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rwillride17 · 10-06-2006, 08:04 AM

Ok, this will be my third batch, first is in the secondary, second in the primary, and third is my stout that is on deck. Ok, I bought a "kit" from my LHBS store. This is what was included:

8lbs. (2 cans) Alexanders Amber Liquid Malt extract
1/2 pound Chocolate grain
1/2 pound Black Grain
2.75 OZ Cascade 4% AAU Bittering Hops
1/2 OZ Tehnanger 5.3% AAU Finishing hops
irish Moss
1 pack "Dark-Munich-Beer" Vierka-Yeast

What do you guys think? Sound good? Can anyone tell me what the ABV will be? The guy I bought it from said I could decide what grains I want to steep and how much. Should I steep all of the black and Choc grain? Also, do I add the irish moss and finishing hops 15 minutes before the end of the boil? All input is much appreciated!

-Ryan

ayrton · 10-06-2006, 11:47 AM

I really can't answer much about it, but I've made a few stouts now, and I find that fuggles hops do very well in them. That doesn't mean yours won't, of course.

Wolf · 10-06-2006, 02:03 PM

Was this a prepackaged kit or one that he put together for you? I find it odd that he would suggest not steeping all the grains, if it's a prepackaged kit then the grains were put in there for a reason, and there should be an instructions sheet showing when to add your hops and what the ABV should be.
If it was something he put together for you I can't understand why he would sell you the grains if he didn't think you would need to steep them

dougjones31 · 10-06-2006, 02:42 PM

add .5 lb of Crystal 120L
Up the tettnang hops to 1 oz

That will just cost you a few dollars more.

Steep the grains for 30 mins @ 158 degrees(I would throw in 1 cup of quaker oats with the steeping grains to help head retention)

Add the Cascade hops at the beginning of the boil (60 mins)

Add the irish moss with 15 mins left

Add the tettnag hops with 5 mins left

rwillride17 · 10-07-2006, 10:11 PM

Ok, cool thanks alot guys! It was a kit that he put together for me. He called it a "sweet stout." I don't have any extra hops or grain. Also, my housemates and the other people who will be drinking this with me tend to like lighter/less bitter beers. So I think I'll not add any more hops too it. I will add the oats though. Thanks for the help, and I'll let you know how it goes.

When I picked up the kit, he said he included some extra grain, and I could alter it a I liked. So the general consensus is to steep it all and add some oats/

**Yuri_Rage** · 10-08-2006, 01:41 AM

Looks like a pretty solid American Stout recipe - might be just a tad bitter to be called a Sweet Stout if you add all of the bittering hops at the beginning of a 60 minute boil.

Beer Smith came up with the following:
1.061 OG
1.015 FG
36.3 SRM (deep brown, almost black)
50.4 IBU (assuming a 60 minute boil for all bittering hops)
6.0% ABV

Pale Ale Dale · 10-08-2006, 01:26 PM

My hop of choice would be Northern Brewer..

rwillride17 · 10-09-2006, 06:27 AM

thanks all for your help. I look foreward to brewing it on Wednesday when the primary is free again. And thanks Yuri for posting the brewsmith stuff, very helpful.

rwillride17 · 10-09-2006, 09:42 PM

Actually, I have one more quick question. How long should I age it? I will be kegging it. Should I just follow the 1-2-3 formula?

dougjones31 · 10-10-2006, 04:07 PM

1-2-3 is always a good plan. The beer may taste better if it ages longer than 3 weeks thought. You will just have to taste it and see!

One word of advice on Hops.......You said your roomies don't like bitter beer so you would not want to add any more hops.

Well it depends on how long you boil the hops as to how much bitterness they add. I suggested adding tettnang hops to add more Aroma. If you add hops at the last few mins of the boil they add no bitterness.

If you really want to decrease bitterness, I would cut the Bittering hops(the ones that you add at the beginning of the boil.....2.75 OZ Cascade 4% AAU Bittering Hops) Down to 1 or 1.5 oz.

The thing about Stouts is that you use bitter roasted grains in them so they are going to have a bitterness to them. Increasing the aroma hops will help reduce the perceived bitterness.