Lactose ???

I made a stout that is too bitter, what would be a good amount of lactose to start with to balance out the hops (1/4lb, 1/2 lb)

Recipe might help. Perceived bitterness could be too much hops, too much roasted grains, or something else.

First, the bitterness will probably mellow with age.

Second, assuming you haven't bottled it yet, if you really think there's a problem you could boil some lactose in water at bottling time, and add a little at a time to the bottling bucket (then taste) until you think it's "right". This won't necessarily "fix" it, though. Depends why it's too bitter in the first place.

I added too much fuggle hops at the end of my boil
The flavor has mellowed out as it has aged (almost 4 weeks in the secondary) but I am having a BBQ on Sunday and I wanted to serve it.


Mansface stout
A Pro Mash Brewing Session - Recipe Details Report

16 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row) America 1.036 2
1.5lbs. Black Patent Malt Great Britain 1.027 525
1.5lbs. Roasted Barley Great Britain 1.029 575
1.25 lbs. Flaked Barley America 1.032 2
1 lbs. Flaked Oats America 1.033 2



2 oz. Wye Challenger Pellet 7.00 26.5 60 min.
2 oz. Fuggle Pellet 4.00 1.0 15 min. (should have been 0.5z of the fuggle)



White Labs WLP004 Irish Stout

I'd say way too much Black Patent. The problem with trying to use lactose is, the sweetness will probably trigger a stronger reaction to the charcoal flavors from the BP. Try a teaspoonful (level) of lactose in a pint. That's 8 oz/5 gallons.

Thanks for the info. and yes the Black Patent is stronger the the first time I tried this beer. the first time I made this beer it was a 5 Gal. batch this time I made it 10 Gal. and tried to make it darker.(just trying to see if I could).
I will try the 8 oz of Lactose and taste it. Darn I will have to try again .

1.5 pounds of Black Patent? That's the base of your bitterness.

2Oz of 4AAU of fuggles fo r15 minutes wouldn't have overwhelmed the beer.

Like David_42 said, try and add incremental amounts of lactose. If that doesn't work, make sure you have a good "story" for your audience. Give them some big long tale about the history of the beer style, the recipe, the origins, etc.

If you can't dazzle em with brilliance, baffle them with bullsh!t.

I will try the bull**** and I am trying the teaspoon in a pint (just to see if it will help it or not) I will post back after I test the beer.

If you want really dark, get some de-husked Carafa III. It's commonly used in black lagers and without the husks, you get the color and good flavor without the charcoal effect.