Mr.D's Black Sow Porter

I like Guiness but wanted something with a higher alcohol content and more depth of character. "FOUND IT"

Brewer:	Ken Dunmire		Email:	kjdunmire@yahoo.com
Beer:	Mr.D's Black Sow Porter		Style:	Robust Porter
Type:	Extract w/grain		Size:	5 gallons
Color:	212 HCU		Bitterness:	20 IBU
OG:	1.070		FG:	1.012
Alcohol:	7.5% v/v (5.9% w/w)
Water:	Just good bottled water
Grain:	1 lb. British crystal 135-165L 1 lb. British chocolate
Steep:	Placed bagged grains in 3.5 gallons cold and left in until just before boil, about 200°. Sparged grains with 170° water about 1 quart.
Boil:	90 minutes	SG 1.100	3.5 gallons
	1 lb. 4 oz. Amber malt extract 6 lb. Dark dry malt extract
	1/2 tsp Irish Moss 15 minutes before end of boil.
Hops:	.66 oz. Northern Brewer (7.5% AA, 90 min.) .33 oz. Northern Brewer (7.5% AA, 60 min.) .5 oz. Fuggles (4.75% AA, 15 min.) .5 oz. Fuggles (aroma)
Yeast:	White Labs liquid London Ale
Log:	Plastic primary for 13 days at 65°. Glass secondary for 3 weeks at 65°. I added 1 1/4 cup of Jim Beam and about a cup of vanilla extract at the time of bottling along with 1 1/4 lbs of DME.
Tasting:	It took about 1 month until the beer was conditioned enough to drink. Not to bad at this point, but wait about 2 months and WOW! It has slight chocolate notes and my wife even likes it. I will be trying to recreate this using an all grain method next.

Recipe posted 02/15/04.