Help with custom recipe

[Cinci-Brewing]

I'm planning on brewing a recipe that I'm currently researching for Christmas. I'm going to be buying the majority of my supplies locally, which may or may not limit my options. For this ale, all that I know that I want to use so far is Briess Chocolate malt grains in which I already have 1 pound, blackstrap molasses, and Danstar Windsor ale yeast. I would like this beer to be dark black in color, just like a stout or porter. I still need to decide which hops that I should use.

I also need some recommendations for spices and what amounts to use. I was also thinking of using 1 pound of carmel malt grains, either 40L or 60L, but need advice as to which to choose. This will be a 5 gallon extract batch.

Here's what I was thinking. I'm still new to creating recipes.

6.6 pounds of Muntons Dark LME

1 pound of Carmel Malt 40L or 60L?

1 1/2 pounds of Briess Chocolate Malt ( 6 Row - Lovibond 350 - Rich, Roasted Coffee, Cocoa)

8 ounces of Blackstrap Molasses

Danstar Windsor Ale Dry Yeast



Ground Cinnamon
Ground Cloves

Ground Ginger

Ground Nutmeg

Should I also incorporate DME into this recipe?

 

[Joe9216]

with the ingredients listed it should be around a 5% alcohol beer, and be about 70SRM in color which is pretty dark. in comparason American stout style guide is 30-40 SRM, so this is going to def be a black beer. what are you looking for in hop flavor/aroma? if using cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, you might stay with a spicy aroma like mt rainer, or phoenix (UK) hops. phoenix might be a little better for this, it gives a crisp and mellow tones of pine, chocolate, molasses and spice characteristics. just keep your additions small as to not overpower the malt, and spice notes. as far as dme vs lme, either would work. there is no real benifit to using one vs the other.

 

[Cinci-Brewing]

with the ingredients listed it should be around a 5% alcohol beer, and be about 70SRM in color which is pretty dark. in comparason American stout style guide is 30-40 SRM, so this is going to def be a black beer. what are you looking for in hop flavor/aroma? if using cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, you might stay with a spicy aroma like mt rainer, or phoenix (UK) hops. phoenix might be a little better for this, it gives a crisp and mellow tones of pine, chocolate, molasses and spice characteristics. just keep your additions small as to not overpower the malt, and spice notes. as far as dme vs lme, either would work. there is no real benifit to using one vs the other.

Thanks for the reply. I was thinking, what if I was to use 6.6 pounds of a light or pale liquid malt extract, then use 2 pounds of a plain dark dry malt extract. That should still give me a black beer with 1 1/2 pounds of chocolate grains, and 1 pound of carmel 40L grains, while the overall beer would benefit from the extra 2 pounds of plain dark dry malt extract?

I think I'll try the Phoenix hops as you suggested. The tones of chocolate, molasses, and spices from the hops, should complement the chocolate, molasses, and spices that will already be present in the beer, and the mellow addition of pine just might remind the drinker of pine trees, and thus, Christmas trees. How much Pheonix hops do you recommend that I use at the 60 minute addition, and 10 minute addition, or should I do a 60, 30, 10 addition?

For the spices, I think I will use cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and all spice. Kind of a gingerbread taste for this beer.

 

[Joe9216]

you might try;
1.5lbs chocolate malt (60min)
3.3lbs Golden light LME (60min)
1lbs molasses (60min)
1oz Phoenix (60min)
4lbs Dark DME (30min)
.5oz Phoenix (30min)
.5oz Northdown (10min)
.5oz Phoenix (10min)
6tsp ground cinnamon (5min)
4tsp ground Ginger(5min)
1 teaspoons of Nutmeg (5min)
1 teaspoon Cloves (5min)
SafAle #S-04 yeast


with the flavor profile you are heading towards, the windsor yeast can add a banana like taste which might not work well.

I havent done many beers with spice additions, so my guestimates there might be off, but the base beer should be pretty good. Plugging it into beersmith, it shows to me 6.5% ABV, 39.5 SRM, 41.5 IBUs fitting in the style guidelines for an american stout.

I might give this a try as well.

 

[Joe9216]

the northdown hop should go well with the phoenix, as it adds spice, cedar and pine characteristics with hints of floral and berry flavors... more christmas reminders.

 

[ong]

Blackstrap is really strong-tasting compared to lighter molasses. A pound might be a little overwhelming. Make sure it's unsulphured, at least.

 

[Cinci-Brewing]

you might try;
1.5lbs chocolate malt (60min)
3.3lbs Golden light LME (60min)
1lbs molasses (60min)
1oz Phoenix (60min)
4lbs Dark DME (30min)
.5oz Phoenix (30min)
.5oz Northdown (10min)
.5oz Phoenix (10min)
6tsp ground cinnamon (5min)
4tsp ground Ginger(5min)
1 teaspoons of Nutmeg (5min)
1 teaspoon Cloves (5min)
SafAle #S-04 yeast

Thanks for the reply. I'm going go with your suggestion. That hop profile sounds good. You should brew this beer. Unfortunately, I'm not going to be able to brew this until two weeks into October.

6 tsp cinnamon, 4 tsp ginger, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp cloves sounds good. Should be able to taste the spices, without over powering the beer.

with the flavor profile you are heading towards, the windsor yeast can add a banana like taste which might not work well.

I havent done many beers with spice additions, so my guestimates there might be off, but the base beer should be pretty good. Plugging it into beersmith, it shows to me 6.5% ABV, 39.5 SRM, 41.5 IBUs fitting in the style guidelines for an american stout.

I might give this a try as well.

Thanks for the reply. You should brew this too. Unfortunately, I won't be able to brew this until 2 weeks into October.

I'm going with your hop suggestion.

6 tsp cinnamon, 4 tsp ginger, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp cloves sounds good. Should be able to taste the spices without over powering the beer.

I'll probably just use 8 oz. molasses. I think a pound of blackstrap molasses, might be to much.