Blackstrap Stout

I found this recipe and decided to tweak it a little. I just wanted to use ingredients I already have in my kitchen. Here is what I came up with. What do you think??? Opinions and advice whould be cool!

Blackstrap Stout

Ingredients:
3.5lbs. Dark malt extract syrup
3.5lbs. Light malt extract syrup
1 lb. Chocolate malt
1/2 Black Patent malt
1/2 Roasted malt
1/2 lb. Crystal malt
1/2 lb. Flaked barley
1 cup Blackstrap molasses
1/2 stick brewers licorice
2 ounces Northern Brewer hops (bittering)
1 ounce Fuggles hops (finish)
1 ounce Fuggles hops (dryhop secondary)
Whitelabs Irish Stout yeast

Ed_Savage said:

I found this recipe and decided to tweak it a little. I just wanted to use ingredients I already have in my kitchen. Here is what I came up with. What do you think??? Opinions and advice whould be cool!

Blackstrap Stout

Ingredients:
3.5lbs. Dark malt extract syrup
3.5lbs. Light malt extract syrup
1 lb. Chocolate malt
1/2 Black Patent malt
1/2 Roasted malt
1/2 lb. Crystal malt
1/2 lb. Flaked barley
1 cup Blackstrap molasses
1/2 stick brewers licorice
2 ounces Northern Brewer hops (bittering)
1 ounce Fuggles hops (finish)
1 ounce Fuggles hops (dryhop secondary)
Whitelabs Irish Stout yeast

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looks good. definately going to be black. I did your recipe in brew smith and this is what i got
BATCH SIZE 5 GALLONS, BOIL TIME 60 MINUTES
O.G. 1.067
F.G. 1.017
ESTIMATED COLOR 52
BITTERNESS 57.8 IBU'S (WHEN I PUT IN FOR A 90 MINUTE BOIL BITTERNESS JUMPED UP TO 59.3 IBU'S)
ALCOHOL BY VOLUME 6.5
Its definately in the right range for a stout. I would ease back on the chocolate to half a pound. The classic stouts include challenger, goldings, fuggles, and target for bittering and finishing
serving temperature is around 55-65 degrees
hope this helped

Cool, 1/2 pound of chocolate, sounds like a plan!

The thing Im most concerned about is the Blackstrap and Licorice stick. I don't want to go too overkill. I like the blackstrap and I have heared that I shouldn't use anymore then 1 cup per 5 gallons (about half of the 16 oz bottle bottle). I want a slight aftertase of licorice as well, thats why I split the stick in half. Or should I use the whole thing?

I also have a pouch of dried ground licorice root, I could use as a substitute instead brewers licorice. I just wouldn't know how much of it to use.

I just don't 5 gallons of undrinkable brew.

Ed_Savage said:

Cool, 1/2 pound of chocolate, sounds like a plan!

The thing Im most concerned about is the Blackstrap and Licorice stick. I don't want to go too overkill. I like the blackstrap and I have heared that I shouldn't use anymore then 1 cup per 5 gallons (about half of the 16 oz bottle bottle). I want a slight aftertase of licorice as well, thats why I split the stick in half. Or should I use the whole thing?

I also have a pouch of dried ground licorice root, I could use as a substitute instead brewers licorice. I just wouldn't know how much of it to use.

I just don't 5 gallons of undrinkable brew.

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Blackstrap is a form of cane sugar and adding more than that would impart cidery flavors to your brew which is not good unless your making hard cider. I dont recommend any more than 1 cup. Have you heard of lyles golden syrup. Its good stuff and would fit into that recipe nicely, but dont use it becuase you would have to change the brew name, haha. The molasses is really good too.
The licorice root is a tricky one. A little bit can overtake your whole brew with a quickness. I found that 1/2 ounce per 5 gallon batch does a nice job, but use less when using dried. If towards the end of your boil you taste it and want more licorice flavor then throw another 1/2 ounce in the last 10 minutes of your boil, but be careful, and strain the licorice root out of the wort as it goes into the primary fermenter.
Feel free to ask anymore questions you may have

usmcruz said:

Blackstrap is a form of cane sugar and adding more than that would impart cidery flavors to your brew which is not good unless your making hard cider. I dont recommend any more than 1 cup. Have you heard of lyles golden syrup. Its good stuff and would fit into that recipe nicely, but dont use it becuase you would have to change the brew name, haha. The molasses is really good too.

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Man I don't mean to nitpick everything you post (and I'm not saying you are wrong, just clarifying a little), but blackstrap is actually molasses, and is the darkest of all the different kinds. It will leave a tarry, and possibly astringent flavor. It can also be called treacle.

I suggest for anyone who is thinking about using odd adjuncts in thier beers to pick up a copy of Randy Mosher's Radical Brewing. You name it, he probably wrote about it. Awesome book.

One more note on the Blackstrap, FWIW, Mosher put 1.5 lbs. of Blackstrap molasses in a stout recipe. 1 cup in this recipe might not even affect the flavor.

ORRELSE said:

Man I don't mean to nitpick everything you post (and I'm not saying you are wrong, just clarifying a little), but blackstrap is actually molasses, and is the darkest of all the different kinds. It will leave a tarry, and possibly astringent flavor. It can also be called treacle.

I suggest for anyone who is thinking about using odd adjuncts in thier beers to pick up a copy of Randy Mosher's Radical Brewing. You name it, he probably wrote about it. Awesome book.

One more note on the Blackstrap, FWIW, Mosher put 1.5 lbs. of Blackstrap molasses in a stout recipe. 1 cup in this recipe might not even affect the flavor.

