Porter Recipe

[HebridesRob]

I have some mild ale malt to use, as I'm coming to the end of a barrel of mild I don't want to make another. I'm saving my pale malt for American & English IPAs, which I want to bottle. So I'm thinking of a "Brown Porter" style beer using Mild Malt that can go into my barrel. I can't think of a problem with this but it seems not to be done as far as the recipes I've looked at is concerned.
More or less following this beer style guide...
http://www.bjcp.org/2008styles/style12.php
...the recipe I've put together is trying to achieve moderate roastiness with chocolate and a significant caramel, nutty character. Going for a subtle smokiness beneath this. Bitterness will be around 30 IBU, which is towards the higher end for the style. Any comments on this? I'm interested in whether anyone thinks I need different mash temp, more roast malt. Also open to suggestions for alternative hops & yeast. I have EKG, Target, Willamette, SO4, GV12 that could be suitable.
Brown Porter; 22l Batch; SG approx 1.045; Mash Temp 68c
Grain bill:
3.5 Kg Mild Malt
500g Dark Crystal Malt
250g Aromatic Malt
200g Low Colour Chocolate Malt
100g Medium Peat Smoked Malt
50g Patent Black Malt
Hops:
25g each of Northern Brewer & Fuggles
Yeast:
Danstar Nottingham.

 

[clibit]

You maybe want medium crystal for a caramel flavour, dark crystal is more burnt toffee. Which might suit you.

I think the Nottingham is fine. I tend to break style with these types of beer, I like bitterness in my beers, so I aim for around 40 IBU s, to balance the sweetness. But that's my taste.

 

[HebridesRob]

Thanks for the reply.
I'd be content with the toffee flavour so I'll stick with the dark crystal.
Hops wise, I take your point, I'll split the difference and go with 30g of each = 35 IBU (ish). I've made some pretty low hopped beers so it would make a change.

 

[clibit]

I think I'd use dark crystal myself. Or half and half perhaps. I like dark crystal in dark beers, and it goes well with black malt.

 

[HebridesRob]

Well, that's made. Brewed, cooled, yeast pitched and sitting in my newly constructed brew fridge. Loads darker than I expected, which is a good thing because I worried it would be too pale. The colour is within style. I got 22.5 litres, OG is 1.052 the extra gravity partly down to me adding some torrified wheat.

Don't ask me how many IBUs though. :-P

 

[ManseMasher]

Last one I did I put some licorice and treacle in it. Bloody lovely!

 

[HebridesRob]

Last one I did I put some licorice and treacle in it. Bloody lovely!

I'm sure the treacle was my suggestion. I wouldn't have thought of licorice, though. As it happens, I was contemplating using some treacle to prime, think it's most likely I won't.