Dark ale and porter - opinions needed

[drsmurto]

Going to use up 2 tins of black rock lagers i have floating around. After a few plays with grains i am moving into part mash and so dont need these things and thought i could hide them in a couple of dark beers to top up my winter stocks.

Thoughts, comments, criticisms welcomed.


Doggers CHOC MINT PORTER

1 can lager
1 kg LDME (or equiv pale ale malt)
250 g Crystal Malt
250 g Black Patent Malt
250 g Chocolate Malt
500 g Honey
100 g cocoa powder
150 g Mint leaves
20 g Cascade Hops @ 30 mins
Safale S-04



DARK ALE

1 can lager
1 kg LDME (or equiv pale ale malt)
250g choc malt
250g medium crystal
100g golden syrup
100g roast barley
Fuggles 25g at 30, 15g at flameout.
Safale S-04


Cheers and beers
DrSmurto

p.s. the tins are blackrock colonial and mexican lager - any ideas of IBU's for these?

[velophile]

Going to use up 2 tins of black rock lagers i have floating around. After a few plays with grains i am moving into part mash and so dont need these things and thought i could hide them in a couple of dark beers to top up my winter stocks.

Thoughts, comments, criticisms welcomed.


Doggers CHOC MINT PORTER

1 can lager
1 kg LDME (or equiv pale ale malt)
250 g Crystal Malt
250 g Black Patent Malt
250 g Chocolate Malt
500 g Honey
100 g cocoa powder
150 g Mint leaves
20 g Cascade Hops @ 30 mins
Safale S-04



DARK ALE

1 can lager
1 kg LDME (or equiv pale ale malt)
250g choc malt
250g medium crystal
100g golden syrup
100g roast barley
Fuggles 25g at 30, 15g at flameout.
Safale S-04


Cheers and beers
DrSmurto

p.s. the tins are blackrock colonial and mexican lager - any ideas of IBU's for these?

250g is a lot of Black malt & could give some 'ashtray" notes. Maybe drop down to 100g & loose the mint IMO.

[Chris]

I'd keep the black at 250g, but substitute the black carafa malt. It avoids the overly burnt flavour, but keeps the richness.

And stick with the mint

[velophile]

I'd keep the black at 250g, but substitute the black carafa malt. It avoids the overly burnt flavour, but keeps the richness.

And stick with the mint

Carafa is dehusked isn't it?

I haven't used it yet. I'll have to do some test batches. Are the Carafa I, II & III just darker roasts of the same dehusked grain?

[chris.]

Carafa I, II & III are not de-husked. Carafa Special I, II & III are de-husked.

[drsmurto]

Both the dark and the porter are now in secondary waiting to be bottled. Cant seem to find the time but they are in the outside laundry which is sitting at around 15degC so no rush.

Ended up going with these recipes. used a 6 can esky to steep the spec grain @ 65degC. 1 hour for the dark ale, 6 hours for the porter (went out for the arvo). Added cans of goo at flameout.

CHOC PORTER

1 can Black Rock Colonial Lager
1 kg LDME
450 g Chocolate Malt
50 g roast barley
15 g POR @ 30 mins
20 g Fuggles @ 25 mins
20 g Fuggles @ flameout
Safale S-04 - 18degC



PRINCE OF DARKNESS ALE

1 can Blackrock Mexican lager
1 kg LDME
200 g choc malt
50 g black patent
250 g light crystal
250 g dark crystal
15 g POR @ 30 mins
20 g Fuggles @ 15 mins
20 g Fuggles @ flameout
Safale S-04

Both smell and taste sensational, the porter has plenty of chocolate flavour whilst the dark ale has a whole lot of different flavours going on, a bit of chocolate, subtle coffee. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

Will let the bulk of these sit for a few months and then hook in but will start the tasting after 10-14 days.

Got mates around this weekend for a housewarming and will be putting on all the older beers i have (read simple K&Ks that arent as good as the more recent brews....) so i then need to top up my APA/IPA/lager stash with AG beers.

Cheers
DrSmurto

EDIT - any idea of the IBU levels of these 2 blackrock kits?

[warra48]

Both the dark and the porter are now in secondary waiting to be bottled. Cant seem to find the time but they are in the outside laundry which is sitting at around 15degC so no rush.

Ended up going with these recipes. used a 6 can esky to steep the spec grain @ 65degC. 1 hour for the dark ale, 6 hours for the porter (went out for the arvo). Added cans of goo at flameout.

CHOC PORTER

1 can Black Rock Colonial Lager
1 kg LDME
450 g Chocolate Malt
50 g roast barley
15 g POR @ 30 mins
20 g Fuggles @ 25 mins
20 g Fuggles @ flameout
Safale S-04 - 18degC



PRINCE OF DARKNESS ALE

1 can Blackrock Mexican lager
1 kg LDME
200 g choc malt
50 g black patent
250 g light crystal
250 g dark crystal
15 g POR @ 30 mins
20 g Fuggles @ 15 mins
20 g Fuggles @ flameout
Safale S-04

Both smell and taste sensational, the porter has plenty of chocolate flavour whilst the dark ale has a whole lot of different flavours going on, a bit of chocolate, subtle coffee. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

Will let the bulk of these sit for a few months and then hook in but will start the tasting after 10-14 days.

Got mates around this weekend for a housewarming and will be putting on all the older beers i have (read simple K&Ks that arent as good as the more recent brews....) so i then need to top up my APA/IPA/lager stash with AG beers.

Cheers
DrSmurto

EDIT - any idea of the IBU levels of these 2 blackrock kits?

The Colonial Lager has an IBU of 18. The Mexican I don't know.