A Dark, rich and toasty American style porter with bold espresso, burnt cocoa and authentic coffee notes.

The porter is one of the original dark beer styles, originating in London in the early 18th century as a working-class favourite. Named for the porters who carried goods along the city streets, the style was prized for its robust, malty character and easy drinkability. English porters were dark, roasty, and balanced, often featuring chocolate and caramel notes from the roasted malts.

When the style crossed the Atlantic, American brewers began adapting it to local tastes, creating the American Porter. This version retained the dark malt backbone but embraced more pronounced hop character, often with American hop varieties, giving it a slightly brighter, bolder profile than its English predecessor. Over time, American porters became a canvas for experimentation, including adjuncts like chocolate, vanilla, and, most relevant here, coffee.

Vitals

Original Gravity: 1.058
Final Gravity: 1.015
IBU (Tinseth): 26
BU/GU: 0.44
Colour: 60 EBC 

ABV: 5.6%
72% efficiency
Batch Volume: 21 L
Boil Time: 60 min

Mash Water: 19.7 L
Sparge Water: 10.37 L
Total Water: 30.07 L
Boil Volume: 25.92 L
Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.051

Mash

Sacc Rest — 67 °C — 60 min
Mash Out — 75 °C — 15 min

Malts (5.4 kg)

3.8 kg (70.4%) — Joe White Maltings Pale Malt, Traditional Ale — Grain — 5.9 EBC
750 g (13.9%) — Joe White Maltings Munich, Dark — Grain — 29.5 EBC
400 g (7.4%) — Joe White Maltings Crystal — Grain — 142 EBC
300 g (5.6%) — Joe White Maltings Chocolate Malt — Grain — 750 EBC
150 g (2.8%) — Weyermann Carafa Special I — Grain — 630 EBC

Hops (65 g)

35 g (22 IBU) — Willamette 5.5% — Boil — 60 min
30 g (4 IBU) — Willamette 5.5% — Boil — 5 min

Miscs

2 g — Calcium Chloride (CaCl2) — Mash
1.5 g — Chalk (CaCO3) — Mash
0.4 g — Epsom Salt (MgSO4) — Mash
1.9 g — Gypsum (CaSO4) — Mash
1.27 g — Calcium Chloride (CaCl2) — Sparge
0.95 g — Chalk (CaCO3) — Sparge
0.25 g — Epsom Salt (MgSO4) — Sparge
1.21 g — Gypsum (CaSO4) — Sparge
1 items — Whirlfloc — Boil — 15 min
500 ml — Espresso/Strong Black Coffee — Primary

Yeast

2 pkg — Fermentis S-04 SafAle English Ale 75%
2 pkg - Lallemand (LalBrew) Nottingham
1 pkg - Bluestone San Diego

Fermentation

Main Ferment — 20 °C — 8 days

Carbonation: 2.4 CO2-vol

Water Profile

Ca2+: 82
Mg2+: 2
Na+: 8
Cl-: 53
SO42-: 63
HCO3-: 109

Brew 500mL of Espresso or Dark, Strong Black Coffee, the fresher the better and add to your fermenter on day 5. Make sure to allow boiling coffee to cool before adding to fermenter. If you'd prefer you can soak coffee beans in bourbon, rum or whiskey for 3 days prior to adding to the fermenter then add both the beans and spirit into the fermenter.

Age for 4-6 weeks before drinking, extended maturation times will help to mellow out the flavours and create a more well rounded finish.