AHS Chocolate Raspberry Stout

[FSR402]

Massive blowoff when i woke up. Im wondering if i need to mix the rasberries or stir at all? or should i just leave it? the damn things wont sink

Leave it alone. As the sit they will sink some but not all. It will be fine...

Oh and FYI, any time you add real fruit to the carboy use a 6.5 gal carboy and a blow-off tube. The sugars in the fruit will make it take off again.

 

[scinerd3000]

i knew that but i only have one 6.5 gal carboy and i didint want to use a bucket. Mistake which i am not going to make again. I should have split it between two 5 gals

 

[scinerd3000]

how long would you recomend leaving it in secondary? this is my first fruit addition

 

[MULE]

how long would you recomend leaving it in secondary? this is my first fruit addition

You're having blow off in the secondary????

Sorry, been drinking.

 

[FSR402]

You're having blow off in the secondary????

Sorry, been drinking.

Yes because he just dropped live yeast on a bunch of sugar (fruit)..

I would leave it for two weeks then you can keg/bottle it or rack it again to clear for a week or two. But being a stout, clear is a relative term.

 

[MULE]

Yes because he just dropped live yeast on a bunch of sugar (fruit)..

I would leave it for two weeks then you can keg/bottle it or rack it again to clear for a week or two. But being a stout, clear is a relative term.

Ah, I agree.

 

[Austinhomebrew]

Almost 2400 visits and no one has tasted it yet?

Forrest

 

[earlytimes]

Almost 2400 visits and no one has tasted it yet?

Forrest

I just took a gravity reading after 2 weeks in the primary. It still needs to drop a few more points, but I drank my sample, and oh boy, was it good! And I know it's only going to get better! I wish I had picked up 10 of these kits when they were on super sale.

Thanks, Forrest!

 

[scinerd3000]

taste will come soon im excited

 

[scinerd3000]

as for the blowoff...i cleaned out my 6.5 gal and tossed it in there leaving aeration to a minimum. much better as i had no head space before

 

[MULE]

Almost 2400 visits and no one has tasted it yet?

Forrest

Not true, in fact I only have a 12pk of it left

 

[FSR402]

Almost 2400 visits and no one has tasted it yet?

Forrest

Forrest, RDWHAHB


If I get the tiime tonight I will get some kegs cleaned out and maybe keg it up this weekend.

 

[Austinhomebrew]

Not true, in fact I only have a 12pk of it left

So you like it?

 

[wildwest450]

So you like it?

I just carbbed a batch of this, and it's tasty. I think if I ever made it again, I would skip the rasberry extract. But for the price I paid, an excellent beer.

 

[MULE]

So you like it?

I think it's pretty good. The raspberry was a bit much at first but it has mellowed out over time. The beer was huge hit for my Miller Lite only friends. They were speechless to the fact that they could like a dark beer.

If I had to do it all over, I would back off how much raspberry extract I used. Perhaps using only half the container.

 

[illin8]

I'd like to hear what everyone's opinions are who only used the raspberry extract...whats the consensus on using it and how much? Anyone use the raspberry extract and drinking any that was bottled longer than 3 weeks ago? Has the raspberry taste mellowed?

 

[Austinhomebrew]

With 2 oz. of raspberry flavoring, it should just be an aftertaste, especially with all of the dark grains. The raspberry flavoring should mellow further as it ages. If you skip the raspberry flavoring you have ordered our Double Chocolate Stout but paid for the flavoring you didn't use. Just order the Double Chocolate stout and save the money on the raspberry flavoring.

I was just curious if people liked the kit as is. Enough people bought the kit that I thought I would have some feedback by now.

Forrest

 

[MULE]

I'd like to hear what everyone's opinions are who only used the raspberry extract...whats the consensus on using it and how much? Anyone use the raspberry extract and drinking any that was bottled longer than 3 weeks ago? Has the raspberry taste mellowed?

I bottled mine 10APR. The raspberry has mellowed a bit.

 

[toddrod]

Well, I ordered the kit without extract but plan on adding 5lbs of ripe cherries to it when I rack it to the secondary. I will definitely let you know how it is when done. It has only been in the primary for 5 days now.

 

[FSR402]

With 2 oz. of raspberry flavoring, it should just be an aftertaste, especially with all of the dark grains. The raspberry flavoring should mellow further as it ages. If you skip the raspberry flavoring you have ordered our Double Chocolate Stout but paid for the flavoring you didn't use. Just order the Double Chocolate stout and save the money on the raspberry flavoring.

