Smokey chilli chocolate porter

[conorm]

Style: Wheat Porter
Type: Partial Mash/Extract
Quantity: 4-4.5lt
OG: 1045-6 ish
FG: 1009 (est)

I'm pretty much new to this game, and as a keen foodie/chef type, I couldn't resist an experiment! Tasted a chilli porter in Philadelphia back in April that was, well, interesting! After trawling the internet for recipes, this is my attempt at something similar.

I'm not sure if its a true Porter, didn't take a FG (was 1010 couple days before bottling) so not sure on the strength. I also cant find my notes so this is from memory. When I find my notes I'll edit if required.

This is for a small batch, when experimenting I like to keep it small scale and use 5lt water bottles for primary fermentation.

250g crushed chocolate malt
500g wheat dme
20g fuggles hops (I think it was, not sure, was all I had)
2tsp chopped dried smoked chillies (chipotle)
Suitable yeast - I used S04
5lt spring water

Method (as I did it):

Steep grains in 3lt spring of water at 56-60 degrees c for 45mins. Strain through muslin cloth in to another clean pan.

Add the chillies, hops and wheat malt. Boil for 45mins. Add another litre of cold spring water. Allow to cool to sub 30 degrees. I added another 200ml of water to get OG to 1045. Think that is typical for a beer of this style (please correct me if wrong). Final volume was about 4.2l. Add the yeast.

Syphon into the water bottle (or what ever suitable vessel you have), leave the hops behind but fish out the chillies. You must leave enough head space for the fermentation foam!! Put the cap on 1/4 turn (allows CO2 to escape but keeps air out).

Ferment. Mine took 9 days to fully ferment. I primed with 35g light DME and bottled.

It's been two weeks and I just cracked one open!

Smooth, very BLACK, a noticeable but not overpowering chilli heat. A hint of smokeyness and chocolate/coffee flavours. Not much of a hop character but that was the intention. Really good balance of flavours. Success!

To be critical, it lacks a bit of depth and sweetness. Next time I'd include some crystal malt and cut back on the chocolate. Good head, tho I think it's a bit too bubbly so I'd cut back on the priming malt.

Overall, I'm really happy and will be making it again. I will resist and see how the beer ages, can only get better. :drink:

 

[LeedsBrewer]

hmm... sounds interesting. Might scale it up to 10L and add it to the very long list...

 

[conorm]

Interesting is definitely a good way to describe it. It's my third or fourth non-kit brew and be far my favourite. Still room for improvement tho. One to enjoy with good Mexican steak, like I just did :)

Don't seem to be allowed to insert an image as a new user., so you will have to imagine what it looks like!!

 

[Loetz]

I'm currently making something similar. I made a pretty hefty stout that has attenuated out to 9%, and I plan to pitch the chipotle peppers into the secondary any day now. Is there a reason that you chose to use 2 spoons of it? I still haven't decided how much I will use.

 

[conorm]

Most of the the capsicum will come out of the chillies pretty rapidly. I added 1 tsp to the boil. After it finished, it didn't have the kick I was hoping for, so I stuck another teaspoon in and boiled for another 10mins. I left the chillies in the primary as well to extract the smoky and chilli flavours. The chillies I used weren't true chipotles but were just smoke dried cayenne.... so more heat than a real chipotle. If you are using the real thing I'd roughly chop about 2-3 chillies per gallon brewed. Adding to the primary instead of during the boil takes away the ability to taste and adjust the flavouring. I'd recommend adding during the boil as you will extract 80-90% of the heat and flavour.

 

[Loetz]

The problem with adding peppers to the boil is that it will also extract a lot of oils.
I think you might get more of a vegital taste when boiling as well.

Here is an interesting article on peppers in beer. I don't think it mentions chipotles, but the roasted green pepper beer discussed in the article could be worth a try.

http://www.google.at/url?sa=t&rct=j...up4YRNQwpjvSWRcwQ&sig2=VogHqytRIzdRPGs-Q6NDzg

 

[tazuk]

intresting brew mmmmmmmm :thumb:

 

[conorm]

interesting about the oils, tho the bit about "Chile beers uniformly have poor head retention because of the chile’s oils." doesnt seem to be true of mine, probably because I used a small amount of dried chilli and used wheat malt as a base. Think adding them at end of boil or as wort begind to cool is the compromise.

I have a glass house full of green peppers of various types. Terrible summer so didnt ripen so I cant dry them... might see if there is a suitable way to use fresh green ones in a brew!