AHS Whiskey Barrel Porter (12B) - MINI MASH Homebrew Ingredient Kit

I brewed this batch a few weeks ago. The fermentation, in my basement, was pretty slow, so it spent 2 weeks in primary, and 2 weeks in secondary. The oak chips provided actually imparted a lot of whiskey flavor during the secondary. I was a bit worried what adding half a bottle of Maker's Mark would do, but it's AWESOME! I honestly could drink this flat and warm and be happy as a clam. The recipe recommends letting this one age for 4 months, but I really doubt much of it will make it that long. I will definitely make this again.

This is the best beer I've brewed to date. Brewed 4/30/12, bottled 5/25/12 and enjoying it mid September 2012. Extraordinarily vigorous fermentation using dry yeast. My first fermentation in a Better Bottle. Extra head space didn't make a difference. Blow-off tube clogged up twice, made an awful mess, exploded on the walls and the ceiling! Lost three liters due to the mess. The bonus of this fermentation in the Better Bottle was watching it churn - it looked like I had a blender installed inside, the fermentation was going nutso. I knew right away that this brew would be a special one. I let it sit in the primary for two weeks. Transferred to glass carboy for another two weeks with the oak chips. I was real hesitant to dedicate my prized Maker's Mark (9 oz) to the bottling bucket but did it - and do not regret it. It has superb mouthfeel, a delicious aroma, and the Maker's Mark finish seals the deal. If I wasn't living in Central Asia, I would submit this in a competition. I am someone that always looks for a hoppy profile, and I brewed this just to expand my horizons beyond tongue-exploding hop monsters. This beer has made me think differently about porters and this style altogether. This beer is the reason why I homebrew, full stop.