I was just curious if people liked the kit as is. Enough people bought the kit that I thought I would have some feedback by now.

Forrest

If I can get it kegged this week I'll be sure to wright up a report when I pull the 2nd pint.

 

[nyer]

I'd like to hear what everyone's opinions are who only used the raspberry extract...whats the consensus on using it and how much? Anyone use the raspberry extract and drinking any that was bottled longer than 3 weeks ago? Has the raspberry taste mellowed?

I used the whole bottle and at first I thought it was a big mistake, it tasted like wax to me. I let it sit in the keg a little while (2-3 days) and it tasted great, just a hint of raspberry in the head.

 

[illin8]

Thanks...my plan is to brew it, (using the extract per the directions), let it sit in the primary for 4 weeks minimum (maybe 6 if my temps don't get too warm in the basement) then straight to bottles. I'm thinking of putting the majority of these aside for a nice fall/deer camp beer. That would leave it for 3-4 months of conditioning in the bottle, if I can pull it off I'm thinking it should be nice and mellow by then...thats the plan anyway.

 

[HarvInSTL]

Hopefully I'll have time this week to make the kit I bought during the last sale.

I'm thinking about splitting the batch in half and dosing 2.5gallons w/ 1/2-1oz of the flavoring.

 

[Austinhomebrew]

Thanks...my plan is to brew it, (using the extract per the directions), let it sit in the primary for 4 weeks minimum (maybe 6 if my temps don't get too warm in the basement) then straight to bottles. I'm thinking of putting the majority of these aside for a nice fall/deer camp beer. That would leave it for 3-4 months of conditioning in the bottle, if I can pull it off I'm thinking it should be nice and mellow by then...thats the plan anyway.

Just curious why you leave it in the primary so long. You should use a secondary a couple of days after final gravity. Beer shouldn't be left on the sediment for that long. It will still be drinkable but the spent yeast begins to break down and it alters the intended flavor. It really doesn't take long to transfer and then you can leave it for a long time if you want to.

Age your beer in the bottles not in the primary.

Forrest

 

[illin8]

Well Forrest to tell you the truth, I am under the impression that the whole autolysis concept was a bit of a dirty 'boogie man' rumor. From all that I've been reading, putting a stout into secondary seems to be an extra step that isn't really necessary as clearing isn't as important. I figured at least 4 weeks in the primary, which I assume is still a safe number...then to the bottle for aging.

I've got some other uses planned for the 2 secondaries I have...

 

[FSR402]

Well Forrest to tell you the truth, I am under the impression that the whole autolysis concept was a bit of a dirty 'boogie man' rumor. From all that I've been reading, putting a stout into secondary seems to be an extra step that isn't really necessary as clearing isn't as important. I figured at least 4 weeks in the primary, which I assume is still a safe number...then to the bottle for aging.

I've got some other uses planned for the 2 secondaries I have...

+1

Leaving it on the yeast a little longer has the plus of giving the yeast time to clean up after it's self. I say 4 - 8 weeks is fine.

 

[Ryanh1801]

I was just curious if people liked the kit as is. Enough people bought the kit that I thought I would have some feedback by now.

Forrest

I have tasted mine and it taste really good. But I have been to lazy to bottle it yet. Mine has been in aging for a few months now. Ill probebly do half with out and half with the raspberry extract.

 

[Austinhomebrew]

Well Forrest to tell you the truth, I am under the impression that the whole autolysis concept was a bit of a dirty 'boogie man' rumor. From all that I've been reading, putting a stout into secondary seems to be an extra step that isn't really necessary as clearing isn't as important. I figured at least 4 weeks in the primary, which I assume is still a safe number...then to the bottle for aging.

I've got some other uses planned for the 2 secondaries I have...

If you ask 10 Brewers, you will get 15 answers.

In my opinion, yes, it will be drinkable but I don't think it will taste its optimum best.

Forrest

 

[illin8]

Forrest, what do you think about the stout sitting on the yeast cake in the secondary then? Wouldn't that be the same principle?

 

[HomerT]

Got my kit today....can't wait to brew this one.

Three quick questions:
1) Only one hop addition? No flavor/aroma hops?

2) Add the extract at bottling with the priming sugar water? And then rack onto it?

3) WHen to add the Aclo-boost? During the boil I am assuming?

-Todd