Sweet Stout Left Hand Milk Stout Clone

Its all about sugar content.
the simplest way to put it, is healthy, fast fermentation.

as homebrewers, alot of us don't have accessto things like pur oxygen, and those types of things.
so without ideal situations, its always saferto pitch additional yeast, as it is so very very difficult IMO to overpitch on a homebrew level. (Chris White)

Personally, as I dont have oxygen etc. (shaking to aerate) I tend to err on the over pitch.
anything 1.050 and over 2 packets when i get to 1.065 ish i tend to throw another paket at it.

Ths is all taking into account rehydration etc.

Healthy yeast and fermentation is key in any beer, as the yeast is what will give you beer. So why not give your brew the best chance possible. especially for an extra few dollars.

So I brewed this and added the 2 vanilla beans soaked in 2 cups of Bourbon and it tastes amazing! It is currently in secondary for another 2 weeks.
Missed my OG and FG (what the hell?) but it still tastes very good.

Yeah, the great thing about this recipe is that no matter how much you screw it up, it's still friggin delicious! It's a magic recipe.

jojacques said:

So I brewed this and added the 2 vanilla beans soaked in 2 cups of Bourbon and it tastes amazing! It is currently in secondary for another 2 weeks.
Missed my OG and FG (what the hell?) but it still tastes very good.

Click to expand...

JohntheKiwi said:

Yeah, the great thing about this recipe is that no matter how much you screw it up, it's still friggin delicious! It's a magic recipe.

Click to expand...

This was my first batch on my own equipment, and a few things went wrong. Only my second all-grain brew and I've only done extract/steeped grains a few times at a u-brew

I was aiming for 5 gallons in the fermentor, but ended up with closer to 4. I think I know how much water to add next time.

I did this as biab. I added an extra 1/2lb of pale malt as insurance to efficiency being low.

When I added my grain, my mash temps dropped much more then I expected so I turned on the kettle for a couple minutes. I should have just waited 5 mins for temps to stabalize, because I ended up overshooting my mash temps greatly. I ended up mashing at 71/70c instead of 66. With the lid off, I barely dropped a degree over 90 minutes during a cold night.

OG was 1.069. I took a gravity reading three days apart after 2.5 weeks fermenting and they were both 1.030. Is this where it's going to finish because of the high mash temps? Did I stall out and consider repitching?

I used a mason jar of recycled yeast from a commercial brewery. The last batch I fermented with the same yeast had a giant krausen very quickly. I didn't witness it on this batch and the initial fermentation didn't seem very vigorous in comparison. Maybe the yeast wasn't as viable anymore?

Deleted - Double post!!

Thinking of brewing this up for the holidays. Probably scale it up to 8-9% and add bourbon soaked oak chips and vanilla beans

sushieater said:

When I added my grain, my mash temps dropped much more then I expected so I turned on the kettle for a couple minutes. I should have just waited 5 mins for temps to stabalize, because I ended up overshooting my mash temps greatly. I ended up mashing at 71/70c instead of 66. With the lid off, I barely dropped a degree over 90 minutes during a cold night.

OG was 1.069. I took a gravity reading three days apart after 2.5 weeks fermenting and they were both 1.030. Is this where it's going to finish because of the high mash temps? Did I stall out and consider repitching?

I used a mason jar of recycled yeast from a commercial brewery. The last batch I fermented with the same yeast had a giant krausen very quickly. I didn't witness it on this batch and the initial fermentation didn't seem very vigorous in comparison. Maybe the yeast wasn't as viable anymore?

Click to expand...

All fermentation's will be different even with the same recipe and yeast not some thing to lose sleep on.

The 1.030 fg is probably part of the high mash temp, all part of learning your system and developing a process that works for you.

Going to brew this one up for first time today. My first foray into milk stouts....I'm considering adding vanilla later on in secondary, but may be too lazy to mess with that. I almost never secondary.

ruascott said:

Going to brew this one up for first time today. My first foray into milk stouts....I'm considering adding vanilla later on in secondary, but may be too lazy to mess with that. I almost never secondary.

Click to expand...

then you can just add it to your fermenter?

