Here we go with another pro-wrestling themed beerski from yours truly, and this one actually won a major award, taking the bronze in the Specialty and Smoked (which apparently includes 34A – Clone Beers) category at the 2020 Dominion Cup. Seeing as it was the first Porter I’d done, I had to name it after one of the greatest United States Champions of all time, the one and only MVP. I also got what I can only interpret as his expressed certified endorsement via Instagram.
Now you all know I love me some ‘Gansett. This beer started life after I stumbled across a Charlie Papazian clone recipe of a Narragansett Porter that Falstaff brought to the GABF back in 1982. His review seemed positively wild to me, particularly the portion where he asserts that this could very well be America’s first dry-hopped beer. Seems like an outlandish statement, but hey, if it’s on the internet then it must be true.
I had to modify the recipe due to ingredient availability. Obviously Bullion hops are still very difficult to find, and I hadn’t yet harvested my first homegrown Cascade hop. I took the descriptors from Charlie’s writeup and found that Palisade (which I had on hand) could make a good replacement. I also didn’t have any black debittered malt, but I did have some Midnight Wheat which would help with the color while not adding too much bitterness. Finally, with Cry Havoc being retired (and me not being able to get Charlie’s Fist Bump that weekend) I went with WLP820 Octoberfest/Marzen Lager Yeast.
Yes, a lagered porter that isn’t Baltic.
It turned out delicious. It was light bodied, roasty, pleasantly hopped, and potentially one of the best beers I’ve ever made. Here’s the recipe.
Cheers!
Montel Vontavius Porter
5 gal batch
33.6 SRM
32.6 IBUs
Est OG 1.063
Est FG 1.012
ABV 6.69%
Grains
9lbs 8oz Marris Otter (3.0SRM
1lb Flaked Corn (1.3 SRM)
8oz Aromatic Malt (26.0 SRM)
8oz Midnight Wheat (744.27 SRM)
4oz Black Patent Malt (500 SRM)
Hops
3/4oz Hallertau – 60 mins
2oz Summit – 5 mins
1oz Cascade – Steep (see instructions below)
1oz Cryo Palisade – 7 days
Yeast
WLP820 Octoberfest/Marzen Lager
Add clarifying agent at 15 minutes left in the boil. Immediately chill to 190°F and add Palisade hops. Allow temperature to fall in ambient temperature (no chilling) to 180°F or 15 minutes, whichever comes first. Chill to 60°F and transfer to fermenter. Aerate well and pitch yeast, putting fermenter in fermentation chamber, use temp control to keep beer temp at 50°F until the gravity reaches 5 points off final gravity (probably 1-2 weeks), then raise temp to 65-70°F, dry hop, and continue to ferment for a week. Transfer to a secondary fermenter and lager, dropping temps to 38°F over the course of four weeks. Transfer to keg and force carbontate to 2.1. Vols CO2.