Can you guys take a look at my Dry Irish Recipe, please?

[merriman44]

I've been asked to brew a dry Irish Stout for a couple of parties coming in the early fall. As such, I'd like to get them brewed this weekend. I want something that is going to be very drinkable, and I'm afraid I may have went a bit overboard. Can you guys take a look?
Est Original Gravity: 1.056 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.010 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 6.1 %
Bitterness: 55.9 IBUs
Est Color: 35.0 SRM

est Original Gravity: 1.056 SG
est Final Gravity: 1.010 SG


Grain Bill
9 lbs 4.0 oz Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) Grain 1 68.8 %
2 lbs 11.0 oz Barley, Flaked (1.7 SRM) Grain 2 20.0 %
8.0 oz Roasted Barley (500.0 SRM) Grain 3 3.7 %
6.0 oz Chocolate Malt (450.0 SRM) Grain 4 2.8 %
4.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 5 1.9 %
4.0 oz Carafa III (525.0 SRM) Grain 6 1.9 %
2.0 oz Black (Patent) Malt (500.0 SRM)

Hop Profile-all First Wort Hopping
1.00 oz Columbus/Tomahawk/Zeus (CTZ) [15.50 %] - First Wort 60.0 min Hop 8 46.9 IBUs
0.30 oz Target [11.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 9 9.1 IBUs
Bitterness ratio=.994
Yeast
1.0 pkg American Ale (Wyeast Labs #1056)

One of the tricks I intend to use is to remove one gallon of water from the premash volume and use it to steep all the dark grains at 160 degrees for 20-30 minutes. I will then add this "extract" into the kettle at 10 minutes left in the biol to limit acrid/tannic flavors.

I use the Brew in a bag technique. Should I go for a lighter body or medium on this brew? Is it too much for a summer beer?

Still learning here guys, so thanks for any heads up. This is my 10th batch and I haven't had a "bad" brew yet, but I've always had issues with Roasted Barley. It's always been waaay over extracted, hence my separating it from the overall process this time. THoughts?

 

[merriman44]

I just realized that this may be in the wrong section. If so, can a mod move it to the Recipes section? Sorry!

 

[BigEd]

My .02, simplify and increase the dark grain. Try 12 oz each of the roasted barley and chocolate malt, ditch the black patent, Carafa and CaraFoam. Also for a dry Irish that bitterness is pretty aggressive. Consider backing down the IBUs to the mid 30s and I'd use UK hops only. The Target would be a good choice. While you're at it get an Irish Ale yeast.

 

[Fatman_Brew]

I would reconsider brewing 6% beer for a party if you cannot control or monitor consumption. Unless this is just a "taster" to the overall party.

 

[mbobhat]

You can always get rid of the Target hops and it would be fine if you think you went overboard. Thanks for the grainbill though, I modified it a bit and am going to make a 4% stout with it. Have fun with it.

 

[merriman44]

I suppose this has transformed more inro an American. The complex grain bill is to give it more character. Mind posting your modded bill? I'd love to make this closer to 5% but don't want to lose any character. You guys think I can just pare back the grains?

What about mash temps? I was going for 149 to keep it nice and dry.

The high hop content is to keep the bu around 1 so its nice and refreshing for a black summer stout. Still open to more thoughts though! Keep the critiques coming!

 

[GRBC]

It looks pretty good to me. Remember that the roasted grains will impart a sense of dryness/astringency in the finish.

As a result, I would consider replacing the carafa & the black patent with a debittered black like midnight wheat, lower the IBU (keep the FWH & get rid of 60 minute addition and target 45 IBU), and mash a little higher (153-155).

The other thing I do now with my dry stout is to withhold all the roasted grains from the mash, grind them up to powder in my coffee grinder, and add them to the mash tun at the end of mash just before I begin to vorlauf, sparge, and runoff to the kettle. I'm really sensitive to the roasty flavor of dark grains - a little goes a really long way for me, and I think this keep them in balance.

 

[mbobhat]

I suppose this has transformed more inro an American. The complex grain bill is to give it more character. Mind posting your modded bill? I'd love to make this closer to 5% but don't want to lose any character. You guys think I can just pare back the grains?

What about mash temps? I was going for 149 to keep it nice and dry.

The high hop content is to keep the bu around 1 so its nice and refreshing for a black summer stout. Still open to more thoughts though! Keep the critiques coming!

I would agree with everything GRBC said, (I've used debittered black patent and it's very nice if you just want color and less roastiness) and if you want a 4.7% take on your bill I would plan on this for myself:

Based on 65% efficiency since I batch sparge and 5.5 gallons

8lb MO
2lb Flaked Barley
0.5lb Roasted Barley
0.5 Chocolate
0.25 Carafa III ( for a little more character)
Debittered Black 0.25 lb if you want it black black

1oz of any high alpha hop FWH (I've used Warrior, Chinook, and Centennial in a stout before and it was good)