Ugh...brewed this today. Only hit about 1.052 OG. After looking at my grain bag, the LHBS only gave me 5# of 2 row, instead of 7. Not pleased.

Hopefully will turn out at least drinkable. Was really looking forward to this one too, to share on NYE.

Dont worry, I missed my OG as well ( 1.058 ) and the beer is amazing! A bit light (4.6%), but still very good.

jojacques said:

Dont worry, I missed my OG as well ( 1.058 ) and the beer is amazing! A bit light (4.6%), but still very good.

Click to expand...

Thanks. Just irritating, particularly when it's the first time I've made a recipe. It's bubbling away in the fermenter.

How long have you guys been letting this condition?

I typically only brew hoppy IPAs, and drink them as fresh as possible (usually by day 17 or so).

But haven't made this style before.

I think this one gets better a few weeks after packaging, but I'd have no qualms with going grain to glass in about 2 weeks.

LLBeanJ said:

I think this one gets better a few weeks after packaging, but I'd have no qualms with going grain to glass in about 2 weeks.

Click to expand...

Ok thanks. I'll probably keg at 2 weeks and start sipping on it here or there.

Isn't a beer I expect to drink more than 1 or 2 at a time, anyway.

ruascott said:

Ugh...brewed this today. Only hit about 1.052 OG. After looking at my grain bag, the LHBS only gave me 5# of 2 row, instead of 7. Not pleased.

Hopefully will turn out at least drinkable. Was really looking forward to this one too, to share on NYE.

Click to expand...

Kegged this today, about 12 days after brew. Finished at 1.014.

The sample was tasty, but definitely seemed a little dry and thin from what we were shooting for. Will see after letting carb for a while.


Anyone ever added something like vanilla or coffee after force carbing?

Yeah, in a French press or even just cold brew coffee or vanilla extract at serving.

Well after reading all the great reviews on this post I think I will brew this one next. Gotta adjust the recipe for ten gallons. I might add some cacao nibs in the fermenter, we'll see....

John

jcav said:

Well after reading all the great reviews on this post I think I will brew this one next. Gotta adjust the recipe for ten gallons. I might add some cacao nibs in the fermenter, we'll see....

John

Click to expand...

Thats exactly what I am doing (adding the cocoa nibs), will be mashing in tomorrow morning as a matter of fact, and I plan on using 4oz nibs, soaked in just a tad bit of vodka...

Redtab78 said:

Thats exactly what I am doing (adding the cocoa nibs), will be mashing in tomorrow morning as a matter of fact, and I plan on using 4oz nibs, soaked in just a tad bit of vodka...

Click to expand...

Let us know how it turns out. Good luck!

John

It turns out super chocolatey, but like big bad baptist with the dirty chocolate. It's really good though. I like to add a tiny bit of coffee at serving too.

So I ordered the grain and ingredients for this recipe, and got some cacao nibs. I guess I should go with 8 ounces of nibs in the fermenter for a 10 gallon batch. I might toast them first in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. I haven't used cocao nibs before and don't have them yet (they are being shipped to me) so I am curious do these float or do they sink? I have a conical and if I dry hop (so to speak) with them I want to know if they will sink so they do not clog my racking tube and I can dump them out with the yeast/trub if I want, or do I need to use a mesh bag?


John

This one force carbed up....I'm about 17 days from grain. It's a tasty, chocolate bomb. Has yet a slight harsh edge going down at this point, I'm sure will be better in a couple weeks. But very drinkable now.

Great recipe.

I am tossing up the idea of adding some coconut to the secondary, and possibly in the mash...I wanted to brew this past weekend, but weather got in the way, so maybe this weekend.....and am wondering what you guys think this would bring to the flavor.

So I want to make this recipe, but only a 2.5 gallon batch. I first halfed the recipe. Then I bought beer smith and used their scale feature. I thought beersmith would just half the recipe like I did. But it seems they did something completely different. Does this recipe seem right you you all? Or would just halfing the original recipe work?

