Recipe – Farvada Brewing – Chocolate Cherry Porter
Though it is winter it certainly doesn’t feel like it with abnormally high temperatures around here and only 2 snow storms the whole season. However, it is that time of year for a nice winter warmer. This porter is great by itself but includes 5 lbs of tart cherries (from cans as they can’t be found fresh around here) and 1 lb of cacao nibs that I added during secondary for a month before kegging. The beer came out quite tasty with the cherry and chocolate notes coming through wonderfully, especially after it opens up and warms up some. This will be entered into my homebrew club competition in February of 2026 so hoping it wins!
Recipe Details
| Batch Size | Boil Time | IBU | SRM | Est. OG | Est. FG | ABV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.5 gal | 60 min | 27.8 IBUs | 25.5478805 | 1.069 | 1.021 | 6.4 % |
Style Details
| Name | Cat. | OG Range | FG Range | IBU | SRM | Carb | ABV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Porter | 20 A | 1.05 - 1.07 | 1.012 - 1.018 | 25 - 50 | 22 - 40 | 2.3 - 2.9 | 4.8 - 6.5 % |
Fermentables
| Name | Amount | % |
|---|---|---|
| Munich Malt | 10 lbs | 67.8 |
| Pilsner (Weyermann) | 2.5 lbs | 16.95 |
| Melanoiden Malt | 1 lbs | 6.78 |
| Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L | 12 oz | 5.08 |
| Carafa Special III (Weyermann) | 8 oz | 3.39 |
Hops
| Name | Amount | Time | Use | Form | Alpha % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Brewer | 1 oz | 60 min | Boil | Pellet | 8.5 |
| Northern Brewer | 1 oz | 30 min | Boil | Pellet | 8.5 |
Miscs
| Name | Amount | Time | Use | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calcium Chloride | 10.36 g | 60 min | Mash | Water Agent |
| Salt | 8.89 g | 60 min | Mash | Water Agent |
| Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) | 4.02 g | 60 min | Mash | Water Agent |
| Epsom Salt (MgSO4) | 3.27 g | 60 min | Mash | Water Agent |
| Chalk | 2.95 g | 60 min | Mash | Water Agent |
| Cherry Puree | 5.00 lb | 14 days | Secondary | Flavor |
| Cacao Nibs | 1.00 lb | 14 days | Secondary | Flavor |
Yeast
| Name | Lab | Attenuation | Temperature |
|---|---|---|---|
| European Ale (WLP011) | White Labs | 68% | 65°F - 70°F |
Mash
| Step | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Saccharification | 152.1°F | 75 min |
| Mash Out | 168°F | 10 min |
Notes
| Added 6 14.5oz cans of tart cherries with the water from the cans as well as 1 lb of cocoa nibs after boiling them briefely to sanitize on 12/11/2025. |
Download
| Download this recipe's BeerXML file |
