Adding thickness to a stout

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scottyg354

Plant Based Homebrewer
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How can I make my stouts body a bit more thicker. It finished at 7.20%. Everything went well with it, the dark chocolate and raisin flavors came through. It needs a bit more aging but I can do that. The only problem I have is that the body really isn't on the heavier side as I would like it to be. Any points on how to make a thicker stout next time around. More flaked barley?

I can post my recipe later on if you like.
 
Was an extract. It's already bottled. It's only been in the bottle about a week and a half. Brewed it back in October. I'm think let it finish carbonating and then try one. I have a bad habbit of jumping the gun and opening up to earlier.
 
I say let it sit in the bottles for another couple weeks and then see what you think :mug: More carbonation will most certainly increase the perception of mouthfeel.

By the way, I also have that bad habit of opening beers too early!!
 
With extract brews, I think your only chance to increase the body would be what CoalCracker said or perhaps to add flaked oats. Carbonation may help a little for mouthfeel, but I don't get a lot of body from it personally.
 
With extract brews, I think your only chance to increase the body would be what CoalCracker said or perhaps to add flaked oats. Carbonation may help a little for mouthfeel, but I don't get a lot of body from it personally.

So your saying its time to by a mash tun? LOL
 
Lots of good advice here. Mash temps would do it, but since it's extract adding malto dextrine would do it. Sounds like it's in the bottle already but next batch! I love a good chewy stout.
 
+1 for maltodex. Maybe bump your mash temps up a degree or two to add dextrines. Being one to try my beers early as well, wait until the beer's full conditioned to make your final call on it actually needing more mouthfeel.
 
malto dextrine or lactose will work for the extract brewer. Lactose will not only add body but some residual sweetness, if you want to go round out flavor as well.
 
Not to Hi-Jack the thread but I do a AG oatmeal stout. I noticed the mash temp has been mentioned a couple of times in this thread. I mash my stout at @152, if I was to raise the temp it will thicken the beer at the end?
 
I did an extract kit for a porter that turned out kind of thin and watery feeling to me until it had been in the bottle for a couple months. Then it "came together" and was great with a nice mouthfeel. Give yours a bit more time before you change up the recipe.
 
Not to Hi-Jack the thread but I do a AG oatmeal stout. I noticed the mash temp has been mentioned a couple of times in this thread. I mash my stout at @152, if I was to raise the temp it will thicken the beer at the end?

In theory, yeah. Higher mash temps = more unfermentable sugar in the wort, thus a higher FG resulting in a beer with more mouthfeel. It's the same idea as adding lactose or maltodex (both unfermentable) so they contribute to a higher FG, etc.
 
Not to Hi-Jack the thread but I do a AG oatmeal stout. I noticed the mash temp has been mentioned a couple of times in this thread. I mash my stout at @152, if I was to raise the temp it will thicken the beer at the end?

Simple answer, yes. More complex answer is still yes but the thicker mouthfeel is from more long chain sugars that are not sweet tasting nor are they fermentable. I have to raise my mash temp because I am missing my FG as the brews I make should end up at 1.014 to 1.016 and I'm getting 1.002 to 1.006 which is way to dry for what I want.
 
+1 for the lactose if its an extract batch. Like everybody has said, nice body and sweetness.
 
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