Critique this Chocolate Mint Stout?

This is a brash extract hybrid between Jamil's Sweet Stout and Randy Mosher's Chocolate Mint Stout.

Chocolate Mint Stout
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OG: 1.072
FG: 1.019
40 SRM
27.2 IBU
7.1% ABV

6 lb light LME
1 lb Maris Otter
2 lb Belgian Biscuit
.5 lb black patent
.5 lb roasted barley
.5 lb Crystal 80L
.5 lb pale chocolate
1 lb lactose

Mash for one hour at 154.

2 oz East Kent Goldings (60 min)
1 oz East Kent Goldings (15 min)
1 oz fresh spearmint (end of boil)
.12 oz life saver mint candy (end of boil)

Aside from any other comments is 1 lb of MO enough to convert 2 lbs of biscuit plus the other specialty grains?

kyleobie said:

is 1 lb of MO enough to convert 2 lbs of biscuit plus the other specialty grains?

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The patent, roast and chocolate don't have any starches that need converted, and the crystal has mostly unfermentable sugars, so the only thing that really needs conversion is the biscuit.

I am not 100% sure I understand the numbers, but I just looked up "diastatic power of maris otter" and saw the number "120%", which I think means that each pound of MO can convert itself, plus 3 or 4 oz of another grain. The biscuit has a diastatic power of only 6%.

So... it sounds like you would need about 8 lbs of MO to convert that 2 lbs of biscuit.

Interesting. Yeah, the 2 lbs of Biscuit came from Mosher's recipe, which was AG but with a PM version that subbed the MO for amber extract.

What if I sub out the 2 lbs of Belgian Biscuit and 1 lb of MO for 2 lb of MO and another bready malt like Brown Malt?

I'm going for a rich, sweet, minty desert beer here. Like a liquid thin mint with some backbone.

Based on what I was reading while searxhing around, Victory Malt is the american equivalent of Belgian Biscuit, and Victory can convert itself. Victory has a slightly nuttier taste, but is still described as "bready".

You might want to double check me here, but maybe that would work?

Walker-san said:

Based on what I was reading while searxhing around, Victory Malt is the american equivalent of Belgian Biscuit, and Victory can convert itself. Victory has a slightly nuttier taste, but is still described as "bready".

You might want to double check me here, but maybe that would work?

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Scratch that. I got confused. Victory cannot convert itself.

EDIT: and neither can Brown Malt from what I am reading right now...

I would probably go with peppermint, which is used more often with chocolate. I had good results with dried peppermint from a local tea shop. I added it at the end of the boil and let it steep for a few minutes before chilling.

Thanks. I'm thinking of revamping this recipe a little before I brew this weekend. How much peppermint did you use?

kyleobie said:

Thanks. I'm thinking of revamping this recipe a little before I brew this weekend. How much peppermint did you use?

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.66 oz in a 1.5 gallon batch, it was pretty minty, very much a novelty beer.

hmm, yeah id make a small batch of that, sounds like one beer would be good, but to have to power thru a 5g keg would be torture.lol!

Thanks! I went with dried peppermint from a tea store. I used about .75 oz for a 5 gallon batch. Brewed it tonight.

The hydro sample was nicely balanced between mint, chocolate and roasty flavors...we'll see how it stands after it ferments out. Added .5 lb of carapils on top of the lactose to make sure it has lots and lots of body to stand with the mint.

Just to update... the .75 oz of peppermint tea was a bit much, but it's mellowed out over a few months of aging. This beer is tasty!