Critique my recipe....

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stagstout

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Guys,
Basically I just threw this together on a whim and looking for some....what the h#ll are you doing advice, if any.

I plan on making this, just cause I'm curious as to what it will taste like, but would like the recipe to be within it's style range.

So let the scolding begin

Recipe:

9 lb - Mariss Otter
1 lb - Vienna Malt
1/2 lb - Crystal 40L
1/2 lb - Chocolate Malt
1 lb - Roasted Barley

2 oz - Willamette @ 60 min

1 tbls - Irish Moss @ 10 min

Irish Ale Yeast w/ starter

Mash @ 154 for 60 min.

5 gallon batch
 
I looks pretty good actually. I wouldn't add as much Roasted Barley as you've got though. I would keep it under 1/2 lb.
 
I'm adding extra Roasted Barley to this recipe only because I have used recipes with only 1/2 to 3/4 lbs and always thought it needed more. Maybe it's just me, but I love the roasted flavor.
 
looks like a good stout. I agree about limiting the roasted barley, but that's just my taste - since you really like the roasted flavor, go for it. The Irish moss is probably not necessary though
 
I kinda agree with Suthrncomfrt1884. I wouldn't add that much roasted barley. If you like toasted, you might want to look on the side of black malt or special B. Roasted barley is more for color than for flavor. Just my 2 cents. You might also want to add some hops around the 20-30 min mark. That will give it a nice hop flavor in addition to pure bitterness.
 
I disagree about it being too much roasted barley. He likes it, go with it. It looks to me like a great example of Stout and that is the way I make it as well. I like the look of it and it should be a tasty little fellow. I might only question the gravity. I like my stouts around 1.050, so that is the only small gripe I have about it. I make a stout with 8lbs Maris Otter, 1lb Flaked something, 1lb Chocolate, 1lb Roasted and .5lb Crystal 60L with Willamette as bittering only. Huge roasty, chocolatey flavor and tastes fantastic after a couple of months. Traditional 70-20-10 is always nice (Two Row - Roasted - Flaked)

Mithion, is there a reason that you think of Roasted Barley as just a color enhancer?
 
I kinda agree with Suthrncomfrt1884. I wouldn't add that much roasted barley. If you like toasted, you might want to look on the side of black malt or special B. Roasted barley is more for color than for flavor. Just my 2 cents. You might also want to add some hops around the 20-30 min mark. That will give it a nice hop flavor in addition to pure bitterness.

What I'm looking for is the coffee like roast flavor and smell. From what I know about black patent malt, it lies on the too bitter side for me. Is special B the same as Special Roast? Maybe this is what I was missing in my other stouts.

I am not opposed to a second hop addition and am favoring towards it now that it was brought up.

What would be your guy's recommendation for a "roated flavor grain # addition" if I were to drop the roasted barley down to 1/2#.

My last stout used 3/4# of roasted barley and 1/2# of chocolate and to me it was a very mellow stout. This was the reason why I bumped up the roasted to a 1 lb.

Ideas?
 
Well, it does contribute to flavor, but roasted barley isn't malted. So when you mash it, you don't extract maltose or other fermentables. You do extract other stuff from it (I don't know the the chemistry of what your extracting), but it's basically burnt grain. It's pretty harsh so I've always seen it used in minute quantities to either add some color, or some very faint roasted flavors. But never in the amounts of 1lbs. But, if he's tried 3/4 lbs and wants more, than let em try it.
 
Matt Up North,

The gravity was bumbed up with the idea of sipping this during the cold wisconsin months.

I have thought about adding some flaked barley, but wanted my first batch to be simple and then from there add maybe flaked barley or flaked oatmeal, although I think the oatmeal mellows some of the flavors. Just has been my experience. Not dissing the oatmeal, but for this stout...I want it to wake you up like a strong cup of morning coffee.
 
What I'm looking for is the coffee like roast flavor and smell. From what I know about black patent malt, it lies on the too bitter side for me. Is special B the same as Special Roast? Maybe this is what I was missing in my other stouts.

I am not opposed to a second hop addition and am favoring towards it now that it was brought up.

