Pumpkin Porter

[brewwitch]

Hi,

I bottled a pumpkin porter about 2weeks ago. I am sitting here drinking one tonight. Now I realize that it could condition a bit longer and all but it tastes
a little.. I don;t know... burnt.

Now, I did NOT burn the extract or the wort as far as I know. And it does not really taste like burnt sugar but there is a bit of a burnt taste nonetheless.

I used
1 1/2 lb of 6 row malt
1 lb of crushed black patent malt.

light liquid malt extract
amber dry extract
dark dry extract

Could this be from the black patent malt?

other than that, it's not too bad. I do think that the heaviness of the "porter" flavors overwhelm the pumpkin.

I have read that butternut squash works great in a pumpkin Ale
as the flavor is stronger and its a bit sweeter.

[MrNate]

I'd say it could be... 1lb seems like a lot to me.

[gestyr]

I agree. Black Patent can give a roasted/burnt taste.

[JayShaw91]

Yep, that'd be the cuplrit if you ask me. I'm guessing 1/2lb or even 1/4 lb would have done the trick.

[brewwitch]

Thanks. That's what I thought. I followed a recipe in the extreme brewing book. I was thinking if I were to make it again I would use chocolate malt instead, and I wouldn;t use as much!

[beerking]

In addition, many brewers don't crush black patent, just add it whole to the mash, or steep it whole if you are an extract brewer.

[Mill Rat]

I rarely use black patent, leaning on chocolate malts for my porters, brown malt for my brown ales, and carafas for my alts, dunkels and schwarzbiers.

[BrewDog]

In addition, many brewers don't crush black patent, just add it whole to the mash, or steep it whole if you are an extract brewer.

Interesting. I never heard this. Thanks-

[JayShaw91]

Yeah, I never heard that, either.

So what's the purpose of that? Is it to just get the color, or is it to limit the color/flavor extraction?

[Mill Rat]

Not crush it? Why not just use less?

[Otis_The_Drunk]

Rule of thumb, Roasted barley main ingredient (in moderation) in Stouts, Chocolate Malt as main ingredient in Porters.
Personally I don't use Roasted barley in my porters, I use chocolate malt and a little black patent if needed.

I rarely go over a 1/4 lb of roasted barley even in a stout recipe.