Porter
intro
Rich, smooth traditional London porter with roasty malt, subtle chocolate and coffee notes, perfect for sipping on cool crisp autumn evenings.
Ingredients
Steps
Fully sanitize all brewing equipment (2 large stockpots, fine-mesh strainer, siphon, airlock, 2L glass fermentation jug, long-handled stirring spoon) by mixing 1 tablespoon of food-grade no-rinse sanitizer with 4 liters of cool water, soaking all parts for 10 minutes to eliminate bacterial contamination. Rinse with cool filtered water and set aside on a clean kitchen towel.
In a large stockpot, heat 2.5 liters of filtered water to 67C (153F) over medium-low heat, then add all crushed grains (450g Maris Otter pale malt, 60g chocolate malt, 30g roasted barley), stirring thoroughly to break up any dry clumps. Hold the mash temperature steady at 65-68C for 60 minutes, keeping the pot covered and adjusting burner heat as needed to stay in range.
After the 60-minute mash, pour the grain and water mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a second clean stockpot. Gently pour 1 liter of 77C (170F) filtered water over the trapped spent grains to rinse out remaining sweet malt sugars, then discard the spent grains. Place the collected sweet wort over high heat and bring to a steady rolling boil (100C/212F).
Once the wort reaches a full rolling boil, add 10g of East Kent Goldings hops and 30g dark brown sugar, stirring to fully dissolve the sugar. Maintain a gentle rolling boil over medium-high heat for 60 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to prevent sticky boilovers; add the remaining 5g of hops during the last 5 minutes of boiling for bright, aromatic flavor.
When the 60-minute boil is complete, remove the pot from heat immediately and set it in an ice bath (a clean sink filled with cold water and 1kg of ice) to cool the wort to 21C (70F) in roughly 20 minutes, stirring gently every 5 minutes to speed even cooling. Pour the cooled wort into the sanitized fermentation jug, sprinkle the full 7g packet of ale yeast over the surface, then seal the jug with an airlock filled halfway with sanitizer solution.
Move the sealed fermentation jug to a dark, temperature-stable spot held at 18-22C (65-72F) to ferment for 2 weeks, until bubbling in the airlock stops completely (signaling fermentation is done). Carefully siphon the finished porter into sanitized, sealable glass bottles, chill for 24 hours in the refrigerator, and serve at 10C (50F) for optimal flavor.
Tips
2.Monitor mash temperature closely: if it rises above 70C (158F), the grains will leach harsh, astringent compounds that make the finished porter taste unpleasantly bitter and dry.
3.Avoid moving or jostling the fermentation jug while the yeast is active, as this can stir up sediment and create cloudy, off-tasting porter; only move it when fermentation is fully complete.
OMG, this classic porter recipe is an absolute game changer! I’ve been messing around with homebrewing for a couple years and could never nail that smooth, roasty, not-too-bitter porter I remembered from my favorite local brewery. The active prep was way simpler than I thought too, only took me a little over an hour on brew day, then just let it do its thing for two weeks. Brought a growler to our neighborhood potluck last weekend and everyone was begging for the recipe — even my brother-in-law who swears he only drinks IPAs loved it! 10/10 will be making this on regular rotation for our fall cookouts.
I was so intimidated by the medium difficulty tag on this recipe that I put off making it for weeks! I’m a total homebrewing newbie who’s only ever made basic hard seltzer at home before, and I was scared I’d waste a bunch of malt and end up with something that tastes like soapy dishwater. I finally bit the bullet to make a batch for my husband’s birthday (he’s porter obsessed) and — wait, quick question for folks who’ve made it: do I *have* to do the full two week ferment, or can I get away with 10 days if I keep the temp super consistent? I’m cutting it close to his party!
SO good. Just tapped my first batch last night after the full two week ferment and conditioning, and wow — that rich chocolate and subtle coffee note is perfectly balanced, zero harsh bitter aftertaste like the last porter recipe I wasted time on. I was worried the total time would be a hassle, but 90% of it is totally hands off, so it didn’t mess with my usual Sunday meal prep schedule for the week at all? Wild. My 10 year old even said the whole house smelled like “fancy fancy coffee” on brew day, which is a win in my book. Will absolutely be making this on repeat, might experiment with a tiny pinch of smoked malt next round for a little extra depth.
Brought a growler of this to my friend’s fall bonfire last night and it was the total star of the show! People were going back for refills so fast I almost didn’t get a full glass myself. I’ve made a few heavy stouts before but never a classic porter, and this was way lighter and more drinkable than I expected — even my cousin who swears she hates all dark beer had two glasses! My only silly mishap: I realized my yeast packet was expired halfway through prep, had to make a 20 minute run to the local homebrew shop mid-boil. Still turned out absolutely perfect though, no notes!
Just finished bottling my batch yesterday after the full two week fermentation, snuck a tiny taste while I was siphoning and OMG — it’s better than the $7 a pint porter I get at my favorite downtown taproom! The roasty malt flavor is perfectly balanced, no weird astringent aftertaste, and the mouthfeel is so smooth. I was worried the medium difficulty rating meant I’d mess up a step, but the instructions were so clear and step-by-step, even when I had to troubleshoot a small temperature dip 3 days in I knew exactly what to fix. Can’t wait to let the bottles condition for another week and share them with my roommates — they’ve been hyped ever since the whole apartment smelled like roasted coffee on brew day. Total game changer, will be my go-to porter recipe from now on!