celebration beer?

Ok - today's huge for me, just received notice that I've passed my 9th and final exam for architectural registration - it's been a long road for me - been working on this project, I guess since 1993, when I entered architectural school - something like 7 years of college, 'bout 5 of 'internship' then I've been doing the exams for 3.5 years too. Does that add up? Anyways, I want to brew a big beer to celebrate - let's make it a 9% ABV beer to represent the 9 exams.

I'm thinking a big stout - it'll have to be a PM beer considering my equipment - since it's to celebrate architecture, we'll make it the "Loadbearing Stout".

How does this look?

Loadbearing Stout
Imperial Stout
Type: Partial Mash
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Boil Size: 4.62 gal
Boil Time: 60 min

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
6.00 lb Pale Liquid Extract (8.0 SRM) Extract 37.50 %
7.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 43.75 %
1.00 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 6.25 %
1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 6.25 %
1.00 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 6.25 %
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (60 min) Hops 11.7 IBU
1.50 oz Chinook [13.00 %] (60 min) Hops 41.6 IBU
1 Pkgs Windsor Yeast (Lallemand #-) Yeast-Ale

Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.095 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.022 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 9.60 %
Bitterness: 53.3 IBU
Est Color: 33.9 SRM

Mash Profile

Mash Name: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 10.00 lb
Sparge Water: 2.95 gal
Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F TunTemperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: FALSE Mash PH: 5.4 PH

Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 12.50 qt of water at 165.9 F 154.0 F

No roast barley or black patent?

I definitely like roast barley and flaked barley in my stouts.

Yep. You need some roasted barley to make it stout. Congratulations, by the way!

I totally dig the name Loadbearing Stout!

Congrats, also!

ok, revised...added a pound of roasted and a half pound of flaked barley - reduced chocolate to 1/2lb. thanks!!!

Loadbearing Stout
Imperial Stout

Type: Partial Mash
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Boil Size: 4.62 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
6.00 lb Pale Liquid Extract (8.0 SRM) Extract 37.50 %
6.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 37.50 %
1.00 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 6.25 %
1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 6.25 %
1.00 lb Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM) Grain 6.25 %
0.50 lb Barley, Flaked (1.7 SRM) Grain 3.13 %
0.50 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 3.13 %
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (60 min) Hops 11.9 IBU
1.50 oz Chinook [13.00 %] (60 min) Hops 42.1 IBU
1 Pkgs Windsor Yeast (Lallemand #-) Yeast-Ale

Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.094 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.022 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 9.47 %
Bitterness: 54.0 IBU
Est Color: 39.7 SRM

Mash Profile

Mash Name: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge Total Grain Weight: 10.00 lb
Sparge Water: 2.95 gal Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F TunTemperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: FALSE Mash PH: 5.4 PH

Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 12.50 qt of water at 165.9 F 154.0 F

I'd drop the carapils/dextrine

brewt00l said:

I'd drop the carapils/dextrine

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+1. I never use the stuff.

Beerthoven said:

+1. I never use the stuff.

Click to expand...

I've got a sweet stout going right now that has a pound of carapils in it (for head retention). I'm going to see how I like it, before adding it to this batch.

the blonde ale I just bottle has 1/2 lb of carapils - and I'm digging it so far.

why don't you like it? curious.

tranceamerica said:

why don't you like it? curious.

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Just a personal preference for simple grain bills. I've successfully used higher mash temperatures to achieve heavier mouthfeel and head retention when I want it. On the two occasions when I did use dextrine malt, I didn't care for it. It made the beer cloudy and too "thick", if you know what I mean. Half a pound of wheat malt or a thick mash seem like better options for increased head retention if you don't want to push the mash temp up.

A lot of homebrewers seem to toss carapils/dextrine into their recipes without thinking about other ways to get what they want or if its even appropriate for the beer they are making. I'm not saying that's what you are doing in this case, its just a trend I've noticed, that's all.

Beerthoven said:

Just a personal preference for simple grain bills. I've successfully used higher mash temperatures to achieve heavier mouthfeel and head retention when I want it. On the two occasions when I did use dextrine malt, I didn't care for it. It made the beer cloudy and too "thick", if you know what I mean. Half a pound of wheat malt or a thick mash seem like better options for increased head retention if you don't want to push the mash temp up.

A lot of homebrewers seem to toss carapils/dextrine into their recipes without thinking about other ways to get what they want or if its even appropriate for the beer they are making. I'm not saying that's what you are doing in this case, its just a trend I've noticed, that's all.

Click to expand...

Interesting. I came across carapils as a way to get exactly what you say - mouthfeel and head retention. I'm experimenting w/it right now to see how I like it.

Yes, I'd say I'm guilty of "tossing it in w/o thinking of if it's appropriate" - as an easy way to get these things. But the first beer I've brewed w/it is still green, so it's too early to decide.

FWIW - the blonde ale - green, but simple grain bill (just 2 row and carapils) is making me very happy - I was afraid of doing something so light and simple, afraid it'd turn out poorly.

but it's got an amazing (to me anyway) malt flavor - it actually tastes very similar to the mash runnings - maybe I'm actually tasting the carapils?

Regardless, it seems to me that the carapils has added mouthfeel and body, in a good way, for this one. Too early yet to tell if it's adding to head retention or not.

tranceamerica said:

Interesting. I came across carapils as a way to get exactly what you say - mouthfeel and head retention. I'm experimenting w/it right now to see how I like it.

Click to expand...

Between the crystal and the flaked barley, I think you have this covered with out needing carapils.

tranceamerica said:

Interesting. I came across carapils as a way to get exactly what you say - mouthfeel and head retention. I'm experimenting w/it right now to see how I like it.

Yes, I'd say I'm guilty of "tossing it in w/o thinking of if it's appropriate" - as an easy way to get these things. But the first beer I've brewed w/it is still green, so it's too early to decide.

FWIW - the blonde ale - green, but simple grain bill (just 2 row and carapils) is making me very happy - I was afraid of doing something so light and simple, afraid it'd turn out poorly.

but it's got an amazing (to me anyway) malt flavor - it actually tastes very similar to the mash runnings - maybe I'm actually tasting the carapils?

Regardless, it seems to me that the carapils has added mouthfeel and body, in a good way, for this one. Too early yet to tell if it's adding to head retention or not.

Click to expand...

That's the great thing about homebrewing; everybody is free to experiment and find what works for them. For example, I do a mashout, and I'm sure some people think that's silly, but it works for me and I don't see any reason to change right now.

I do think brewt00l has a good point though. The crystal and flaked barley in your stout ought to give you the head retention and body you are after without the carapils.