My stout isnt black!

grrtt78 · 01-07-2007, 03:31 AM

I made a sweet stout that is cooling down and about ready to pitch. I had about 3.5 gal of wort and it was a very very dark brown, almost black, but not quite black. i imagine once i add water it will be even less dark. will it get darker with time or is there something i can do to darken it up? here is the recipe

steep grains at about 160 for 50 mins
1/4 lb roasted barley
1/2 lbs 60L crystal malt
3/4 lb chocolate malt
1/4 lb black patent(changed to something else i dont remember. the man at the lhbs suggested it as a substitute bc it was less bitter)

9 lbs light lme
1 oz kent golding bittering
1 oz kent goldings flavor

I want an opaque black.

Cheesefood · 01-07-2007, 03:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grrtt78

9 lbs light lme

Why light? Why not Amber?

All those grains should give you a dark hue. What color is it?

grrtt78 · 01-07-2007, 03:46 AM

i origionally planned amber but the guy at the brew store said light im not sure y. its dark its just not black.

Cheesefood · 01-07-2007, 03:48 AM

How did you cook the grains? Did you sparge them?

grrtt78 · 01-07-2007, 03:53 AM

i just heated them in about a half gallon of water for fifty minutes at 150 degrees. i poured the water in the brewpot and squeezed out the rest from the grain bag. i have another post right now asking how to properly sparge grains. lol

Spyk'd · 01-07-2007, 04:28 AM

My stouts have a pound of roasted barley and a pound of chocolate in them and are quite black. How black?

None more black.

grrtt78 · 01-07-2007, 04:42 AM

will it get darker than it was in the brewpot? if not can i make it darker somehow?

**Yuri_Rage** · 01-07-2007, 04:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grrtt78

will it get darker than it was in the brewpot?

No.

Quote:

Originally Posted by grrtt78

if not can i make it darker somehow?

I wouldn't bother with it. Let this one go as is, and do better next time. If you REALLY feel the need to darken your brew, steep another 1/2-3/4 lb of roasted barley in 1/2 gallon of water. Use that same water to rinse (sparge). Rinse it 3 or 4 times with that water. Add that to the fermenter.

**the_bird** · 01-07-2007, 04:53 AM

Taste it before adding anything - roasted barley is real easy to overdo (as are all dark grains).

**Yuri_Rage** · 01-07-2007, 04:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the_bird

Taste it before adding anything - roasted barley is real easy to overdo (as are all dark grains).

And take that advice.