Is there a "Light"er Stout?

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Joined
Jan 7, 2013
Messages
370
Reaction score
20
Location
Louisville
I want to brew a stout, and I think I might like some of them, (friends love 'em), but the only real comparison I have is a Guiness Stout. To me its like liquid roast beef. (not a fan)

I'm trying to search out a "thinner" or lighter stout variety, or is that an oximoron? Cream stout maybe?

Thx, B
 
Guiness is one of the lighter, easier drinking stouts around. You could try a sweet stout but I suspect you just don't like stout.
 
Could do a schwarzbier if you can lager. Not a stout but same characteristics and usually lighter body.
 
Like you said, you might try a milk stout and see if you like it. Why do you want to brew something you don't like?
 
Like bob3000 said, Guinness (I assume you mean Draught) is a super thin and dry stout (it's even classified as a Dry Irish Stout). Many people perceive the nitrogenation of it as adding a lot to the body. It has less calories and the same amount of alcohol by volume as Bud Light.

"Light stout" is in fact an oxymoron.

In terms of color, perhaps. Body and taste? Not so much. See: Guinness Draught.
 
Go to the beer store and buy stouts. See if you like any of them. I'd agree that Guinness is probably the lightest stout I've ever had. I used to hate it when I was younger, because there was so much flavor. I tried one after really getting into craft beer and stouts, to see if maybe I'd like them now. Now I think they just taste watered down. Of course I like my stouts very thick and full of flavor. I think the best ones pour like motor oil.
 
Yes...Dry Irish Stout. Murphy's would be another one to consider. Comes on nitro in the can, so has a bigger mouthfeel, but is actually fairly thin and about 4% ABV.

So, pretty light (gravity-wise) but not color-wise. Of course, you can make it as flavorful or flavor lacking as you like...mine has more flavor than Murphy's but less of the smoke than Guiness, and less hop than American stouts.
 
Not really a stout by any stretch, but an english mild is IMO a light roasted beer with light alcohol. I don't think it could be considered heavy, thick, or overly roasted by any standard. The typical chocolate malt is not quite the same roasted flavor profile as roaster barley, but some chocolate is typically used in stouts so there's a little crossover. I think it might be a compromise to help get you into roaster beers.
 
Like you said, you might try a milk stout and see if you like it. Why do you want to brew something you don't like?

I don't want to brew something I don't like, I'm thinking that there is something out there that I'd love I just haven't tried yet, as I'm learning, there are a LOT more stouts than I thought!
 
Guinness is also served on nitro... Maybe it's that that you don't like about it more than it being a "dark beer." I not a big Guinness fan, but I love Stouts. The majority of commercial craft breweries brew at least one stout. I'd suggest trying one that isn't anything like Guinness and then see what you think. There really isn't one that is lighter since it kind of goes against the style. Some are sweeter/creamier and have less/more body. If you are looking a just brewing a "dark" beer maybe try a Black IPA or a Brown Ale of sorts. Some of them can be nearly black.
 
Continuing on oceans11's thoughts, you might also look at a Brown Porter. Pick up a Sam Smith Taddy Porter if you can and see if that's something you like.
 
Look around for Lions Stout. It is a type of stout known as a tropical stout. They were brewed usually with lager yeast, and are meant to be drunk in the tropics, so they are lighter than most stouts, or at least less bitter, which makes it more palatable.

Lion%20Stout.jpg


A Tropical Stout is a subset of ‘Foreign Extra Stout.’ These beers were originally brewed to be shipped to the tropics, and then developed a character of their own once they began to be brewed in countries such as Sri Lanka, Brazil and Ethiopia. Big, smooth, and a little sweet – they have all the roasty taste of other Stouts, but are ‘de-bittered’ to remove some of the harsh, bitter tannins found in heavily roasted dark beers. Very light on the hops. Warm fermentation gives these beers a fruity quality you don’t often see in Stouts.

I did some work on trying to clone it, or at least come up with a decent version of the style here.

Another thing, look for Guinness's Foreign Export Stout, which is similar. See if you like that.

guinness-FES.jpg


But for sure, try Lion and see if that appeals to you.
 
Try a dunkelweizen. Its a dark tan beer and has some of the malt notes, but not nearly as "thick" as Guiness. BTW, I'm a fan of both Guiness and dunkelweizen.
 
Taddy Porter would be a possibility. It is one of my favorites, though I'm not sure it is any thinner than Guinness, except that not being on nitro it may seem thinner--it is really hard to get thinner than Guinness and still be beer. Sorry, but Guinness is what I drink when I want something that won't fill me up.
 
