffee flavors.

[stevemedd]

The blackprinz would work.  At 8oz or less of the dehusked black malt like Blackprinz shouldn't throw you flavor balance off.

[PORTERHAUS]

If you are looking for mellow roast character and not the coffee notes from Black Malt and Roast Barley you should give Brown Malt or Pale Chocolate a try. They bring a nice rich middle ground toasty chocolatly mellow roast character. Usually I start with around a pound of Caramel malt in my Porters. I like C-40 in darker beers for the sweetness it brings. If you are looking for toffee flavors all the caramel malts will have that just in different levels. I see a lot of c80 and c120 in Porters but I havent used them in that way.  Are you partial to keeping the Vienna in there...im not sure if it will add much in that amount among the other grains.  Sometimes a pound of Munich in something like this helps add some rich character.

[PORTERHAUS]

BTW...dont be fooled by the name but Porters are absolutely my favorite beer style too. So much you can do with them.

[JJeffers09]

That was my thought was tossing the Vienna for munich, but some of the gold medal recipes I have seen have the Vienna.  IDK I like almond like nutty flavors is porters. As well as, I am not sure on mash process, decoction or not.  If it needs strong melanoiden flavors or not.

[PORTERHAUS]

I wouldn't worry about a decoction. Save that for a German Lager (if you want to do one). You are only doing a partial mash, more like a mini mash so it would not work out nor would it be worth it regardless. You are doing such a small mash, that even mash temp won't play a big factor. But I would shoot for mashing in the mid 150's if you do so.

If you are looking for nutty character, Brown Malt and Pale Chocolate could help that in a Porter. But also malts like Biscuit or Victory will add that same character. Brown Malt, Biscuit or Victory all have to be mashed as well. Are you looking to brew a Historical style Porter by using the Sugar? Are you looking for something dryer, or something fuller, sweeter?

[JJeffers09]

I am looking for an old style porter with vanilla spice.  I think this would do well as a Baltic porter with a different yeast strain, But my favorite examples of homebrew tasted uses Demerara in the recipe.  Something balanced is the key, leaving me ready to drink more. 

Is 158F too high?  impart a little more than medium body... and I think I will toss the Pro rest.

[morticaixavier]

I am looking for an old style porter with vanilla spice.  I think this would do well as a Baltic porter with a different yeast strain, But my favorite examples of homebrew tasted uses Demerara in the recipe.  Something balanced is the key, leaving me ready to drink more. 

Is 158F too high?  impart a little more than medium body... and I think I will toss the Pro rest.

you'll be hard pressed to notice half a pound of demerera in this beer. If it's what you have on hand for sugar then go ahead but if you want the slight lightening of body the sugar will bring you can use whatever kind of sugar you have on hand. It's just going to turn into alcohol in the end. If you are using a characterful sugar for flavor you have to use quite a bit. I have a wheat wine that uses >20% coconut sugar and you can just barely taste that.

[bbesser]

I have taken to using UK Phoenix at flame out in (some of) my porters and stouts to add a little more chocolate and mild pine to the aroma of the beer with good results.  Just putting it out there as another element to change things up a little bit.