effects of my grain substitutions in a stout?

[cloudybrewer]

I made the all grain chocolate milk stout kit from Northern Brewer last winter. I've been using Ritebrew over the summer and like this outfit a lot. They don't carry exactly what the kit calls for, but I can get something similar for $10 - $12 less after shipping, and with a liquid yeast viability guarantee. If you could, please point out any glaring mistakes that I'm making. So, the Northern Brewer kit had

8 lbs Rahr Pale Ale 3.5L
.75 lbs Fawcett Pale Chocolate 180 - 250L
.25 lbs English Extra Dark Crystal 160L
.75 lbs Weyermann Carafa 3 480 - 560L

60 minutes - .75 oz Cluster
30 minutes - .50 oz Cluster
10 minutes - 1 lb Lactose
4 oz chocolate nibs in secondary

Yeast S 04

I'm considering making

10 lbs Briess Pale Ale 3.5L
1 lb Fawcett Pale Chocolate 180-250L
.25 lbs Briess Caramel 120L
1 lb Blackprinz 500L
Hops and other additions left alone

Yeast Denny's Favorite 50

Thoughts
I don't want to change the original too much flavor wise, but it seemed a bit "thin" even with the crystal malts and lactose.
I've increased the malt weights for a bit higher OG, except the Caramel malt because I don't really want a present caramel flavor.
I like smooth roastiness in my stouts, but I don't care for that charred, burnt flavor. This was why I'm considering seeing how Blackprinz tastes.
I HATE COFFEE!! NO COFFEE!

Questions
What effects will the malt substitutions have?
I've read about flaked Barley for more body and fuller mouthfeel. Should I try this, too, or should I see how this turns out first?
The original already had my preferred level of roastiness. How will the Blackprinz change it? Should I use more of it?
Do you have a better hop for stouts, other than Cluster? Does the hop really matter since it's mostly just for bittering anyway?

I know I sound pretty demanding with my requirements, and you're probably thinking, "Just buy the damn kit." But I'm to the point in my brewing career where I'd like to start experimenting a bit, anyway. And the while the kit was good, there is always room for improvement.

Thank you so much for your time.

 

[cloudybrewer]

Bump

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

But I'm to the point in my brewing career where I'd like to start experimenting a bit,

Did you find the product information sheets for the various malts involved? What do the "aroma wheels" suggest to you?

 

[corax]

It should be fine. I have a possibly unfounded bias against Briess malts, and if it were my beer I'd substitute British malt where possible, but I certainly don't see any problems with your malt bill.

 

[kevin58]

I would be leery of the chocolate malt you have listed. Seems I remember reading in Randy Mosher's book, Mastering Homebrew, that he called malts roasted in the 80 to 200 lovibond range as being "the harsh zone". I forget exactly how he described the flavor but it wasn't in appealing terms. He also says that you don't get much chocolate characteristic from chocolate malt but instead suggests carafa ... and crystal or caramel malts in the 60 to 80 range.

 

[corax]

I would be leery of the chocolate malt you have listed. Seems I remember reading in Randy Mosher's book, Mastering Homebrew, that he called malts roasted in the 80 to 200 lovibond range as being "the harsh zone". I forget exactly how he described the flavor but it wasn't in appealing terms. He also says that you don't get much chocolate characteristic from chocolate malt but instead suggests carafa ... and crystal or caramel malts in the 60 to 80 range.

I played around with Pale Chocolate when I was optimizing a brown ale recipe, and I definitely see why it would give the impression of harshness. But actually, I found that ounce for ounce, it's really no more harsh than regular Chocolate malt. The trouble comes when you use it to bring up color, and you end up using more of it than regular Chocolate; then you get hammered by the harshness. My solution was to stick with regular Chocolate malt -- more color, same flavor (though as you say, not particularly chocolatey).