American Porter is a dark beer with a rich, malt-forward taste profile and moderate hop bitterness. The style is distinguished by a harmonious blend of roast and caramel tastes, with undertones of coffee and chocolate. The bitterness should be mild, and the texture should be smooth and creamy.

This American Porter should have a rich brown color, a creamy head, and a medium-bodied mouthfeel, according to the recipe. The scent should have a roast and caramel flavor with undertones of coffee and chocolate. The flavor should begin with a pleasant sweetness from the malt, then transition to a slight hop bitterness that balances the sweetness. The tastes of roast and caramel should be strong, with a clean and dry finish.

This recipe, in my opinion, should result in a great American Porter that highlights the rich malt characteristics that are the style’s trademark. The use of various malts and hops should result in a beer that is both complex and palatable. This beer’s smooth and creamy texture, paired with its moderate bitterness, makes it an excellent choice for those searching for a rich and fulfilling drink.

Here’s how to make a 5-gallon batch of American Porter using extract:

Beer Ingredients:

• 6.6 lbs. of amber liquid malt extract
• 1 lb. of dark malt extract
• 8 oz. of chocolate malt
• 8 oz. of crystal malt (60L)
• 1 oz. of Willamette hops (bittering)
• 1 oz. of Cascade hops (flavor)
• 1 oz. of Centennial hops (aroma)
• 1 package of American ale yeast (White Labs WLP001 or Wyeast 1056)
• 5 oz. of priming sugar (for bottling)

Brewing Instructions:

1. Heat 3 gallons of water in a large pot to 160°F.
2. Crush the chocolate malt and crystal malt and add them to a grain steeping bag.
3. Place the bag in the pot and steep for 30 minutes.
4. Remove the bag and discard the grains.
5. Add the liquid malt extract and dark malt extract to the pot and stir until fully dissolved.
6. Bring the mixture to a boil.
7. Add the Willamette hops and boil for 60 minutes.
8. Add the Cascade hops and boil for 10 minutes.
9. Add the Centennial hops and boil for 5 minutes.
10. Cool the mixture to 70°F and transfer it to a fermenter. (Ice bath in the kitchen sink will do)
11. Add 2 gallons of cold water to the fermenter to bring the volume up to 5 gallons.
12. Aerate the mixture and pitch the yeast. (Shake the fermenter for about 5 minutes if you can)
13. Seal the fermenter and place it in a location with a constant temperature of 68-72°F.
14. Ferment for 7-10 days or until the specific gravity reaches 1.016.
15. Transfer the beer to a secondary fermenter and age it for an additional 7-10 days.
16. Prime the beer with 5 oz. of priming sugar and bottle it.
17. Age the bottled beer for 2-3 weeks to carbonate and mature.

Estimated Stats:

• Original Gravity: 1.056
• Final Gravity: 1.016
• Alcohol by Volume (ABV): 5.5%
• International Bitterness Units (IBU): 35
• Color (SRM): 25

Finally, this American Porter extract homebrewing recipe is an excellent starting point for creating a superb and well-balanced dark ale. This recipe is intended to be brewed with extract, making it a handy and approachable alternative for both novice and expert homebrewers. A beer with a rich malt flavor profile, mild hop bitterness, and a smooth and creamy mouthfeel should result from the combination of diverse malts, hops, and yeast. The projected stats and analysis of the final brew indicate that this recipe should produce an excellent American Porter that highlights the style’s signature qualities. This beer, with appropriate brewing and age, should be a fantastic choice for people searching for a rich and pleasant drink.

A good commercial example would be Founders Porter.  Cheers and enjoy!