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
3 lbs 9.5 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 58.5 %
6.9 oz Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM) Grain 2 7.0 %
6.2 oz Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 3 6.3 %
5.2 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 4 5.3 %
5.2 oz Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 5 5.3 %
5.2 oz Barley, Flaked (1.7 SRM) Grain 6 5.2 %
4.1 oz Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 7 4.2 %
8.2 oz Milk Sugar (Lactose) (0.0 SRM) Sugar 8 8.3 %
0.14 oz Magnum [12.10 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 9 12.8 IBUs
0.40 oz East Kent Goldings (EKG) [5.00 %] - Boil Hop 10 5.5 IBUs
0.5 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) Yeast 11 -

I've halved the recipe about six times and it worked out each time for me! I make 2.5 gallon batches almost exclusively.

Redtab78 said:

I am tossing up the idea of adding some coconut to the secondary, and possibly in the mash...I wanted to brew this past weekend, but weather got in the way, so maybe this weekend.....and am wondering what you guys think this would bring to the flavor.

Click to expand...

If you like coconut this beer would probably fare well with it. I hate coconut so I'll never try it. I would say start with secondary and you can use that info to dial in a mash addition. Split the batch in half and only coconut 2.5gal (or even less) and blend back to find out how much to use on a full batch. You can always add more but never take it out.

jcav said:

So I ordered the grain and ingredients for this recipe, and got some cacao nibs. I guess I should go with 8 ounces of nibs in the fermenter for a 10 gallon batch. I might toast them first in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. I haven't used cocao nibs before and don't have them yet (they are being shipped to me) so I am curious do these float or do they sink? I have a conical and if I dry hop (so to speak) with them I want to know if they will sink so they do not clog my racking tube and I can dump them out with the yeast/trub if I want, or do I need to use a mesh bag?





John

Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure most of them sink. It's been a while though. I went to vodka tincture after catching a sour infection from some nibs (process of elimination) so I don't actually remember for sure. I know they sink in vodka for sure.

Brewed this a few weeks ago. My LHBS screwed up the grain bill and instead of flaked barley, i got crystal 60. Lol not sure how but keep calm and brew on. I think it turned out great. I still got the roasted barley in there which shines through. If anything the sweeter crystal 60 (opposed to the flaked barley) actually plays well with the lactose. Its a small amount of the grain bill so probably didnt affect much at all. This is a great beer.

Wow...after a week in the keg (about 3 weeks from brew date) this beer is terrific. I'll note that as I mentioned, my LHBS messed up and only gave me 5# of 2 row, rather than 7....so this isn't a strong version....but that's probably better because it's hard to stop drinking these.

Friend was over and I told him I had this available. He said he doesn't really like stouts. He proceeded to have about 4 or 5 of these. LOL.

It's funny what people smell/taste.....he was saying he was getting flavors like gouda cheese! I think it's more like a dark chocolate milk.

Regardless, great beer and will be in my permanent rotation.

Well my yeast starter has been on the stir plate multiplying away and I got my 5 gallon jugs filled with r/o water today. I will be brewing up a ten gallon batch tomorrow!

John

I brewed up a batch today, and 11 gallons made it into my fermenter at 5:45 this evening. What a beautiful day on the back lanai to brew and what a smooth brew day it was! Ended up with 1.064 so two points higher than the recipe called for but I am very happy with that! Getting even higher mash efficiency since I went to an additional filter from Jaybird under my false bottom for super flow, may have to cut back on my grain just a little more. I will report back after this one ferments and I pull a pint.

John

Looking to brew this as a 5-gal batch, all-grain. Anyone messed around with adding Oreos to the secondary (or primary for that matter)? Brewery near me just did it with a milk stout and is getting rave reviews. Any ideas on how to make that happen?

Ahaha I saw that on Facebook. I dare you.

jojacques said:

Ahaha I saw that on Facebook. I dare you.

Click to expand...

My only question is how many oreos per gallon?

Depends how much you want it to taste? If a subtle taste is wanted, I would go 5 Oreos per gallon maybe? Double that if you want it to taste A LOT

jojacques said:

Depends how much you want it to taste? If a subtle taste is wanted, I would go 5 Oreos per gallon maybe? Double that if you want it to taste A LOT

Click to expand...