What would be your guy's recommendation for a "roated flavor grain # addition" if I were to drop the roasted barley down to 1/2#.

My last stout used 3/4# of roasted barley and 1/2# of chocolate and to me it was a very mellow stout. This was the reason why I bumped up the roasted to a 1 lb.

Ideas?

As I mentioned, I have also made a stout that uses equal parts Black Patent and Black Roasted. I like to hit at least 10% for the dark roasted grains. Also, don't forget that Chocolate adds roasted flavor, so you can up that as well. If you hit 15% then it will be like drinking an espresso, which is the style that I go for.

Well, it does contribute to flavor, but roasted barley isn't malted. So when you mash it, you don't extract maltose or other fermentables. You do extract other stuff from it (I don't know the the chemistry of what your extracting), but it's basically burnt grain. It's pretty harsh so I've always seen it used in minute quantities to either add some color, or some very faint roasted flavors. But never in the amounts of 1lbs. But, if he's tried 3/4 lbs and wants more, than let em try it.

You are correct tha tyou are aren't getting fermentables, but chew on some Black Roasted and you will get the flavor. It is like eating an espresso bean and we brew stuff out of those all the time. But everyone has different tastes, so make the beer you want to drink
 
You know, the more I'm starring at your recipe, the more I think you should try it as is. You got Maris Otter, you got vienna malt, you got crystal and some chocolate malt. I think you got a lot of malty nutty caramelly sweetness and it might just balance out with the roasted barley. I say give it a shot. And if it doesn't turn out right.... well just send the leftovers to me :mug:
 
Good call, I too will dispose of said beer. And on the alcohol note, I just mention that I go for a slightly less because it is my experience with my tastes that the higher the alcohol in a stout gives me a little less roasty flavor. I found after making four seperate but similar batches that right around 5% is the key for me (4.6% on my last and 5.2% on the one before).

I really like 002, S-04 yeast for stout too as it doesn't attenuate as low and keeps some of the mouthfeel. Stouts to me taste best between 1.012-1.018. That high side, is about as sweet as I can stand it though. More American Stout than Dry Stout style.
 
Sirs,
After the debate over the roasted malt, I will brew this batch per the original recipe. Only thing I am going to change...thanks to Matt Up North is the S.G.
I will bumb down the M.O. to 8 lbs instead of 9 lbs.

I don't plan on brewing this until August sometime and then I will bottle condition for an additional two months.

Keep a look out in 3 months or so...I hope to be describing an excellent beer.

Cheers
 
Stagstout, I brewed your recipe (original 9lb) on Aug 8th, with an OG of 1.062, transferred it to the conditioner after a month in the fermenter, three weeks in the conditioner, then bottled. FG 1.024. They have only been in the bottle for a week, but i got impatient and tried one. I really enjoyed it. I am not good at tasting the subtle flavors and describing different aspects of the beer, but i know that i liked it. a lot. can not wait to taste it in another week. then in another month.

My beers tend to get better after being in the bottle for a month or two (who would have thought...). So i think this recipe will go from good to great. especially as the cold weather starts coming into the new york area, the stout is gonna be the perfect thing to have after a long day of class/work or maybe great with eggs and breakfast.
 
Wow,
I'm flattered that you tried it. I still have mine in the primary (only a week now) with a SG of 1.060. This was with 8lbs of M.O.

I ended up using 1 oz of Fuggles @ 60, 1/2 oz @ 45 & 1/2oz @30.

This is about all I can tell you right now since I have not touched it since brew day.

So at 1.024 did you mash at 154 or so? How does the roastyness taste? Keep me posted as I am excited to see how this progresses.

Cheers
 
Yeah, i did a single infusion at 154, thereabouts. My friend says i'm in the stone age using a meat thermometer instead of his fancy digital one. (his got wet and broke the other day.) so i think it was 154. what i tried for anyway.

used the whole pound of roasted, and truth be told, it is a well balanced taste. very smooth. but i could not really smell it and thought is was almost a little boring since i could not distinguish distinctive flavors. i think. as i wrote above, i'm still learning to taste beer, beyond the "i like this. this is hoppy. i don't like that." i have a primitive palate. And it has only been about 6 weeks, so i'm guessing it will mature. I dont trust my own evaluation, so neither should you.

but, based on the one warm, impulsive, and impatient bottle i had to try, i think i am going to love this batch.
 
