Oatmeal Stout - Candy like Flavor?

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djonesax

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I kegged my "Yoopers Oatmeal Stout" 13 days ago after about 3-4 weeks in the fermenter. The only major difference in the recipe was the addition of 2lbs of sugar because I mashed to high and had a higher FG than I wanted and didn't want a 3.8% ABV Stout.

At kegging the beer tasted very good, a little on the sweet side because the FG was 1.024 but still very good and smooth. I even put some in growler and took it with me on a weekend trip to Asheville, NC. I poured a pint last night which has been over a week since Asheville and the beer now has a slight candy like flavor that is hard to describe but reminds me of a Belgian beer. I cant say for sure if its green apple, or cidery but I can say it didn't taste like that last week after kegging and and force carb'ing. I realized that I had forgotten to purge air in the keg after hooking up the C02. Could this be oxidation?

Other thoughts?

David
 
Isn't oxidation, that would taste like cardboard. I'm betting that it's the sugar, as a lot of Belgian beers use candi sugar.
 
you dont taste sugar additions because they become alcohol

Yeah, I don't think its the sugar because two weeks after it had fermented out, it tasted good. This keg I quick carbed by shaking it at 30PSI. I have two kegs and the second I didn't do that, I should hook that one up and see if it has this new flavor too. What off flavors can develop after kegging?

David
 
My taste buds must have been off last night, because I just tasted it again and didn't taste any of the off flavor I did yesterday. I had had a couple Milk stouts before hand so maybe my pallet was wonky.

I did notice that the regulator was reading 15PSI and it was supposed to be at 10PSI, so I purged some C02 and adjusted it. Perhaps I was tasting the extra C02, I dont know, weird...

David
 
Nope tried it again a few times since, and can totally totally taste it. It seems I only taste it after drinking another stout first. I have had this flavor in a couple beers over the years and a common theme seems to be sitting on the trub for too long. One, sat in primary for 8 months, another about 5 weeks, and this one maybe 4. The other possibility, is that C02 seems to accentuate it. I have one kegs carbed at a lower PSI and it has less of the flavor. I may try letting a pint go flat and see what it tastes like.
 
I suggest not drinking another stout first. May not get rid of the flavor, but from what you say, you won't taste it. "Doc, it hurts when I do this!" "Well then, don't do that!" :D
 
Also just some advice on that beer......wait it out. 3-4 weeks is really young for that stout. I use that recipe all of the time as a base and make my own adjustments here and there, but it doesn't hit peak until around the 3 month (kegged) mark. That's when it shines IMO.

In case you're wanting to experiment in the future, my 4 favorite additions to this beer:

- Lactose in the boil
- Soak a split vanilla bean and 3 oz. of cacao nibs in vodka for 14 days, then strain and add to the keg
- Cold brewed chicory coffee added to the keg
- bourbon soaked oak cubes added to the keg for ~5-7 days

All 4 of these done to the same beer is phenomenal.
 
Also just some advice on that beer......wait it out. 3-4 weeks is really young for that stout. I use that recipe all of the time as a base and make my own adjustments here and there, but it doesn't hit peak until around the 3 month (kegged) mark. That's when it shines IMO.

In case you're wanting to experiment in the future, my 4 favorite additions to this beer:

- Lactose in the boil
- Soak a split vanilla bean and 3 oz. of cacao nibs in vodka for 14 days, then strain and add to the keg
- Cold brewed chicory coffee added to the keg
- bourbon soaked oak cubes added to the keg for ~5-7 days

All 4 of these done to the same beer is phenomenal.

Thanks Matt. I'm almost at 1 month kegged I believe. I have been dying to add some coffee to the second keg but couldn't decide on how. There are so many articles advising this way and that. I am not big on vanilla but the cacao nibs and vodka sounds good to me. How much cold brewed coffee would you add to 5 gallons?

Thanks,

David
 
The vanilla doesn't really come through like you would think. It just mellows out the cacao nibs to make them taste more chocolatey and less bitter.....think semi-sweet chocolate chips vs. unsweetened. It's hard to describe. But there is no residual vanilla aftertaste. All I can say is try it once, maybe on a small batch just in case you don't like it.

