OLFABRIKKEN PORTER

[mediumsk]

tasting my clone of pullman brown ale has got me thinking about trying to clone some of my favorite malty beers.
all day at work i devised my plan to buy an olfabrikken, take really good notes and then post a recipe to have y'all critique, unfortunately i got the the last bottle at my beer store, and its tasting really oxidized and different from previous bottles. so this is from a shitty example and good memories.

"A dark and rich porter which is roasted without being burned or bitter.
Flavor is dominated by dried fruits with vinous notes.
High amounts of residual sugars and a fruity aroma makes this beer
the perfect companion for chocolate desserts,
if served lightly chilled.
Brewed on Maris Otter ale malt, British Brown Malt, chocolate malt
roasted barley, two types of caramel malt and brown sugar.
Ølfabrikken Porter is, of course, unpasteurized, unfiltered
and cask conditioned like all of our beers.

brewery beer info
ABV 7.5
F.G. 1.029
S.G. 1.085-1.086
A.A. 64%- 65%
IBU 45

my initial recipe

80% Eff
7.25 Boil
5.25 final volume
rager

10# Maris otter 2.5L
1.25 British Brown 70L
1.25 honey malt 15L
1.25 Carastan 37 37L
.75 british chocolate 500L
.75 british roast barley 500L

6oz. black strap molasses @ 5 minutes

150 mash

.75oz chinook @ 12% AA -@- 60min
.25oz Cascade@ 6% AA -@- 15min

3 packs Wyeast 1318 @ 66-69 degrees

comments are really appreciated,especially if you've had one recently.
honey malt seems like it might be a bit high idunno.
I'm terrible with hop subtlety, so what i picked was somewhat random,
there is a definite tang from the bittering but no noticeable hop aroma or mouth feel, which is why i chose chinook.

anyways, thanks in advance for any help

-paul

[Bugeater]

I'm surprised you were able to find a bottle of this at all. This was one of my all time favorite porters. About a year and a half ago at GABF I was talking with a brewer from Denmark and happened to mention this beer. He told me that Olfabrikken had recently been bought by another larger brewery (I don't remember the name now) which then pretty much cannibalized the product line. They kept of few of the beers but completely ceased production of the rest of the Olfabriiken line. The remaining ones, including the porter, were reformulated and were no where near the quality they once were.

It sounds like you got one of the old bottles. I do hope you can come up with something close to the original as it was such a great beer. Good luck!

Wayne

[Phil_L]

I'm surprised you were able to find a bottle of this at all. This was one of my all time favorite porters. About a year and a half ago at GABF I was talking with a brewer from Denmark and happened to mention this beer. He told me that Olfabrikken had recently been bought by another larger brewery (I don't remember the name now) which then pretty much cannibalized the product line. They kept of few of the beers but completely ceased production of the rest of the Olfabriiken line. The remaining ones, including the porter, were reformulated and were no where near the quality they once were.

It sounds like you got one of the old bottles. I do hope you can come up with something close to the original as it was such a great beer. Good luck!

Wayne

Wayne, you hit it on the head. The original was a frikken awesome beer. one of my all time faves.
the newer, a shadow of it's former self.

but, I hear they are getting close to where they were again.

P.

[boobookittyfuk]

I've had this beer a couple of times...and i can still get it....but I think that I can make a better porter than they make theirs.

I think you should raise your mash temp to at least 154 and as high as 156. This beer is what I would call a cloyingly sweet porter. If you do it at 150, you'll end up way to dry.

I'd also not use the roasted barley. Roasted barley is for stouts. Replace it with 1/4 to 1/2 pound black patent. IF you go with 1/4 BP, then add 1/4 pound of crystal 120L.

For hops, I'd try using English varieties...if you wanted to have fun with it, I think that german hops go nice in porters.

for yeast, I like Wy1098....but thats just me. I saw in your recipe that you figure ~60% attenuation...Wy 1318 attenuates 71-75%. You are going to want to raise your mash temperature or this yeast will attenuate the beer too much.

I can post my robust porter recipe if you want....its won lots of medals.

[boobookittyfuk]

I can post my robust porter recipe if you want....its won lots of medals.

I know that this is off of your intent for the Olfabrikken...but here's my recipe that is more of an Edmund Fitgerald like Porter (but with my tweeking).

10lbs Briess 2-row
1lb C20
1lb Kiln Coffee Malt
1/2lb UK chocolate
1/2lb munich
1/4lb black patent

1oz Bullion (9.1aa) 60'
1oz progress (6.0aa) 20'
1oz progress 10'

Wyeast 1098 (no starter)
OG = 1.058
FG = 1.010
mash at 150F

I entered it into two competitions. It took first place in category both times....and took 1st place BOS in one of them.