Milk / sweet stout (Mackeson XXX twin?)

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New Brew

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In exploring what beers I might like to brew I came across the sweet stout style, which I've never really had much of in the past. So, I've now tried two of the most well known examples, with interesting results: Young's Double Chocolate Stout and Mackeson's XXX (triple) Stout.

The weird thing is, I really liked the Mackeson's, but did not care for the Young's at all. The Young's did come in one of those nitrogen widget cans, while the Mackeson's was in a standard 12oz bottle, so I'm not sure how much that influenced the beer I tasted, but my preference was pretty clear in any case.

Since these beers are considered to be the same style, can anyone offer suggestions on how to brew an extract + grian sweet stout that is more akin to Mackeson's XXX than to Young's Double Choc. Stout? I've seen plenty of generic "sweet stout" recipes, but I have no reference point to determine how they will ultimately turn out.

I know at least one place sells a Mackeson XXX clone, so maybe I should just go for that and see how it turns out.
 
Another factor to consider is that the Mackesons could have been much fresher since it was brewed in Ohio....though, I too pref a standard sweet/milk stout to the tarted up excessively chocolate/candy flavored stouts.

Plenty of recipes out there if you don't want to do a kit (though I have found the AHS clones to be good kits). You just might want to avoid ones with all the ingredients that push the beer in to the candy side of the spectrum.
 
Mackeson XXX recipe in CloneBrews (which I'm drinking and savoring as I type this)

1lb 55L British crystal
12oz British chocolate
4oz British black

5.25lb light DME
14oz lactose (60min)
1/2 lb maltodextrin (60min)
1 oz Target (8%) (60min)

Pitch w/ Wyeast 1028 (London Ale) or 1335 (British Ale II). Bottle/keg with add'l 2 oz of lactose.

Partial mash version uses 1lb British 2-row, 1lb dextrin malt & the specialty grains and omits 1.75lb of the DME and all of the maltodextrin.

FWIW I've really enjoyed the recipies in CloneBrews; I've found it a good way to check yourself against a reference and tinker with the recipe
 
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