Roasted + Choc. Malt is a VERY good pair IMO. I personally would use 1/2lb of each. They blended really well in Jamil's Moose Drool clone i brewed a while back.
 
avibayer,
Thanks for the input, I wonder if the F.G. of 1.024 is due to the high amount of Roasted/Chocolate etc.

Just thought I would post the recipe that I ended up brewing, it sort've morphed from the original...not by much though

8 lbs of M.O.
1 lb of Vienna
1 lb of Roasted Barley
1 lb of Chocolate (bumbed the addition by 1/2 lb, Matt Up North conned me into this one ;))
1/2 lb of 60L (had extra on hand vs buying 40L)

1 oz of Fuggles 4.7% @ 60 min
1/2 oz of Fuggles 4.7% @ 45 min
1/2 oz of Fuggles 4.7% @ 30 min

Hops were changed from Willamette to Fuggles for the mere fact that they were a bit cheaper @ the LHBS (between the two there isn't much difference)

Irish Ale yeast w/ starter

Single infusion @ 154 for 60 min.

After hearing you describe yours, I can't wait to pour my first pint.

When sampling the hydro reading after the boil, I have to say it tasted quite good and balanced.

Patience is a B!tch right now...:mug:
 
I drink one batch at a time, based on my brewing schedule, and the timing of my life (class, work, etc). So, last night i went to a party on campus with a two six packs of the stout, and my ambitious friend was giving them to any cute girl he could find. After i was able to find a nook to hide the remaining from him, and other party goers who would take any alcohol they could find, i began to wander the party. Bumped into a girl i have a huge crush on, but that is more for the rants and ramblings section.

the cute girls my friend gave the beers to said they loved it (the stout) and that they normally dont like beer. while this may have been them flirting, or just their first introduction to real beer (not macroswill), i have to say i agree with them completely. So this long ramble is to cheers your recipe, and tell you how much i enjoy the batch. My friend who was giving out the beers, also a homebrewer, said he thinks its my best yet. I am getting all around complements.

cheers stagstout :mug:
 
A quick side not. when i brew this again, i will try and reduce the amount of priming sugar i use. while i have been hearing that the carbonation is fine, i feel that a stout should be a bit calmer. The pound of roasted worked well, and i might increase the amount of chocolate to a pound also.

ever try brewing a pepper chocolate stout? i had a real tasty chocolate habenero stout from the roots brewery in portland oregon. super tasty.
 
Hearing about the college party brings me back to some good times. If I only knew about homebrew back then:)

Thats awesome that you brought some to the party and it was a big hit, especially with the ladies.

So how much priming sugar did you use, I was thinking about 4.5 oz for my batch. I agree with stout needing to be on the calmer side.

Curious as to how long its been in the bottle, I always figure 8 to 12 weeks for a bigger stout. If this ages quickly as it seems to be (with your stout) thats just great.

Cheers and thanks for all your feedback. I will have to fill you in once I start drinking mine. I did however smell my primary (two week mark) and it smells great, huge roasty aroma.
 
I used 5 oz. I am a sucker who has yet to go buy a big bag of sugar, and still just add the 5 oz bags to my orders. I feel the 5 was too much, but have no sense if 4.5 is right or not. I'm still a beginner brewer.

Mine have been in the bottle for 13 days now, there about. I would have to double check, but i'm pretty sure its been 7 weeks since first brewed. I think i needs another five for its true character to develop. But, like i mentioned above, i love the way it tastes after 7.
 
Well I took a gravity reading last night and its at 1.020. The sample tasted awesome, exactly what I was looking for, roasty and very balanced. This was my first beer to drink the entire sample, I could drink it as is:rockin:

Lets just say I have high hopes for this one. On a side note, I think I will mash a little lower for the next batch (152) to get the FG around 1.016 or so, since there is 2 lbs of roasted in this recipe.

I will be bottling this Fri and hopefully drinking some great stout in about 2 months.

