I've been brewing with canned extract kit's with good results and was wondering if anyone might know what i could use to give my John bull Stout batch a creamier taste....
Oatmeal is the way to go for smoothness. My oatmeal stout recipe calls for only 1/2 lb but I bumped it up to 1 lb for this latest batch and was surprised at the increase in smoothness. Give oatmeal a shot.
You might want to consider using some Malto dextrin. I have used it in a few stouts and it gives great body and seems to help with head retention, with out adding any residual sweetness. Usually all you need is 1/2 lb per five gallons, depending on the desired the desired results.
If you want to avoid steeping, maltodextrin powder will add mouthfeel and lactose sweetness. But, it's tough to beat a half pound of oatmeal and since it's a stout, who will notice the starch haze?
Maybe try brewing a couple of extra quarts of wert and can it in Masons jars.
I find that priming with wert gives a 'creamier' swallow.
That and maybe stick to one temp infussion mash. Wandering around the thermometer during mash-in can make those sugars available to yeast and will be fermented making a drier style of beer.