BJCP Style for my Stout? and critique!

Type: All Grain Date: 10/6/2012
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal Brewer: KJR
Boil Size: 9.02 gal Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 120 min Equipment: Pot and Cooler (10 Gal/37.8 L) - All Grain
End of Boil Volume 6.76 gal Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Final Bottling Volume: 4.75 gal Est Mash Efficiency 85.1 %
Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage Taste Rating(out of 50): 30.0
Taste Notes: 86F- measured 1.070 *after temp adjustment
10/26/12.: 65F- measured 1.021. Moved to secondary.
64 oz. moved to growler secondary on ~4 oz of roasted cacao nibs. Roasted at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.


Ingredients
Amt Name Type # %/IBU

MALT:

9 lbs 2 Row (American) (3.0 SRM) Grain 1 57.1 %
1 lbs 8.0 oz Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 2 9.5 %
1 lbs Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 3 6.3 %
1 lbs Peat Smoked Malt (2.8 SRM) Grain 4 6.3 %
1 lbs Victory Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 5 6.3 %
12.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM) Grain 6 4.8 %
8.0 oz Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) Grain 7 3.2 %
4.0 oz Black (Patent) Malt (500.0 SRM) Grain 8 1.6 %
4.0 oz Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM) Grain 9 1.6 %
*8.0 oz Amber Dry Extract (12.5 SRM) Dry Extract 14 3.2 %

HOPS:

1.00 oz Warrior [16.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 10 47.3 IBUs
1.00 oz Chinook [11.10 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 11 16.3 IBUs
1.00 oz Perle [8.90 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 12 5.2 IBUs

YEAST:

1.0 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) [50.28 ml] Yeast 13 -


Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.071 SG Measured Original Gravity: 1.073 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.015 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.017 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 7.5 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 7.5 %
Bitterness: 68.8 IBUs
Calories: 250.9 kcal/12oz
Est Color: 40.2 SRM

Mash Profile

Mash Name: Single Infusion, Light Body, No Mash Out Total Grain Weight: 15 lbs 12.0 oz
Sparge Water: 6.08 gal Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F Tun Temperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: TRUE Mash PH: 5.20

Mash Steps
Name Description Step Temperature Step Time
Mash In Add 22.26 qt of water at 165.9 F 152.0 F 75 min

BATCH Sparged.



*added Amber DME after 10 minutes of cooling.

I'm trying to figure out what style this best fits. It's too big to be an oatmeal or a chocolate stout. My version of beersmith doesn't have RIS, but I'd guess the abv is a bit too low. Right now the best fit I've been able to make is as an American Stout.

As far as the beer goes, after 3 weeks in primary it tasted amazing. So good that I decided not to age it on cacao nibs, vanilla beans, and bakers chocolate dissolved in rum.

Let me know what you think of the recipe!

If you can taste the peat, it would have to go into "specialty" or "wood or smoke" beers. But if you added cacao nibs and stuff, it would go into "specialty" since it won't fit anywhere else.

22B Other Smoked Beer

Style 22

The use of Peat smoked malt knocks it out of any of the BJCP Stout categories.

If you wish to compete in BJCP, it would help if you first look over the style guidelines and brew a beer to match the style rather than try to match a beer to a style.

Hmmm, I didn't even consider the smoked category as the Peat malt is not a noticeable flavor. That addition did what I intended in complicating the flavor, without being prominent at all. The flavor of this beer is strongly of dark chocolate. I think the residual sugars and the dark malt flavors have removed any possibility of calling this a "Smoke Beer."

And I agree Wayne1, I always look at the styles first. This beer was planned as a breakfast stout, but after Primary it tasted too good as is to consider making additions to it. I also thought it had enough bitterness so the addition of cacao nibs and coffee seemed like a poor choice. I didn't want to disrupt the already fine balance. To me, not making the additions prevents me from calling it a "Specialty Beer" as Yooper suggests, if I added the ingredients.

As I wasn't using my initial category choice I was just hoping I was missing something and that it might fall into another category. So I posted it here, hoping someone who had more experience with stouts might be able to see what it was. The smoked peat malt wasn't even on my mind.

