Balanced, roasty, and delicious. This beer was designed to be similar to Deschutes's Black Butte Porter, but with "more character." I now know that BBP's recipe bears little resemblance, but when I first brewed the original version of this recipe, I had trouble telling them apart (though mine was almost-universally preferred among my friends).

This recipe is very adaptable. It's fine with slightly more or less bitterness/hop character or with slightly more or less base malt. I have experimented with different yeasts, too - I think it's an all-around great porter recipe to mess around with and make your own. I have adapted this basic recipe from a very smooth, sweet, and small (1.050 OG) to big and bold (1.065). It always comes out great. I have also swapped out the crystal and roasted malts with similar subs and the results have always been good. This is a style with a lot of wiggle room for brewers, so make it to your taste.

That said, the version below is what I consider to be the best version of this recipe.

9 lb Maris Otter (any pale ale malt will work)

1 lb British Medium Crystal (Domestic 40-80L is fine, too)

1 lb British Pale Chocolate Malt (12 oz Regular British or US Chocolate is a fair sub)

8 oz Belgian Aromatic Malt (Melanoidin Malt works equally well)

8 oz British Extra Dark Crystal Malt (or Domestic 120L)

8 oz British/US Chocolate Malt (or sub 4-8 oz Black Malt for a roastier porter or 4-8 oz Carafa Special II for a smoother porter)

 .75 oz Columbus/Tomahawk/Zeus 16% AA 60 min

.5 oz Willamette 4% AA 15 min

1 tablet Whirlfloc

1/4 tsp yeast nutrient

 60 min mash at 154F (higher if the yeast strain is more attenuative)

Sparge at 170F

90 min boil

Fermentation temp in mid-range for yeast chosen