About to brew up my stout...

I do this like three times a year in a ten gallon batch. Most often it is in the winter and spring (hah, who am I kidding, I have only done it three times total), because of the fermentation temp control and whatnot. So I like to make it nice and roasty, fairly American styled and with a good amount of that dark stout flavor. I am going to go with 90% the same recipe as the last one that I made. The differences being that I will be using all American Two Row and zero British Two Row like in the past. As I say, lots of roast and lots of that delicious stout flavor.

Dark Knight Stout\
10 Gal
OG 1.048-1.050 / FG 1.016 / SRM 40 / IBU 30

16lbs American Two Row
2.63lbs Flaked Oats (1 Container of Quaker Oats)
1lb Chocolate
1lb Roasted Barley
.75lb Black Patent
.5lb Crystal 60L

.8oz Magnum (45 Min)
.8oz Centennial(45min)

2 packets S-04

157 mash temp for 45min, 60 minute boil, cool to 80*f and then pitch the packets right into the wort without rehydration. Ferment at around 62* for 7 days and then raise the temp to 75* for three days. Rack into the keg and start serving at a nice and low pressure. There is an abundance of head, some great roasty flavors and a lot of creaminess.

This is what I call the perfect stout. It is low in alcohol at 4.9%, the perfect bitter from hops and then more from the roasted barley, and then a great malty background. I love this beer and it is great after another two months of aging.

Good luck to those that follow, I will be enjoying this for sure. I have decided not to put this in the recipe section only because there are an abundance of great stouts already. Maybe I will put it in there one day, but until then, here it is:rockin: Enjoy

I would be wary of pitching yeast at 80 degrees, seems like you could get some off-flavors from starting off the yeast that hot. Generally I avoid pitching the yeast above my fermentation temperature, fermentation is exothermic so it can push the temp higher before the wort has a chance to cool.

Other than that it looks like a killer recipe.

Ahh my good sir, I have done this often as my fermentation area always lies well below the 68*f temp that everyone aims for. If I didn't and when I don't pitch at this temp, it is below 60*f before the next morning. Thanks for the info though I also enjoy pitching closer to 75*f on an everyday pitching because during the summer I am looking at close to a 62*f ambient temp that I ferment in. The most off flavors that I have noticed come later in the fermentation. Not as much when they are just starting up the yeast. Good point to bring up though

Also, for those of you that may follow, I hope that like cooking you see my recipe as a starting point and then realize that your environment will be different. I really like this beer and you should use the recipe, just maybe not the process. Taylor it to your needs and likes.

Again, good luck!