American Porter Recipe (All-Grain): 5 to 30 Gallons
An all-grain American Porter recipe you can brew at 5 to 30 gallons: 5.4% ABV and 33 IBU, with the grain bill, hop schedule, yeast and step-by-step process.
In this post
American Porter at a glance: 5.4% ABV, 33 IBU, OG 1.056. A robust American porter: chocolate and coffee from chocolate and black malt, caramel from crystal, and a firm, clean bitterness. Richer and roastier than an English porter, still smooth enough to drink by the pint.
Bräu Supply recipe · All-grain
American Porter
Grain · for 5 gal into the fermenter
| 9 lb (4.08 kg) | Pale 2-row malt | 75% |
| 1 lb (0.45 kg) | Munich malt | 8% |
| 1 lb (0.45 kg) | Crystal 60 | 8% |
| 0.75 lb (0.34 kg) | Chocolate malt | 6% |
| 0.25 lb (0.11 kg) | Black patent malt | 2% |
Hops
| 1 oz (28 g) | Northern Brewer · 8.5% AA | 60 min |
| 1 oz (28 g) | Willamette · 5% AA | 15 min |
Yeast and water
| 1 pkg | American ale yeast (US-05, WLP001 or Wyeast 1056) | |
| Water | Balanced or slightly alkaline water suits the dark malts. If your water is very soft, a little baking soda keeps the mash pH up. | |
Process
- Mash: 154°F (68°C) for 60 minutes
- Boil: 60 minutes
- Ferment: 66°F (19°C) for 10 to 14 days
- Condition: Package when the gravity is stable; best after 2 to 3 weeks
- Carbonate: 2.2 volumes of CO₂
Brew it on
Based on 72% brewhouse efficiency and about 5.5 gal after the boil for a 5 gal batch. Adjust the base malt if your system runs higher or lower. Hops scale in a straight line; larger kettles extract a little more bitterness.
How to brew it
- Mash at 154°F (68°C) for 60 minutes for a fuller body.
- Boil 60 minutes, adding the hops on schedule.
- Chill to 64°F (18°C), oxygenate and pitch the yeast.
- Ferment at 66°F (19°C) until the gravity is stable.
- Package at about 2.2 volumes of CO₂.
Tips
- Black patent gives a sharp, dry roast. For a smoother porter, swap it for dehusked black malt (Carafa Special II).
- For a coffee porter, add 2 oz of coarsely ground coffee to the fermenter for 24 hours before packaging.
- Dark beers pull the mash pH down; see our water chemistry guide if your porters taste sharp or acrid.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a porter and a stout?
They overlap. Porters usually lean on chocolate and black malt for a softer roast; stouts often use roasted barley for a sharper, drier one. See porter vs stout.
What is the difference between American and English porter?
American porter is stronger and roastier, with more hop bitterness. English porter is lighter and softer, more chocolate than coffee. Try our English porter recipe.
Related guides
porter vs stout, how roasted malts change flavour, Baltic porter recipe.