Rainy Day Porter

Classification: porter, extract

Source: Chuck Coronella (coronellrjds@che.utah.edu) Issue #744, 10/21/91

I used two types of yeast pitched simultaneously for this brew. One was 5 grams (rehydrated) Doric Ale yeast, and the other was a "large" sample taken from a previous (cherry ale) brew a few weeks earlier, originally Whitbred Ale yeast. Obviously, this is a very heavy ale, almost like a stout. I'd liken the flavor to Sierra Nevada's porter, but heavier, a little sweeter, and with (delicious) ginger. After about 3 weeks in the bottle, it was, uh, WOW!!! Delicious!! What a combination of flavors! I'd say that this is the correct amount of ginger for such a dark, heavy ale (for my taste). I've had (lighter) ales with too much ginger, but this was just right.

Ingredients:

2 pounds, Alexander extract syrup (pale)
4 pounds, Yellow Dog extract syrup (amber)
1-1/4 pounds, Brown Sugar
1/2 pound, Black Patent
1/4 pound, Roasted Barley
1/2 pound, Crystal (60 degree L)
1/2 pound, Crystal (40 degree L)
1/4 pound, Chocolate Malt
22 AAU (2 ounce Nugget), 60 minutes boil
3 ounce, Fresh Grated Ginger; 10 minutes boil
1 ounce, Cascade
Ale yeast (see comments)

Procedure:

Steep grains at 150 degrees for 40 minutes before boil. Add malt and brown sugar. Boil for 60 minutes. Add Nugget hops at begining of boil. Add ginger last 10 minutes of boil. Turn off heat and add Cascade hops. Allow to steep for 10 minutes. Cool wort with chiller. Rack off trub. Add water to make total about 5.3 gallons. Pitch yeast. Bottle 3 weeks later.

Specifics:

O.G.: 1.057
F.G.: 1.016
Primary Ferment: 3 weeks