Too much of a good thing?

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othevad

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Hey guys.
I started brewing about 4 months ago and I'm now on a complete brewing rampage (much to the wife's chagrin =D
I don't understand too much of the science behind the grains and ingredients yet, but I wanted to try to make (kind of my own) recipe which takes parts from some different stout clones of beers that I really enjoy.

So anyway, I am considering making a chocolate oatmeal milk stout. Sounds thick and mega yummy, I just wonder if I might be going a touch overboard.
Recipe that I'm working on is something like this.
8lbs pale 2row
1lb chocolate
1lb crystal
1lb oats
1oz kent goldings (60min)
1oz kent goldings (15min)
1lb lactose (15mins)
1/2 cup cocoa (10mins)

Not sure on yeast yet, but I'm assuming an WL002 or a WL007 (I think 002?)

Like I said, I don't really understand the finer points of everything yet, but I wanted to mess around and do something that is kind of a hybrid between a young choco stout and a sammy smith oatmeal.

Thoughts?
-Evad Nomenclature
 
Without the signature for stouts: roasted barley, you have more of a robust porter. Looks like your approach is a pound of this and a pound of that. Doesn't make for a balanced beer. I'd recommend you get a few more batches under your belt before branching out.
 
WLP 023 burton ale yeast is rockin' with oatmeal stouts, just get a good starter prepared and dig out your blowoff tube!

I must agree that 1/2 lb roasted barley is requisite, then add 1/2 lb chocolate malt or chocolate wheat malt to get the flavor profile. But you'll probably need 10 lb 2-row to bring down the % of roasted malt and prevent it from being too roasty.

Also I've found 1/2 lb of victory malt is great in oatmeal stouts I've made, along with some flaked barley to thicken it up even more!
 
I was looking for some roasted barley in the recipe as well.

I disagree with waiting before trying your own thang though. My first brew was a hybrid recipe of my own after reading lots and lots of material and recipes. Since then over the last few years I've brewed almost all recipes that I tailored to my liking.

To me that's part of what I love about brewing and it's helped me learn what contributes what as I've often based recipes off of previous batches or a known base with different hops. Be ready to like batches to varying degrees, but I haven't made one that wasn't worth drinking.
 
Thanks guys. That's all I'm really looking for is the suggestions. I found that some of the recipes I was looking at didn't have roasted barley and that is one ingredient that I have yet to brew with. The Lb. of this lb. of that thing was actually taken from one of the recipes that I looked at (I wish I could reference them now, but I'm at work and don't have time to look!)

I'm heading to the LHBS tomorrow to check some stuff out before I do it anyway. I'll grab some roasted barley to add to the grain bill. I have a friend of mine that stopped homebrewing and gave me about 100 lbs of grain, so that's why I'm on the rampage right now. Experimenting is totally cool w. me since it isn't costing me much to do the batches with all the free stuff lol =)

Any other things let me know. thanks much
-Evad Nomenclature
 
I agree, branch out all you want! I've made a stout accidentally with like 2 lbs of roasted barley and a lb of chocolate malt, it was super black and at first tasted like ash. But after a while, hey it's not too bad, it's drinkable :)

And now I know for sure that that isn't the type of beer I'd want to make again. Gotta make mistakes to improve.

I'd agree though that this would be porter'esque without some roasted grains, a dark and mealy porter though!
 
I love roasted barley and find it smoother than chocolate malt. The base of my stouts lately is 1# roasted and #2 flaked. I've then mucked with the chocolate, black, and oats as I've played around with things.

The flaked barley does wonders for the mouthfeel and head.
 
Thanks again guys, I'm gonna do some poking around at the LHBS tomorrow and see what I can do. And nope, not selling the grain. It's all going in me and my friends collective bellies =D
 
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