In may ways this is a double oatmeal stout, but that isn't a real BJCP category. In Jamil's classic styles, the description of oatmeal stout and some of the ingredients he chooses are very similar to this stout. The only problem with this beer for Oatmeal stout, or even American stout, is the ABV. As it isn't noticeable, however, I'm inclined to call this an american stout with a strong chocolate backbone. American Stouts can go either sweet or dry and I think that fits this beer well as there is not a noticeable level of smoke.

Herky21 said:

Hmmm, I didn't even consider the smoked category as the Peat malt is not a noticeable flavor. That addition did what I intended in complicating the flavor, without being prominent at all. The flavor of this beer is strongly of dark chocolate. I think the residual sugars and the dark malt flavors have removed any possibility of calling this a "Smoke Beer."

And I agree Wayne1, I always look at the styles first. This beer was planned as a breakfast stout, but after Primary it tasted too good as is to consider making additions to it. I also thought it had enough bitterness so the addition of cacao nibs and coffee seemed like a poor choice. I didn't want to disrupt the already fine balance. To me, not making the additions prevents me from calling it a "Specialty Beer" as Yooper suggests, if I added the ingredients.

As I wasn't using my initial category choice I was just hoping I was missing something and that it might fall into another category. So I posted it here, hoping someone who had more experience with stouts might be able to see what it was. The smoked peat malt wasn't even on my mind.

In may ways this is a double oatmeal stout, but that isn't a real BJCP category. In Jamil's classic styles, the description of oatmeal stout and some of the ingredients he chooses are very similar to this stout. The only problem with this beer for Oatmeal stout, or even American stout, is the ABV. As it isn't noticeable, however, I'm inclined to call this an american stout with a strong chocolate backbone. American Stouts can go either sweet or dry and I think that fits this beer well as there is not a noticeable level of smoke.

Click to expand...

If you can't pick up the peat, it still doesn't fit in the other categories and you'll get dinged like crazy. I don't think American stout really works, unless it tastes like an American stout exactly.

13E. American Stout
Aroma: Moderate to strong aroma of roasted malts, often having a roasted coffee or dark chocolate quality. Burnt or charcoal aromas are low to none. Medium to very low hop aroma, often with a citrusy or resiny American hop character. Esters are optional, but can be present up to medium intensity. Light alcohol-derived aromatics are also optional. No diacetyl.

Appearance: Generally a jet black color, although some may appear very dark brown. Large, persistent head of light tan to light brown in color. Usually opaque.

Flavor: Moderate to very high roasted malt flavors, often tasting of coffee, roasted coffee beans, dark or bittersweet chocolate. May have a slightly burnt coffee ground flavor, but this character should not be prominent if present. Low to medium malt sweetness, often with rich chocolate or caramel flavors. Medium to high bitterness. Hop flavor can be low to high, and generally reflects citrusy or resiny American varieties. Light esters may be present but are not required. Medium to dry finish, occasionally with a light burnt quality. Alcohol flavors can be present up to medium levels, but smooth. No diacetyl.

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body. Can be somewhat creamy, particularly if a small amount of oats have been used to enhance mouthfeel. Can have a bit of roast-derived astringency, but this character should not be excessive. Medium-high to high carbonation. Light to moderately strong alcohol warmth, but smooth and not excessively hot.

Overall Impression: A hoppy, bitter, strongly roasted Foreign-style Stout (of the export variety).

Comments: Breweries express individuality through varying the roasted malt profile, malt sweetness and flavor, and the amount of finishing hops used. Generally has bolder roasted malt flavors and hopping than other traditional stouts (except Imperial Stouts).

Ingredients: Common American base malts and yeast. Varied use of dark and roasted malts, as well as caramel-type malts. Adjuncts such as oatmeal may be present in low quantities. American hop varieties.

I guess that puts me where I thought I was, out of the style categories. Maybe after it carbonates the smoked peat will become more prominent. Oh well. I'll make another one more to style next time. At least I have a lot of good beer to drink.

Personally I think a pound of peat-smoked malt is a ton- I will bet it will be a prominent flavor when the beer is finished. I'd go with the wood-smoked category for sure.