2nd batch bottled.

[Allstar]

Ok so my milk stout batch was just bottled last night. The suggested OG was 1.064 mine was 1.058 but that was taken with the wort at 80 F. So with the adjustment for tempature difference I am at 1.060. FG was suppose to be 1.024 and I ended up at 1.022. Last night I bottled it, I tasted at the beginning and it was a little watery but not to much. My first batch was like that too before the two weeks in the bottle. I was surprised at how light the milk stout looks though. There are no real questions just putting out information so that other noobs like me can find comfort in knowing we all make mistakes and it still turns out good, to the point my friends are looking for me to bring it out with me.

 

[Pappers_]

Congratulations on your second batch!

 

[Zixxer10R]

Hey Allstar, congrats! What was that recipe, if you don't mind? It's probably one of my favorite heavier beers i've had from that brewery with a cow and a hand on the bottle (can't remember the name at the moment )

 

[Allstar]

Hit me up in a couple weeks, I don't want to give you a bad recipe. I want to try it first out of the bottle.

 

[robthefrog]

I'm about to do a milk stout, and I assume that lactose is involved. If not, disregard this noob question... How does a hydrometer work when used with lactose? I understand that lactose is not fermentable but will add some sweetness to the final product. Does a hydrometer count it as sugar in the fermentable sense? And if so is that why your FG is so high? (I'm used to FG's in the 1.012-1.017 range).

And grats on your second batch. I'm fermenting my 6th brew as of now. Isn't this so much fun?

 

[Allstar]

That is what the recipe had listed for FG. I am not sure about why it is so high, what is your OG suppose to be. I also had the recipe switched over to a DME to make it a little easier for a beginner. The lactose powder was added at the same time as the malt in this recipe. What we tried yesterday was very smooth and creamy. I am interested to see what it will be like in the bottle. I ended up with 46 bottles and 1 growler.

 

[Pappers_]

I'm about to do a milk stout, and I assume that lactose is involved. If not, disregard this noob question... How does a hydrometer work when used with lactose? I understand that lactose is not fermentable but will add some sweetness to the final product. Does a hydrometer count it as sugar in the fermentable sense? And if so is that why your FG is so high? (I'm used to FG's in the 1.012-1.017 range).

And grats on your second batch. I'm fermenting my 6th brew as of now. Isn't this so much fun?

FWIW, here's my tried-and-true recipe for a cream stout http://www.singingboysbrewing.com/sweet-stout.html I use Munich as the base malt on this, which gives it a nice malty balance.

Regarding lactose, you can add the lactose at any time, including at bottling. I usually add it at the end of the boil, because its easier (sanitizes it in the boil, don't have to mess with it later).

Lactose does increase the gravity reading, and is a non-fermentable. So it raises both your original gravity and final gravity readings by the same amount.

For cream stouts, final gravity of over 1.020 is within the style, up to 1.024 according to the BJCP guidelines. Mine usually ends up right at 1.020.

 

[robthefrog]

Thanks, Pappers, that's exactly what I needed to know. XD