Pacman Porter

i am very pleased with mine, will bring some to the next meeting i attend

Don't forget, soaking isn't just for sanitation. Soaking in the alcohol is used for flavor extraction. Since, vanilla is not water soluble, alcohol needs to extract the flavoring. So by soaking it, you'll get a stronger flavor.

I didn't care for Breckenridge's Porter... I think I might have been hoping for too much, but the head seemed a little lack luster and the vanilla a little extractish. But that might be just me.

I bet a homebrew version could be much better.

for my vanilla, porter, i wanted it to be there but not take over the malts, so for 5 gallons i used 1 bean, diced it in to 1/8" to 1/4" sections, soaked overnight in voka, and brandy (half shot each, to kill the nasties) then through it into my secondary. malt is strong enough to be there for aroma and taste, with a hint of vanilla in both. if you want to trade some time i am up for it!

and i agree breckenridge vanilla porter is outstanding! tried it with Jeff a couple weeks ago!

I used a bourbon vanilla bean in a Coffee Porter. The bean wasn't soaked in bourbon, that was just the name of it.

The method I used was to slit the bean down the center, scrape out the innards. Then chop everything up real fine (the bean and the innards).

vanillia porter... Speaking of which... Just had a 6er of Breckenridge Vanilla Porter - Outstanding... makes me want to take a gallon of this porter and put it in a gallon jug with a vanilla bean. Any thoughts on that? Never tried this approach so would I have to soak the bean in boubon or do I just slit the bean and drop it in?

looks tasty! my base porter for my vanilla porter turned out really well, wish i would have made more. i have a bommer for the next meeting left sadly that is it.

johnpreuss wrote:So you really can't beat a good porter... so here's my plan for an upcoming brew:

6 gallons

OG 1.060
IBU 42

10 lbs 2 Row
2 lbs Munich
.5 lb British Chocolate Malt
.5 lb British Black Patent
1 lb Crystal 60L
.5 lb Crystal 120L

1.25 oz Target 8.6%AA 60 min addition
1.0 oz Goldings 4.5% AA 15 min addition

Yeast - Pacman Yeast cake from a Dead Guy Clone - Thus the "Pacman Porter"

Well ended up brewing this today with a few changes: Dumped the crystal 120 and added 1 lb of Flaked barley. I also went with this hop schedule:
Target 60 min
Golding 20 min
Target 5 min

I typically end up boiling off between 1.5-1.75 gallons on a 60 min boil but today was the exception , only one gallon... messed me up OG came in at 1.056 and 6.5 gallons in the ferementor. So its all good.

Mike Philleo wrote:

johnpreuss wrote:

Mike Philleo wrote:I look forward to hearing how this one turns out. The most striking thing I see about the recipe is the amount of black patent malt, which I'm sure will make for a very unique beer.

Really, you think .5 lb is alot? I've gone this route before but not as heavy on the crystal and it was superb. Really the only thing I'm debating is whether or not to add .5 lb carafoam to just mash around 155dF to add to the mouthfeel.

To be honest with you, I haven't used black patent very much myself. I've only heard other brewers say that "a dab will do you" so to speak, that it can get acrid in larger amounts. Like I said, I don't use it very often at all, so you'd know better than me. Either way, it sounds like a good brew a-comin'.

i don't think it is too much for a porter, it will be very dark which to me is fine, i fine that it gives more color and less bitter than say the same amount of chocolate. but mike is right in that a little dab will do. but in this case i don't think it is too much, wouldn't use any more though my .02

johnpreuss wrote:... that's the beauty of homebrewing - you get to choose what you like.

Not to intending to spam the thread here, but I couldn't agree more. In my opinion, one of the biggest reasons to homebrew is that you get a quality beer unlike anything you'll ever find in the store. That's what separates the folks who enjoy tasting any beer from those who enjoy tasting beer but their own in particular.

I love my coffee BLACK, so black patent and black roast barley appeal to me. But some will find the flavor too much. Much like some people hating hefe's or *gasp* C-Hops... that's the beauty of homebrewing - you get to choose what you like.

johnpreuss wrote:I've gone w/ 1/2 # of Black Patent before with great results. The problem with it is you either love it or hate it. I think a robust porter needs that deep dark roastiness.

It sounds good to me. I'm glad someone who's been there before me can let me know there's life after black patent. I've always heard all those horror stories (about this and other particular malts) but a person always knows, deep down, there's a degree of exaggeration.

I've gone w/ 1/2 # of Black Patent before with great results. The problem with it is you either love it or hate it. I think a robust porter needs that deep dark roastiness.

johnpreuss wrote:

Mike Philleo wrote:I look forward to hearing how this one turns out. The most striking thing I see about the recipe is the amount of black patent malt, which I'm sure will make for a very unique beer.

Really, you think .5 lb is alot? I've gone this route before but not as heavy on the crystal and it was superb. Really the only thing I'm debating is whether or not to add .5 lb carafoam to just mash around 155dF to add to the mouthfeel.

To be honest with you, I haven't used black patent very much myself. I've only heard other brewers say that "a dab will do you" so to speak, that it can get acrid in larger amounts. Like I said, I don't use it very often at all, so you'd know better than me. Either way, it sounds like a good brew a-comin'.

Mike Philleo wrote:I look forward to hearing how this one turns out. The most striking thing I see about the recipe is the amount of black patent malt, which I'm sure will make for a very unique beer.

Really, you think .5 lb is alot? I've gone this route before but not as heavy on the crystal and it was superb. Really the only thing I'm debating is whether or not to add .5 lb carafoam to just mash around 155dF to add to the mouthfeel.

I look forward to hearing how this one turns out. The most striking thing I see about the recipe is the amount of black patent malt, which I'm sure will make for a very unique beer.

looks tasty, may have to trade for my vanilla porter if it turns out. will share recipe when i get it right.

I do love me a good Porter. I've heard a lot of good reviews on the Pacman yeast. Thanks for sharing the recipe. Let us know how it turns out!

So you really can't beat a good porter... so here's my plan for an upcoming brew:

6 gallons

OG 1.060
IBU 42

10 lbs 2 Row
2 lbs Munich
.5 lb British Chocolate Malt
.5 lb British Black Patent
1 lb Crystal 60L
.5 lb Crystal 120L

1.25 oz Target 8.6%AA 60 min addition
1.0 oz Goldings 4.5% AA 15 min addition

Yeast - Pacman Yeast cake from a Dead Guy Clone - Thus the "Pacman Porter"