Beernoob here.
I'd like to make this my second batch.
I'd also like to have any idea what to do with these recipes, as I've only used the Mr. Beer kit. Feel like I'm confident enough to switch to extract/grains but I don't know where to start.
does anyone have either A) a step by step for this brew or B) something that will tell me when to add what ingredients? Which ones to boil, and for how long, and which ones to just add to the wort, etc?
Thanks in advance to anyone who replies to this, from all the replies it seems like this is a tasty stout. Ought to blow Young's double chocolate out of the water.
Although this is a great beer, if you don't have any extra equipment I would hold off till you get your pipeline going because this one needs to sit a while. With that being said, here you go:
Terms: Crushed grains= Carmel/Crystal malt, Chocolate Malt, Roasted Barley.
Hops= German Magnum, but you can use any magnum (i.e. Yakima)
Yeast= OP recommends the Wyeast 1450 but you may have difficulty finding it. I used the 1028 London Ale and am very happy with it. 1056 is also a possibility per the OP.
Before anything It is recommended that you make a starter a day ahead of time. Follow these instructions here:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/Starter
1. Bring approximately 2 gallons of water to approximately 165-168 degrees in your brew pot.
2. While that is heating up add all of your crushed grains (have your LHBS crush them when you buy it) to a muslin bag or nylon straining bag (I like these because they are reusable). Don't forget to tie off the top of the muslin bag.
3. When you have reached that temperature, add the bag of grains to the water. The temperature should drop 10-15 degrees, this is ok. Try to maintain a temperature of approximately 150-155. To do this you can occasionally turn the heat back on.
3a. While it is steeping, bob the bag up and down a few times like a tea bag.
3b. Steep for 30 minutes total
4. While your grains are steeping, bring another pot of approximately 1 gallon of water to 170 degrees.
5. After the 30 minutes of steeping, take the grain bag out and let drain over the pot for as long as you can stand it or until it is just dripping. DO NOT SQUEEZE THE BAG.
6. After draining, place the bag of grains in the pot of 1 gallon/170 degree water and steep (really this is more like sparging) for 10 minutes.
7. After the 10 minutes, drain as above then discard the grains.
8. Add the 1 gallon of sparge water to your 1st pot (brew pot) that had the 2 gallons of water originally.
9. Bring your brew pot to a boil.
10. When it reaches a boil, turn off the heat and add the Wheat Dry Extract and the Amber Dry Extract. Be sure the extract dissolves completely and is not stuck to the bottom.
11. Bring your brew pot back to a boil. Once boiling, add all of the hops. Be careful because the mixture will foam for a few minutes when you add the hops. You don't want a boil over- SWMBO will be pissed, besides you could get hurt.
11a. Edit: You could add the hops to a small muslin bag first and then add that to the pot.
12. Boil for 50 minutes.
13. Then add the Lactose and the Whilfloc tablet.
14. Continue boiling for another 5 minutes and add the yeast nutrient.
15. Boil for the last five minutes.
16. Cool the wort to 70 degrees then strain out the hops as you pour the mixture into your fermenter.
16a. EDIT: Add enough water to fill the fermenter to 5 gallons., MIX REALLY WELL FOR 2 MInutes.
16b. EDIT: Take a hydrometer reading, this is your OG ______________________
17. Add the yeast/starter to the fermenter
18. Put on the lid/air lock and let ferment for 28-30 DAYS.
18b. EDIT: After fermenting, take a hydrometer reading, this is your FG_______________________
19. Bottle/Keg as usual and let sit for another 28-30 Days.
20. Refrigerate and consume as usual.