For coffee, I usually buy whole beans and pulse them 2-3 times in my coffee grinder. Just to get a very rough chop on them. Then add to a sanitized bottle with bottled water, and let it sit at room temp for 24-48 hours, or in the fridge for up to a week. Strain through a coffee filter (it takes a few minutes) and add to the keg. So far I've tried the following amounts (per my notes):

- 1/2 cup coffee beans (measured whole) and 16oz water
- 1.5oz coffee beans and 14oz water

And I've actually got this beer in primary right now, and plan to up the coffee amount this time. It's a delicate balance though between too harsh/acidic a coffee taste and a really good smooth coffee taste. Hence why I suggest a bit of lactose to help round it out. I also add a bit of table salt to this beer to get the sodium around 60ppm and help with perceived sweetness. And even with all of that, I don't find it sweet at all, but really deep in flavor and very well balanced.
 
I've also been thinking about using something like this. It's local but I'm sure there's other products similar. Basically concentrated cold brewed coffee syrup. Just an ounce or two would be plenty I would think. Quick and easy too.

cool-coffee-concentrate.jpg
 
The ones I've bought just say Ghana Cacao nibs so I did not know whether they were roasted or not. So I threw them in a 250°F oven for about 15 minutes. Not sure if it made a difference, but I've done it every time since so I really don't have a "control" to compare to.
 
I'm a big fan of getting cold brew coffee from my favorite barista or super market. I used to do the cold extraction (steeping in the fridge) that Matt mentioned, but then cold brewed coffee starting becoming more and more available and it's a great product. I haven't played around with the dosing and I unfortunately don't have my notes on quantities, but it's a great way to go! I don't know what it's like in the rest of the country, but in Seattle we have some great cold brewed coffee regularly available.
 
@MagicMatt, thanks.

Also, I think you are right about the aging of that beer because its tasting better each week. I am also trying to gradually reduce the carb level. I wouldn't say its "overcarbed" but maybe slightly for the style.

David
 
I'm a big fan of getting cold brew coffee from my favorite barista or super market. I used to do the cold extraction (steeping in the fridge) that Matt mentioned, but then cold brewed coffee starting becoming more and more available and it's a great product. I haven't played around with the dosing and I unfortunately don't have my notes on quantities, but it's a great way to go! I don't know what it's like in the rest of the country, but in Seattle we have some great cold brewed coffee regularly available.

I thought about this too but had wondered about the sanitization. I guess you have not had any issues.


David
 
- Soak a split vanilla bean and 3 oz. of cacao nibs in vodka for 14 days, then strain and add to the keg

MagicMatt,

Silly question. I don't have a food scale but google tells me that 1oz of nibs is about 2 Tbsp. Would you say 3 oz is about 6 level Tbsp in your experience?

Thanks,

David
 
- Soak a split vanilla bean and 3 oz. of cacao nibs in vodka for 14 days, then strain and add to the keg
- Cold brewed chicory coffee added to the keg

Hey @MagicMatt, I'm back to brewing after a year off, after having our third child, and finally brewed this recipe again. Tomorrow I am going to toast the nibs and soak them in coffee with some vanilla.

I wanted to clarify that when you said add it to the keg, I assume you meant just the vodka and strain out the nibs and bean?

I am also planning to add some cold brewed Kona coffee a friend brought me back from Hawaii.

Thanks,

David
 
Hey sorry I never answered your previous question - must have missed it!

But yes when I make my tincture I put the vodka in a mason jar with the split/scraped vanilla bean for about a week, then add the toasted cacao nibs and let it sit for another 4-7 days (shaking once a day or so). Then strain it through either cheesecloth or a coffee filter (cheesecloth is easier, trust me).

I then take the strained liquid and put it in the freezer overnight to separate any fats/oils from the nibs, gently removing the fatcap/oilslick the next morning. After that, the vanilla and cacao flavored vodka can sit on the pantry shelf for up to a year or more. I usually make a triple batch to use throughout the year.
 
Sweet thanks. I just made my tincture of 8 oz of nibs, and 2 cups of vodka. I didn't have a vanilla bean so I used Vanilla extract. I read that one tsp is about equal to a bean. You're right, when I added the vanilla it even started smelling more like chocolate.

IMG_5362.JPG
 

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