How to Brew an American Porter (Homebrew Recipe)

Enter the American Porter. It’s a true workhorse of the craft beer world, sitting perfectly in that sweet spot between a Brown Ale and a Stout. It has all the rich, dark-malt character you're craving, but with a clean finish and a hop backbone that keeps it from being heavy.

Understanding the Style: American Porter

A Porter is a historical style, but the American version is a distinctly modern craft creation. It takes the roasty framework of its English cousin and boosts it with cleaner malts and a signature hop character.

• The Roast Profile: Unlike a stout that often relies on the sharp, acrid bite of Roasted Barley, a Porter gets its complexity from a blend of dark malts. This recipe uses Chocolate Malt for smooth coffee and cocoa notes, and a touch of Black Patent Malt for a dry, roasted finish. This combination provides layers of roast without the intensity of a stout.

• What Makes It "American"? Two things really set this style apart from its English counterpart. First, it uses a clean American yeast strain (like Safale US-05) for a less fruity, more malt-forward profile. Second, and most importantly, is the hops. Instead of earthy English hops, this recipe uses a classic American variety, Willamette, for all additions. This provides a firm, clean bitterness and a subtle background of herbal spice that balances the rich malt beautifully.

• Substantial but Not Heavy: While it pours nearly black with a thick, tan head, this beer is surprisingly drinkable. The roast character is assertive but not overwhelming, and the body is robust without being syrupy or cloying. It’s the perfect beer to satisfy a craving for something dark without weighing you down.

A Note from the Clawhammer Team

This recipe is a fantastic introduction to building complex, layered malt bills and learning how American hops can interact with roasted grains. It's a foundational style every homebrewer should have in their repertoire.

📊 Beer Stats

These specifications are based on the provided recipe file.

• Style: 20A - American Porter

• Original Gravity (OG): 1.065

• Final Gravity (FG): 1.013

• ABV (Est.): 6.83%

• IBU: 36.2

• Color (SRM): 37.8 (Very Dark)

• Batch Size: 5.3 Gallons (20.06 L)

• Boil Time: 60 Minutes

• Efficiency: 70%

🌾 Recipe & Ingredients

This recipe is for an All-Grain batch.

Fermentables (Grain Bill)

• 10 lbs (4.54 kg) Riverbend Base Camp Malt

• 1 lb 8 oz (0.68 kg) Riverbend Light Munich Malt

• 12 oz (0.34 kg) Briess Chocolate Malt

• 8 oz (0.23 kg) Black (Patent) Malt

• 6 oz (0.17 kg) Briess Caramel Malt 120L

• 6 oz (0.17 kg) Riverbend Crystal 50L

Hops

• 1.51 oz (42.9 g) Willamette (5.4% AA) @ 60 minutes

• 1.0 oz (28.3 g) Willamette (5.4% AA) @ 15 minutes

• 0.5 oz (14.3 g) Willamette (5.4% AA) @ 5 minutes

Yeast

• 2 packages Fermentis Safale US-05 American Ale Yeast

Miscellaneous (Recommended)

• 1 Campden Tablet (for treating mash water)

• 1 Whirlfloc Tablet

📋 Brewing Instructions

1. Mash: Mash in with 7.5 gallons of water (120v) or 8 gallons of water (240v), targeting a single infusion rest at 153°F (67.2°C) for 60 minutes. (Treat your water with 1/2 Campden tablet).

2. Boil: After the mash, remove the grain baset, and bring the wort to a boil. 

3. Hop Additions: Once a rolling boil is achieved, start your 60-minute timer and add hops as follows:

   • @ 60 min: Add 1.50 ozWillamette.

   • @ 15 min: Add 1.0 oz Willamette and 1 Whirlfloc tablet.

   • @ 5 min: Add 0.5 oz Willamette.

4. Chill: After the 60-minute boil is complete, chill the wort to 69°F (20.5°C).

5. Fermentation: Transfer the chilled wort to a sanitized fermenter, leaving any trub behind. Pitch the two packages of Safale US-05 yeast.

   • Primary: Ferment at 69°F (20.5°C) for 7-10 days.

6. Carbonate: Package the finished beer (keg or bottle) and carbonate to approximately 2.4 volumes of CO2.