Help/info needed for Quilmes Stout clone

**bull8042** · 10-18-2009, 12:34 AM

I have spent six of the last ten weeks in Quilmes, Argentina on business and have fallen madly in love with the local beer. Most notably the Quilmes Stout.
I have found to my dismay that apparently they don't export much if at all. I can't seem to find any examples of this type of Stout anywhere here.
It is very sweet and the flavor is remarkable. I want to brew it since I can't seem to buy anything like it here, but creating a clone is a bit beyond my abilities at this point.
Can anyone please help with some ideas on either a clone recipe or maybe even a commercial example available here in the US? Think of maybe a Guiness without the bitter and very sweet.... Nectar of the Argentinian gods for sure.

Oldsock · 10-19-2009, 02:31 PM

Try some other sweet stouts: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/82/

Once you find one that you like as much that is more common it will be easier to find a clone for it. Good luck.

**bull8042** · 10-20-2009, 10:25 PM

I will have to give some of those a shot. I have tried a few, but none have been as sweet. Thanks for the link.

Martin75 · 02-15-2011, 03:29 PM

Hello Bull8042!
do you speak Spanish? if yes..You may go to http://www.cerveceroscaseros.com.ar/ and try to get a recipe or get in touch in somebody from that Buenos Aires Club, and ask for the Quilmes Stout recipe. They are really nice guys. If I found something I will let you know..
Martin

**bull8042** · 02-15-2011, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martin75

Hello Bull8042!
do you speak Spanish? if yes..You may go to http://www.cerveceroscaseros.com.ar/ and try to get a recipe or get in touch in somebody from that Buenos Aires Club, and ask for the Quilmes Stout recipe. They are really nice guys. If I found something I will let you know..
Martin

Wow! I had nearly forgotten about this thread. In answer to your question, yes, I speak Spanish fluently. I tried to contact the brewers at the Quilmes brewery, but no success. So, through the member list here at HBT, I found an "ex-gringo" that pulled up roots, moved just outside of Buenos Aires, and now owns or runs a couple of breweries there. He is an acquaintance of the head brewmaster in Quilmes and was able to get me a list of the malts and percentages. Whether authentic or not, I don't know. But it was a start.

Caramunich III 3%
Caramunich I 1%
Cara Aroma 5%
Base Malt. 91%

I was a bit disappointed to find out that they use a lot of sweeteners and colorants in their beer. But I gave it a good effort anyway using the info I had. I mashed at 158°F to give me the body and sweetness, but also in the hope of still having a decent ABV in the 6 - 7% range. There was no way to get the color anywhere close to a stout with their malt bill, and was coming up like a brown ale at best. So I had to add some debittered black to get the color close. It put me up around 28 SRM, which was close enough for me.
I really appreciate the link. I will spend a little time there and see if I can learn something. Maybe they can give me some more info for the next attempt at this brew.
If you do come up with something else, I would be grateful if you would let me know.
Bull

Martin75 · 02-15-2011, 09:26 PM

HI Bull
I am glad you found something. Actually we call Quilmes, Kill me..lol because we know what they use to make their beers, and it can kill us..lol. Maybe back in time, Quilmes used to use natural ingredients to brew, but no anymore.
I am from Argentina, but I live in Montreal, Canada. If you speak fluent Spanish and you have a gmail account, you can join the cerveceros caseros email list. There are a couple of guys that they can be consider as a great brewmasters, and like any hombrewer will be more than happy to help you to design the Quilmes Stout clone. Last time that I had it, it was back in 2005 or 2007, so I cannot help you much. If you like stouts, here in Montreal there is a great stout, the St Ambroise Russian Imperial Stout, I hardly recommend you to get one!
One of this days, If I have time I will try to brew the Quilmes Crystal or the stout one, just for my friends, but now I am quite busy working and life..and trying to get a nice barleywine to brew this weekend.
Take care
Martin

**bull8042** · 02-16-2011, 11:02 AM

Hahaha, "Kill me", that is the exact same thing that Alan told me. Argentina to Montreal, that is a huge move. Seems like it would be terribly difficult to leave a beautiful country full of some of the most beautiful women in the world to live in a winter wonderland.
Anyway, I had the Crystal as well, but for whatever reason, I really liked the stout the best. I tried to get into the brewery while I was there, but the guard said that they were no longer doing any tours. Maybe sometime in the future they might start them again.
Funny story: While eating at a local restaurant there, the waitress asked me if I would like some "dulce de leche" for my bread. I was unfamiliar with what she meant exactly, so she brought me some on a small spoon. After tasting it, I told her "Orale, me encanta cajeta". I quickly found out that there are some subtle differences in the Spanish I learned in Mexico versus what is spoken in Argentina.

She was kind enough to let me keep my teeth....

**stratslinger** · 02-16-2011, 11:24 AM

Bull, please do keep us up-to-date on what you're able to find! I also went to Buenos Aires for work a little over a year ago, and I have some pretty fond memories of Quilmes - I think I only had the stout once, but it was definitely a tasty brew!

**bull8042** · 02-16-2011, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stratslinger

Bull, please do keep us up-to-date on what you're able to find! I also went to Buenos Aires for work a little over a year ago, and I have some pretty fond memories of Quilmes - I think I only had the stout once, but it was definitely a tasty brew!

"Fond memories", aaahh yes.... Me too. I loved that place. If I ever go back though, my wife has promised to divorce me.

I will update this if I get anything else useful. In the mean time, I will post my recipe as soon as I get back to my laptop at home.