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BrewTownBeginner · 12-03-2009, 09:11 PM

Certainly worth trying. You may get some interesting flavors with the Chocolate malt and vanilla working together - assuming the chocolate flavor wasn't too overwhelming. I would cut the coffee out completely if she complains of a "burnt" taste. Its funny - my brother actually refers to coffee as "burnt water". Give it a shot. Afterall, you have to keep the ladies happy.

BrewTownBeginner · 12-03-2009, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pappers

I worked out an extract version on Beersmith and added it to the thread here http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f68/singing-boys-cream-stout-149551/#post1716942

If you decide to add coffee to your steeping grains, I would reduce the roasted barley - roasted barley gives a coffee-like flavor and aroma.

Thanks a lot for the conversion/advice Jim. I'm going to check this out after work today and make final decisions before brew day on Saturday!

Thanks all, I'll keep you posted on how it turns out.

BrewTownBeginner · 12-03-2009, 09:31 PM

One more question - Where can I get vanilla beans?! LHBS? Supermarket?

Jewrican · 12-04-2009, 02:15 AM

either. they are at my lhbs and in the spice isle in the grocery store. i think you can get them much better priced at a wholesale market like costco as they are not all that cheap.

colkrausen · 12-04-2009, 04:15 AM

Vanilla beans sound great!

Two beans should satisfy a five gallon batch. Be sure to slit them, open them, scrape the insides, chop it all up, and put all of it into the brew. Some folks soak the choppings in vodka for a day to sanitize them without boiling.

As nnatic said, vanilla beans are not cheap, probably $3-4 per bean at the low end.

Let us know how that turns out.

mr_clean · 12-04-2009, 05:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pappers

I worked out an extract version on Beersmith and added it to the thread here http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f68/singing-boys-cream-stout-149551/#post1716942

While it is a good recipe,i would use White Labs London ale for the yeast

jackson_d · 12-04-2009, 12:37 PM

I would do a pound or at least .75 pound of roasted barley. The beer will be sweet and the roasted barley will help it not be overwhelmingly sweet. I have an obsession with creating the perfect milk stout recipe and have been working on it for a while. Sorry- cant post my recipe, but I can tell you I use a pound of roasted barley. Also I use 2 pounds of oats. Some munich malt would be nice too.. Good luck!

**Pappers_** · 12-04-2009, 01:26 PM

Clean - any choice within the English family makes sense, I think, I've used the WL London and English in stouts before (although not with the cream stout recipe) with good results, and the Windsor worked well, too.

Jackson - I completely agree, that's what I meant earlier about being careful with the balance if you remove the roasted barley, or add coffee without reducing the roasted barley. Balance is really important in cream stouts, in my opinion.

Jackson, I now have a mental picture of you up there in Wicker Park, obsessively perfecting your recipe in your bunker, ever-vigilant against prying eyes stealing the secret formula . . .

jackson_d · 12-04-2009, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pappers

Jackson, I now have a mental picture of you up there in Wicker Park, obsessively perfecting your recipe in your bunker, ever-vigilant against prying eyes stealing the secret formula . . .

I have a metal briefcase handcuffed to my left wrist... It has an optical scanner on it and a self destruct switch.. Just in case...

Myself, I prefer S-05 or 1056. Nice clean american yeast. But an english yeast is normal for the style too. Do one batch wih one yeast, and then next brew day, do another batch with the other yeast. Then you can compare.

BrewTownBeginner · 01-19-2010, 06:49 PM

Hey guys,
I'm not sure if anyone is still following this or not, but I finally got to try the first bottle of my Vanilla Milk Stout. All in all, I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. It has a good vanilla taste and nice mouth feel. I may have overdone it a bit with the vanilla. Being a big fan of vanilla, I decided to go with three beans in secondary fermentation. In the future I would probably stick with two or at least increase the roasted barley to balance it out a bit (I should have listened to you Jackson D). That being said, I think this is still my favorite brew thus far and I will certainly brew it again with minor tweaks to hopefully perfect it! Thanks to everyone who provided me info and feedback.

Cheers!
Kyle