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If the blackstrap will leave a "tarry and possibly astringent flavor" why would we want to use more than one cup, which by the way 1 and 1/3 of a cup of molasses is equivelant to one pound. He will be using a little shy of one pound. For what hes brewing is perfect. If you ever used blackstrap molasses before then you know that even a 1/2 of a cup will impart flavor to your brew. By the way Mosher's Radical Brewing is a good book to reference. brew on brother

usmcruz said:

If the blackstrap will leave a "tarry and possibly astringent flavor" why would we want to use more than one cup, which by the way 1 and 1/3 of a cup of molasses is equivelant to one pound.

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Yeah, I can't imagine drinking a beer with 1.5 lbs. in it!!!

ORRELSE said:

Yeah, I can't imagine drinking a beer with 1.5 lbs. in it!!!

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My buddy brewed a stout with 1.75 pounds in it and he was so happy about it so i snuffed it down with a smile on my face, and told him it was wonderful. That was the longest 30 seconds of my life, hahahaha

So a cup should be cool?? If my calculations are correct a cup is 8oz's (.5lbs).

I wanted to do a blackstrap recipe because I really like Bridgeport Blackstrap Stout. I havent been able to find a clone recipe for it though. So why not just make my own.

I also tried a pint of stout at a local pub that had an aftertaste of licorice. I was too drunk to remember the name of the beer.

I thought the two combined would make a really interesting flavor. I just dont wanna go over kill. Im shooting for my brewday to be on Saturday or Sunday.


LOL! Oh and ORRELSE DKM's KICK ASS!!!!!
"I don't need no gang, to watch my ass. Just loyal friendship, and a pint of Bass!"

Ed_Savage said:

So a cup should be cool?? If my calculations are correct a cup is 8oz's (.5lbs).

I wanted to do a blackstrap recipe because I really like Bridgeport Blackstrap Stout. I havent been able to find a clone recipe for it though. So why not just make my own.

I also tried a pint of stout at a local pub that had an aftertaste of licorice. I was too drunk to remember the name of the beer.

I thought the two combined would make a really interesting flavor. I just dont wanna go over kill. Im shooting for my brewday to be on Saturday or Sunday.


LOL! Oh and ORELSE DKM's KICK ASS!!!!!
"I don't need no gang, to watch my ass. Just loyal friendship, and a pint of Bass!"

Click to expand...

You will be fine with a cup of blackstrap, but i was thinking did you think about replacing the black patent or cutting in half and add a pound or two of crystal 120L. Just a suggestion. Just to confuse you a little more, i found this recipe online for a blackstrap stout

7.4 lbs. Dark malt extract syrup
1 lb. Black Patent malt
1 lb. Chocolate malt
1/2 lb. Crystal malt
1/2 lb. Flaked barley
1/2 cup Blackstrap molasses
3 ounces Cascade hops (bittering)
1 ounce Fuggles hops (finish)
Edme dry yeast
3 ounces Blackstrap molasses to prime

A cup of blackstrap should be fine in a stout. I've used as much as 24 oz. in an Old Ale. That was too much for the style, but after 6 months of aging it was quite nice. I haven't tried licorice in an ale yet, but most recipes I've looked at call for about 1/2 a stick (1/2 oz).

usmcruz said:

You will be fine with a cup of blackstrap, but i was thinking did you think about replacing the black patent or cutting in half and add a pound or two of crystal 120L. Just a suggestion. Just to confuse you a little more, i found this recipe online for a blackstrap stout

7.4 lbs. Dark malt extract syrup
1 lb. Black Patent malt
1 lb. Chocolate malt
1/2 lb. Crystal malt
1/2 lb. Flaked barley
1/2 cup Blackstrap molasses
3 ounces Cascade hops (bittering)
1 ounce Fuggles hops (finish)
Edme dry yeast
3 ounces Blackstrap molasses to prime

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That is the original recipe I found at stoutbilly's that I "tweaked", to match the ingredients and hops I already have in my kitchen.

I have other hops I can use instead in my freezer. I should have some 2 oz bags of......crystal, tettnager, hallertauer, pearle, simcoe, amirillo,centennial, and columbus.

But I thought the Nothern brewer and the Fuggles would be the best fit for a stout, out of what I have.

david_42 said:

A cup of blackstrap should be fine in a stout. I've used as much as 24 oz. in an Old Ale. That was too much for the style, but after 6 months of aging it was quite nice. I haven't tried licorice in an ale yet, but most recipes I've looked at call for about 1/2 a stick (1/2 oz).

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Holy S***! 24oz! I just tried a spoon full yesterday and it tasted so concentrated, it was hard to swallow! The Bridgeport I drink has the perfect amount it it. I can't imagine having an overkill like that. At least it mellowed out after some time.

Ed_Savage said:

That is the original recipe I found at stoutbilly's that I "tweaked", to match the ingredients and hops I already have in my kitchen.

I have other hops I can use instead in my freezer. I should have some 2 oz bags of......crystal, tettnager, hallertauer, pearle, simcoe, amirillo,centennial, and columbus.

But I thought the Nothern brewer and the Fuggles would be the best fit for a stout, out of what I have.

Click to expand...

Experiment, and break out of the routine so many get stuck in. Im not saying go ahead and throw stuff in blindly, but reasearch your hops and see what you might want it to taste like. brewing is just like cooking. a little bit of this and that.

Did you ever get around to trying this recipe. I too have been looking for a Bridgeport Blackstrap Stout clone and havn't found one. I'm interested in what you came up with?