american stout

what do you guys think of this american stout recipe? its only for 1 gallon PM

1 # Light LME
8 oz Munich
8 oz Crystal 20
2 oz Chocolate Malt
2 oz Roasted Barley
0.5 oz crushed coffee beans
0.125 oz Northern Brewer (60 minutes)
0.125 oz Northern Brewer (30 minutes)

whadya think?

You have way too much crystal for 1 gallon - it's over 20% of your grain bill. You'll end up with something overly sweet and cloying I think. I'd try to keep it to 10% or under.

I agree. American stouts should be a little dry and very roasty. Try 4oz RB and 2 oz crystal. Shoot for a BU:GU ratio of about 1. Not sure how high the AA is on those hops.

I've done many a small 1gallon batch before (although, never with extract, way easier to just do 1gallon AG batches) and the best way to get a recipe going is to design a full size batch then scale it down. it's all about the percentages.

With that being said, as it is your crystals are at 22% fermentables, WAY too much. I'd cut the crystal to 3oz, which brings you to 9.7% which I consider much more manageable. with 12% total dark roasted grains, it'll be all kinds of roasty, but if you like that, more power to you.

the hops are calculating out on the low end, 32.9 IBUs, but once again, that's a preference thing, I'd probably up the bittering addition to .25oz, this would stick you at about 50IBUs, pretty much dead center for the style.

edit: IBUs are of course dependiant on the AA% of the ones you've got, I was using the default for northern brewer in my beersmith, 8.5%

so you think if i just cut down the crystal 20 so about 2 ozs, this recipe will work? and yea my NB hops are 8.5, so also I will boost that up to .25 oz. that will work?

Pivot said:

so you think if i just cut down the crystal 20 so about 2 ozs, this recipe will work? and yea my NB hops are 8.5, so also I will boost that up to .25 oz. that will work?

Click to expand...

Yup, that'll work great.