Newbie Question on stout recipe design

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BurlingBrew

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Never designed my own recipe before but i would to take a shot at creating a simple stout recipe, one that I could use has a base recipe to venture off into other stout styles down the line.

What confuses me are all the sub genres in the category. Should I just base my recipe on an Irish stout and go from there? Maybe I'm just putting to much thought into it. Keep it simple right? I.e. Base malt, roasted barley, noble hops, Irish/American/London yeast.

Any guidance would be appreciated, thanks!
 
I don't have a lot of experience creating stout recipes, but if you want to make an amazing one based off a preexisting recipe, Google Yooper's Oatmeal Stout. It's on here and very popular. My favorite beer I have made.
 
Overthinking it is half the fun! I recommend having a look at a few existing recipes for ingredients, percentages, yeasts, etc. Sampling some commercial or other homebrew versions can give you a sense of what you like... or maybe you already know! Then put something together that makes sense to you... careful with the roasted malts - too much can be overly astringent. I like chocolate malt for the roasty, coffee flavors. Have fun!
 
I don't have a lot of experience creating stout recipes, but if you want to make an amazing one based off a preexisting recipe, Google Yooper's Oatmeal Stout. It's on here and very popular. My favorite beer I have made.


Wow, that's quite the thread for yoopers stout. Received extremely well by many. That's the kind of end result I would like to strive for and understand there were likely many reiterations before he nailed it. Gives me ideas, thanks Lazer Wolf!
 
I don't have a lot of experience creating stout recipes, but if you want to make an amazing one based off a preexisting recipe, Google Yooper's Oatmeal Stout. It's on here and very popular. My favorite beer I have made.[/


Wow, that's quite the thread for yoopers stout. Received extremely well by many. That's the kind of end result I would like to strive for and understand there were likely many reiterations before he nailed it. Gives me ideas, thanks Lazer Wolf!
 
Overthinking it is half the fun! I recommend having a look at a few existing recipes for ingredients, percentages, yeasts, etc. Sampling some commercial or other homebrew versions can give you a sense of what you like... or maybe you already know! Then put something together that makes sense to you... careful with the roasted malts - too much can be overly astringent. I like chocolate malt for the roasty, coffee flavors. Have fun!


I have some black patent on hand. Maybe I was thinking flaked barley as opposed to roasted barley. I like the idea of trying a few commercial brews to get ideas. I guess I shouldn't get to caught up on beer genres and just make what I would like to drink. First draft of my recipe coming soon.
 
I often make a nice stout that is just 2-row, black patent and flaked barley. Whatever leftover hops, but I usually make it relatively hoppy. US-05.
I've tried to make it different ways, with more conventional ingredients and amounts but ended up going back to the original, simple recipe.
Simple is good.
 
Alright guys, here is what I came up.

As a reminder I am simply looking for a base stout recipe that I can further develop as my go to house recipe. A platform used for further experimentation down the line if you will. I haven't selected any hops yet, but will likely only utilize a small 60 minute addition. IBU of 45ish.

Tried to keep it simple, critique me please!! What style do you think this would fall under? Seems to be a bit more then a traditional Irish Stout.

Batch Size: 5.5G

8 lbs Maris Otter
1lbs Roasted Barley (550 SRM)
12oz Chocolate Malt (350 SRM)
8oz Flaked Barley

Beersmith stats:
1.053 OG
44.7 SRM
5.3% ABV
 
That will make a very strong roast flavor, thin body stout. I would add more flaked barley, 1-1.5 lb. Maybe swap the chocolate for a dark crystal malt depending on how strong of a roast flavor your after. I'd also use Marris Otter as my base malt, but that's just personal preference.
 
Thanks chemErik, I was debating on adding some crystal. Perhaps I'll lower the chocolate count and add some crystal 80. Hoping this will balance out the roast and and provide a little more body.

Anyone else want to chime in??
 
anymore i am a big fan of cold steeping my roasted grains overnight. it takes about double the amount but it results in a much mellower roasty flavor. i use a combo of american roasted barley and black prinz steeped about 2 qts/lb. i fine grind the grain and strain it real good the next morning. i taste it first and it is always really roasty and not at all bitter. i then add the steep water about halfway through the boil. i will never do stouts or porters any other way now. this also avoids the PH hit on the mash which can really affect the flavor or stouts and porters.
 
blackbeer- i am going to try that.

burlingbrew- i too would up the flaked barley. to 2lbs. my base recipe has 25% flaked barley. keep the chocolate as is. i don't much care for crystal in stout.
the problem is- you're going to have to experiment. which means making lots and lots of beer. :mug:
 
blackbeer- i am going to try that.

burlingbrew- i too would up the flaked barley. to 2lbs. my base recipe has 25% flaked barley. keep the chocolate as is. i don't much care for crystal in stout.
the problem is- you're going to have to experiment. which means making lots and lots of beer. :mug:


Thanks for your input. I guess I can always experiment with crystal and other malts down the line. Updated grain bill coming soon.
 
Sorry for the delay on this. I used everyone's input And feel I now have a great starting point for my house stout. Someone said earlier, doing the research in recipe development is half the fun...totally agree!!! :rockin:



Here is the grain bill.



6lbs marris otter

1lbs roasted barley

2.5lbs flaked barley

12oz chocolate malt



1oz of Columbus hops (14%AA) why? because I have some on hand. I have centennial as well and some northern brewer. .


Yeast? Still unknown, any ideas??? Was thinking 1084 based on other threads.



Your feedback is always appreciated....thanks and cheers :mug:
 
Alright guys, here is what I came up.

As a reminder I am simply looking for a base stout recipe that I can further develop as my go to house recipe. A platform used for further experimentation down the line if you will. I haven't selected any hops yet, but will likely only utilize a small 60 minute addition. IBU of 45ish.

Tried to keep it simple, critique me please!! What style do you think this would fall under? Seems to be a bit more then a traditional Irish Stout.

Batch Size: 5.5G

8 lbs Maris Otter
1lbs Roasted Barley (550 SRM)
12oz Chocolate Malt (350 SRM)
8oz Flaked Barley

Beersmith stats:
1.053 OG
44.7 SRM
5.3% ABV

I agree with ChemErik... too much on the roasted malt. The 1# is too much for me, but hey, this is your brew... give it a go and if you don't like it, drink up this batch, and adjust on the next one. Home brew experiments are delicious!
 
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That last recipe is definitely within style for an export stout. It will still have a strong roast flavor and with that much flaked barley fairly chewy.

I have no idea how Columbus will work, I have used EK Goldings and/or Target in my stouts but those certainly aren't the only good choices.

I use 1084 in all my stouts, classic stout flavor and I like that it seems to always come out the same anywhere in the recommended temperature range. Again, not the only good choice, but it certainly will work.
 
That last recipe is definitely within style for an export stout. It will still have a strong roast flavor and with that much flaked barley fairly chewy.

I have no idea how Columbus will work, I have used EK Goldings and/or Target in my stouts but those certainly aren't the only good choices.

I use 1084 in all my stouts, classic stout flavor and I like that it seems to always come out the same anywhere in the recommended temperature range. Again, not the only good choice, but it certainly will work.


Thanks for your feedback Chem! I seem to be tweaking the recipe almost daily. I lowered the roast from 1lbs to 12oz and upped the base malt slightly. I don't want it to be too roasty.

I'll likely go with 1084 unless someone can suggest a good London yeast???

I realize Columbus is not a traditional hop used in stouts for many but it was listed as applicable in stouts (beer smith description). Figured what the hell.
 
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