Yeah, I agree, 5 to 10 per gallon. I'd probably forego the cream, just use the cookie. I would freeze them then use food processor to turn to fine powder. I do that with all kinds of cookies for this brew.

D'oh..... Just had one of those "if everything could stuff up, then it will stuff up" kind of brew days.

Was so excited about this recipe. Kept everything the same except up'd the lactose to an even 500g as that was the size of packet from LHBS.

My systematic downfall went as such...

- Daughter #1 smeared yogurt on outside of rehydrated 05 jar lid (I got too worried about lacto and dumped it)
- Filter for recirc pump on my Grainfather fell off in the black abyss of wort thus clogging pump
- No extra packet of US 05. Had to pitch a harvested jar of 1056
- Distraught to find i undershot my SG and landed at 1.057 (BS called for 1.061 for 21L) and now wondering how in the world this beer is going to turn out since I had 50g more lactose and don't expect a low FG (What do you reckon?)
- Aforementioned daughter, my assistant brewer, dropped/crushed the refractometer.... big time. Looks like a trip for us to the LHBS this week

About to go with SWMBO and Daughter 1 to take Daughter 2 to the doctors for her 4 month jabs!

Sorry for the whinge, I'm just ready for a frothy or two.

RDWHAHB
-

MelbBrew said:

D'oh..... Just had one of those "if everything could stuff up, then it will stuff up" kind of brew days.

Was so excited about this recipe. Kept everything the same except up'd the lactose to an even 500g as that was the size of packet from LHBS.

My systematic downfall went as such...

- Daughter #1 smeared yogurt on outside of rehydrated 05 jar lid (I got too worried about lacto and dumped it)
- Filter for recirc pump on my Grainfather fell off in the black abyss of wort thus clogging pump
- No extra packet of US 05. Had to pitch a harvested jar of 1056
- Distraught to find i undershot my SG and landed at 1.057 (BS called for 1.061 for 21L) and now wondering how in the world this beer is going to turn out since I had 50g more lactose and don't expect a low FG (What do you reckon?)
- Aforementioned daughter, my assistant brewer, dropped/crushed the refractometer.... big time. Looks like a trip for us to the LHBS this week

About to go with SWMBO and Daughter 1 to take Daughter 2 to the doctors for her 4 month jabs!

Sorry for the whinge, I'm just ready for a frothy or two.

RDWHAHB
-

Click to expand...

The 1056 will be just fine. I would think you're FG would be lower with the low SG so that will help with the extra lactose you added. Even so, it's not a huge difference and some people like this more sweet than others (I always dial the lactose back personally). If it's too sweet for you do a tincture of cocoa nibs in vodka (pro tip - carbon filter the cheap vodka to cut the taste) and add that at bottling to taste as it's very astringent and can cut down on some of the sweetness. Also works with French pressed dark roast/espresso coffee. Both can also be added at serving to taste for the individual so keep the tincture around. Basically, I think the beer will be fine and you'll have an excuse to rebrew it soon.

brewski09 said:

The 1056 will be just fine. I would think you're FG would be lower with the low SG so that will help with the extra lactose you added. Even so, it's not a huge difference and some people like this more sweet than others (I always dial the lactose back personally). If it's too sweet for you do a tincture of cocoa nibs in vodka (pro tip - carbon filter the cheap vodka to cut the taste) and add that at bottling to taste as it's very astringent and can cut down on some of the sweetness. Also works with French pressed dark roast/espresso coffee. Both can also be added at serving to taste for the individual so keep the tincture around. Basically, I think the beer will be fine and you'll have an excuse to rebrew it soon.

Click to expand...

Legend. Thank you for the tip. fermentation is up and about with a small but healthy krausen. I'm worried however that the yeast may be a bit overstressed at the end of the day. Trying not to pitch anymore and abide by RDWHAHB.

Thanks heaps for the tip. Will bear in mind as I actually saw cocoa nibs at the shops today when we were chasing up the groceries. Unfortunately even the cheapest vodka here in AUS is approx. $29 AUD for a 700ml (24 US fl. Oz)

Cheers