1st Custom Beer Recipe (Feedback Please)

[MrDonde]

Evening,

I am working on my first custom recipe and I was looking for some feedback. My idea is a Chocolate Coffee Cinnamon Stout. I haven't worked out the exact amount of everything or when I will add them to the boil, etc. But, here is my list.

1lb Coffee Malt
1lb Choclate Malt
1/2 lb De-Bittered Black Malt
2oz Black Patent Malt
1lb Flaked Oats
5lb Amber Extract
White Labs London Ale WLP013
1 oz Nugget Pellet Hops
Espresso Beans
Cinnamon Sticks

My plan is to put the firsts 5 ingredients in a grain bag and soak them for a while, then add the Amber Extract when I start the boil. I will add the espresso beans during the last 10 minutes of the boil and I was planning to dry hop the cinnamon in the secondary since I am afriad putting it in the boil will produce too much bitterness.

I started with a Milk Chocolate Recipe I got at my local homebrew store and tweeked it a little for what I wanted.

I know there is no way to know 100% if this recipe will be good until I try it, but does it seem like it has potential? I haven't made any glaring errors with my thinking?

 

[David_Trucks]

Is this a 5 gallon batch? I'm no expert, but I found that all that dark grain makes it pretty roasty. But you may be looking for that taste.

I would research when and how to add espresso beans. You will get many different ideas, but most people will tell you that boiling coffee beans will give you a bitter flavor. I did a coffee Porter and added ground beans to secondary. It was fine, but if I did it again, I'd cold press the coffee.

 

[azscoob]

Cold press the coffee and add to secondary, I've also crushed the beans and added to the keg in a nylon bag for a week, then removed em, turned out pretty good

 

[aprichman]

That is way too much dark grain. I would cut all of the dark grains in half. Also seems like too many oats especially since you aren't mashing.

 

[Schecter]

Have you ever made a Chocolate-Coffee stout? A Chocolate-Cinnamon stout? A Coffee-Cinnamon stout?! (Mmmm...)

I have no additional input other than you may want to tackle one flavor combination at a time. You may find yourself overwhelmed trying to have harmony. I'd just make one combination first, work it until you're happy with the balance, and then add the third flavor. You can then re-balance slightly to achieve that harmony again.

Cheers
Kyle

 

[ong]

I'd leave out the oats entirely, since you aren't mashing. Cut dark grains way back, to no more than 1 1/2 lbs total (portioned as you see fit), and add the coffee after primary fermentation, either as beans or as brewed coffee.

 

[MrDonde]

Thanks for the feedback and sorry for the slow response time on this thread, hurray work!

@David_Trucks - This is a five gallon batch and based on other feedback I will cut back on the dark grains

@azscoob - I think I am going to do this cold press method, thanks!

@aprichman - Thanks for the feedback I will cut it back.

@Schecter - I have not made chocolate coffee or cinanmon chocolate brew before. I lke to make beers based on flavors I like and this flavor combination is how I love my coffee so I decided to run with it. If it turns out horribly wrong I might cut back on extra ingredient.

@ong - Thanks for the tips!

Here is my revised recipe:

1/2lb Coffee Malt
1/2lb Choclate Malt
3oz De-Bittered Black Malt
3oz Black Patent Malt
5lb Amber Extract
White Labs London Ale WLP013
1 oz Nugget Pellet Hops
Espresso Beans
Cinnamon Sticks

 

[MrDonde]

Another thing I should note is that I am doing Brew In A Bag (BIAB), since I lack the equipment for other methods.

 

[sboyajian]

New bill looks good.. going to be super dark, which I like.

Be careful about the cinnamon sticks in secondary for too long, as you could end up overpowering it just like having it in a long boil. I've got a S'Mores Stout I have planned soon and I'm doing 1 stick at 15 minutes and 1 stick in secondary for 5 days. It's a strong flavor and it can overpower.

What's the time for the hop addition?

 

[adamdillabo]

I don't know enough about mashing to tell you but will this offer enough malt to fully convert the sugars?

 

[kh54s10]

Another thing I should note is that I am doing Brew In A Bag (BIAB), since I lack the equipment for other methods.

Technically the brew you are doing is an extract with steeping grains.

BIAB is all grain with no extract.

Partial mash would need some base grain in the recipe and a mash period at 148-154 for usually 60 minutes.

Have you run this recipe through a calculator to see what the results will be?

Try Brewers Friend.

 

[TechyDork]

Another thing I should note is that I am doing Brew In A Bag (BIAB), since I lack the equipment for other methods.

if you want to do a mash with BIAB then you will need some 2-row in there to convert the specialty malts. If you are just going to steep them for an extract batch then you should be good to go.

 

[Schecter]

@Schecter - I have not made chocolate coffee or cinanmon chocolate brew before. I lke to make beers based on flavors I like and this flavor combination is how I love my coffee so I decided to run with it. If it turns out horribly wrong I might cut back on extra ingredient.

More power to ya! If you're good at cooking maybe you can formulate a recipe better than most in respect to balancing ingredients. Best of luck, let us know your end result.

And the only beer that turns out horribly wrong is the one you don't brew...or the one you infect.

Cheers

 

[MrDonde]

@sboyajian - Thanks for the warning. I did a Green Chile Belgian Pale Ale a while back and stuffed the secondary with green chile, so I am used to sampling to make sure spice/flavor doesn't get out of hand.

@adamdillabo - Would I use a brew calculator to be able and figure out if I have enough?

@kh54s10 - Thanks for correcting me. I am still terrible with using correct terminology for everything. I have not run this through a calculator and I am not sure what I would be looking for if I did. :S

@TechyDork - Thanks, I would like to mash but for now I am familiar with Extract/Steep method I did with the home brew recipes I bought from my home brew store.

@Schecter - I will keep you posted.

 

[kh54s10]

@kh54s10 - Thanks for correcting me. I am still terrible with using correct terminology for everything. I have not run this through a calculator and I am not sure what I would be looking for if I did. :S

Try this one: http://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/calculator/

Play around with it, change things. It should show you whether your recipe meets style. It will tell you the color gravities etc.

The more you mess around the more you will learn about which ingredients change what parameters.

Then you will need to learn which ingredients are good in large amounts and which can only be used in very small amounts.

I look at known recipes for inspiration and make changes to suit my tastes.

Northern Brewer lists the ingredients in their kits. Open a kit page then click on the additional information tab. It gives the recipe and brewing instructions. You can use the information to make your own brew.

 

[MrDonde]

@kh54s10 - Thanks again! I ran my brew through that and tweeked a few things. I am going to give it a go next weekend and we shall see the results.