Using Port in Beer

never done it or heard of anyone doing it.

1 pint for 5 gallons? I'm trying to figure out what it would taste like in a Dubbel. You have a recipe in mind? Are you using real port (porto) like your pic or something else?

 

Bookmarked. I am also considering brewing up a port infused beer.

 

This is something I definitely plan on doing eventually, probably with an imperial stout but maybe a barleywine. In fact, I'd love to split a batch 3 or 4 ways and experiment with port, rum, scotch and maybe some others. I've done bourbon and apple brandy soaked oak so far but I'm relatively happy with the results. Boil the oak cubes, soak them in the spirit for 1-4 weeks, add oak and spirit to beer in secondary.

Your ratios seem pretty spot on. For 5 gal of a 12% stout, I did 17oz bourbon and 2oz oak. Happy with the flavor, but I had to take the beer off the oak after 1 or 2 weeks to avoid it overpowering the rest of the flavors. I'd consider either boiling the oak longer to take out some of the harsher flavors, or using less and letting it sit longer.

 

Personally, I'm looking at throwing it in a Old Ale.

 

Tried Foley Brothers imperial maple brown ale a couple days ago. The ale was in a Tawny Port Barrel for several months before botteling. It was tremendous. Since I,m not going to buy a barrel, any sugestions on which port to blend in. I have no knowledge on ports.

 

Betty, I'm like you in that I like to keep a bottle of port around to 'get through the winter.' If you are set on using the one that you pictured above, go for it. If you are looking for other suggestions, then one that I've is this one. http://store.nexternal.com/browinery/dessert-wine-c9.aspx The price certainly is right for experimentation without blowing a wad of dough. I have never noticed the aged one that is also on that page and have not tried it, so I can't comment on it.

Looking forward to seeing how your beer turns out.

 

A LBV (late bottled vintage) port might be nice as well. Those frequently come across as more "jammy" vs. a regular port.

I hope this thread will be updated because I would never have thought of using port in a beer and now I am very intrigued

 

Interested in your results. I can't think of a better style of beer to try this with than a dubbel.

 

I used a bottle of Justin Obtuse Port to soak a spiral in before adding it to a Flanders red. I'm really happy with the results. Would definitely love to hear how your dubbel comes out.

 

You might want to look at the Kate the Great thread at that other forum.

 

Have only had a few but love the results and concept. I actually think a double is the perfect vehicle. Keep us posted and I will try something similar and post the results.

 

Personally, I would say to soak the oak in the port for a couple weeks minimum, then add the cubes (chips, whatever) to the beer in secondary, reserving the port. Once you get the oak flavor you want, or close to it, you can then add the port to the beer, tasting frequently, to get that edge of the flavor.
I would stick with the "lower" end ones. I personally like a 10-year tawny I get at Trader Joe's for about $16 a bottle. It a good split between a good port and affordability (obviously it doesn't stand up the the $60, $70 or multi-hundred dollar ones, but it's quite good.

 

I've done it with a part of a batch of a stout I made (FBS clone). I did not brew the beer with the purpose of putting stout into the whole batch. Almost all of the Port sugar was fermented off, leaving a kinda weird fruity flavor mixed with the coffee stout flavors. Not the best, but I could imagine a better base stout that would work.

I prefer just spiking a portion of my stout with Port, but I imagine this could work really well if you could stop fermentation, so the Port does not ferment out completely.