Stout looks more like a brown ale

I just got finished brewing the Ó Flannagáin Standard stout (https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f68/o-flannagain-standard-41072/). This is my first stout, and i was surprised to see it wasn't black when i was finished, more of a dark brown. I followed the grain recipe exactly and hit my mash temps and gravity right on.

The only thing i can think of is my LHBS gave me the wrong grains or wrong amount.

Here's the grain bill:

6.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 64.86 %
1.00 lb Barley, Flaked (1.7 SRM) Grain 10.81 %
1.00 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 10.81 %
0.75 lb Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM) Grain 8.11 %
0.50 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 5.41 %

Beersmith calculates it as 30.9 SRM.


This doesn't make sense to me, but will this get any darker as it ages/ferments? I'm kinda disappointed since i finally overcame the issues i was having with mashing.

I recently did a stout and it looked dark brown in the fermenter right up to bottling. When I pour it into a glass now and hold it up to a light, it is mostly black with a rose hue on the edges. Guinness looks exactly the same way.

I wouldn't concern yourself with it until you see it in a glass.

+1. During fermentation the yeast reflects light and can make a dark beer appear lighter than it will be when bottled. Prior to fermentation there is often a lot of break material that can reflect light as well. RDWHAHB

I can never tell the color of my beer in the boil pot or fermenter. Dont worry about it. Besides, who cares what it looks like, as long as it tastes good, which I'm sure it will.

what is the batch size? if 5 gallons that will be a 1.040ish model. i would blame the chocolate malt... did you get pale?

mordantly said:

what is the batch size? if 5 gallons that will be a 1.040ish model. i would blame the chocolate malt... did you get pale?

Click to expand...

Yeah 5g batch. I got the exact grains as listed above.

What impact does the crush have on color? Is it possible the crush as my LHBS didn't break up the grains enough?

crush effects efficiency only. that seems like a good breakfast/session stout. but like someone said, if it is still cloudy, that is not really a color indicator. a true stout should be jet-black or close to it. the RIS i make is black, but when held up to the light takes on a slight reddish-brown against the glass.

+1 on the first three replies. Don't worry about your crush until you see it in the glass. It'll look way darker.

Thanks for the replies. I'll be patient and get back to the keg of centennial blonde

Also, even a dark brown color is allowable for the style