Cheers
 
Rumor has it that Stagstout's batch is bottled and apparently early tasting has returned a "It's pretty good beer" comment.

..and it should get better with age. Hope I get a taste.
 
I think i am gonna brew this again, but up the chocolate to 1 lbs. just tasted a chocolate stout and loved it, and want more in my own beer. and maybe add spice?
 
What spice were you thinking of using? I wonder how orange peel would taste? Just bottled mine on Friday, now its the waiting game:mug:
 
:mug:See if your LHBS has coffee malts along with your choclate malts they should bring some of the coffee flavor you are looking for.:tank:
 
A pepper stout sounds interesting, never tried one. I believe you did mention trying one and that it was quite good. You will have to let me know how it goes.

I also made a second batch of this stout and for the heck of it, added 2 oz of Black Patent. We will see where this one goes. Hopefully it will add another dimension to the beer.

Cheers
 
chocolate habenero stout from the roots brewery in portland, Or. it was real tasty. I think it would be fun to experiment with your recipe, since it is such a good beer, it would be a great launching pad for trial and errors.
 
Also, the problem/beauty of a great beer, is it doesn't last very long. I wish i could have the self control to save a few bottles, and see how they taste at the six month mark.
 
So out of 2 cases of beer, how much left are we talking about:D I probably won't even try one until the four week mark, but luckily for me I have a somewhat of a little stock pile to help me wait:mug:
 
Well I finally tried one at the four week mark two weeks ago. (my sample gravity tasted better and seemed more balanced) First off, it still needs time in the aging game. While it tasted good, the flavors didn't meddle as nice as they could. At first you got the huge roasted flavor (which I was aiming for) along with some pleasent bitterness from the hops, then you could taste alcohol following the sweetness of the 1.02 F.G. I was actually hoping to taste some dicytel (sp?) being that I used Irish Ale yeast but I also know I fermented on the cooler side 64-65 deg. Maybe it will show up as it ages.

With that much dark grain, it is going to take another month or so for them to mellow out and meddle nicely together.

- 5 week mark, I could already notice a big difference on how the flavors are coming together. While it is still not there yet, it has made big progress. I can't taste the alcohol anymore and the roasty flaovor hits the back of your tounge as the final flavor making the sweetness (which seems to have become less distinct) evenly balanced.

- 6 week mark......I will be trying this tonight so wish me luck.
 
Well its been 7 wks and counting with the stout and I must say that it has come along quite nicely.

It was a big hit over the holidays and even had people who like (light beer) commented how nice it tasted.

When you pour it into the glass the roasty aroma reaches your nose with hints of coffee.

The sips seem to feel complex, tasting the roast/coffee at first following hints of chocolate ending with a slight sweet caramel finish. The most often comment was that it reminded them of mollasses.

The hops were primary used for bittering and seem to add the perfect touch balancing out the sweetness and I have actually thought about adding a later addition in my next batch.

Overall I am very pleased with this stout and plan on making it again soon.

My mom who is a BMC drinker has requested that I make her, her own private stash as every time during the holiday she went to grab one, they were gone.
(we had both sides of the family over and three big meals)

A possible thought is to add some flaked barley to aid in head retention for the next batch or even some oatmeal...ah the freedom we have in homebrewing...love it.:D

Since the eight week mark is near and by christmas it will almost be 3 months old, I can't wait for this guy to peak. It's good now but I know it has room to get better.

Cheers
 
I had saved a six pack, for the 6 month mark. But, since i am planning to brew this again this weekend, but this time up the chocolate and add some peppers, i couldn't resist. I reached into the stockpile, and drank one (its been 4 months since brew day). Stagstout, you are dead on about the flavors blending together nicely. I am happy with the bitterness level of mine. I dont think i will add more than the 2 oz of williamette, though you seemed to be pleased with the fuggles.

what i am brewing this weekend is pretty much what you ended up brewing, but with the crystal 40, instead of 60. I have been looking at a bunch of chocolate stout recipes that add cocoa powder to the boil. any thoughts?

and like i posted earlier, i will be adding some hot peppers to the secondary, for a bit of kick.
 
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