I'd try an oatmeal stout. These can be a little sweet, but a lower strength one usually isn't really bitter or stouty. I know of people that don't like Guinness at all, but enjoy a mild oatmeal stout.
 
I want to brew a stout, and I think I might like some of them, (friends love 'em), but the only real comparison I have is a Guiness Stout. To me its like liquid roast beef. (not a fan)

I'm trying to search out a "thinner" or lighter stout variety, or is that an oximoron? Cream stout maybe?

Thx, B

Explaining what you mean by "thinner" or "lighter" would help. Are you talking about the mouthfeel or the flavor? If your problem is more about the flavor being too roasty/bitter, that would lead you one way. If you problem is with mouthfeel, that would lead in another direction.
 
I guess what I mean is that I think they "feel" thick to me, viscosity-wise. I don't like the bitterness that I've experienced, but again, that was earlier, my tastes probably have changed; I need to check out a Lion Stout
 
If your problem is with the mouthfeel, you can make yourself stouts that you will like. Others will chime in as well, but the thickness of a Guinness comes from two sources -- it includes flaked barley in the mash and they use nitrogen as part of the carbonation. You do not have to worry about the nitrogen aspect because you won't be carbonating with it. You can brew a stout that does not have the flaked barley (or a lower quantity of flaked barley) and it will not have a thick mouth feel.

As an example, in my first attempt to brew a German Altbier, I added more black malt than I should have. I ended up with a beer that was almost as dark as a stout and had a bitter/roasty flavor that was approaching a dry stout (but not as much). The mouthfeel was very different, however, because it did not have any flaked barley (or other similar ingredient).
 
Id love to give that a shot. The one thing that I didnt see was the timing schedule? Im still a noob at this, maybe I shouldnt need one, but right now I do? Could you provide some sort of brew timing schedule for me?
Thx, :mug:
 
You might consider Brewer's Best Irish Stout kit. I've brewed it twice so far and thought it would qualify as a Guinness lite. It's an easy kit to brew - liquid extract and some specialty grains, but not real beefy as stouts go.
 
How about an English mild? I make one that I call "Brown Trout Stout". It gets rave reviews from BMC and craft drinkers alike.
 
How about an English mild? I make one that I call "Brown Trout Stout". It gets rave reviews from BMC and craft drinkers alike.
I think this is a great idea! I get the impression the 'roast' flavors in the stout are what put him off. You could make an English mild really dark by like 1/4 pound of carafa III. then you can fool your friends.
 
Yeah, what I usually do is wait till sparging to add the black patent. Its leaves less of that acrid roasty taste and is a little smoother in a low ABV beer.

Carafa sounds like a good alternative also!
 
Alright I apologize its been so long since I last posted. Here's my current recipe, this is for 11.5 gallons. I'll actually be brewing this up on Saturday. My original recipe actually doesnt use any pils malt but I have some on hand that I want to try to use up. As I said before I do not add the black patent until the first runnings are drained.

I have also used other hops but I really like the Willamette/Crystal combo with the dark malts.

Recipe: Brown Trout Stout
Brewer: Kevin
Asst Brewer:
Style: Mild
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 13.92 gal
Post Boil Volume: 12.48 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 11.50 gal
Bottling Volume: 11.50 gal
Estimated OG: 1.040 SG
Estimated Color: 23.2 SRM
Estimated IBU: 23.3 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 74.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 77.2 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
6 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 34.5 %
4 lbs Munich Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 2 23.0 %
4 lbs Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 3 23.0 %
1 lbs 4.0 oz Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 4 7.2 %
1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 5 5.7 %
1 lbs Victory Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 6 5.7 %
2.4 oz Black (Patent) Malt (500.0 SRM) Grain 7 0.9 %
1.50 oz Williamette [5.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 8 15.0 IBUs
1.40 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 10.0 mins) Fining 9 -
2.00 oz Crystal [3.50 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 10 4.6 IBUs
1.00 oz Williamette [5.50 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 11 3.6 IBUs
1.0 pkg US-S05 [50.00 ml] Yeast 12 -


Mash Schedule: KPR Single Infusion, Full Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 17 lbs 6.4 oz
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash In Add 22.75 qt of water at 175.1 F 156.0 F 60 min

Sparge: Batch sparge with 3 steps (Drain mash tun, , 4.29gal, 4.29gal) of 168.0 F water
 
Back
Top