BCBS clone

[Hoochin'Fool]

With thanks to @secretlevel , here's my version of a Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout that hits all the right notes for me (and friends/family). I've made it 3 times now, and it is absolutely fantastic!

OG: 1.120
FG: 1.035 ~ 1.040
ABV: 11 to 13%
IBU: 70
bu/gu: 0.62

Water:

• Calcium: 150 ppm, Magnesium: 10 ppm, Sodium: 75 ppm, Chloride: 150 ppm, Sulfate: 130 ppm

Grist:

• 70% 2-row (briess brewer's malt)
• 16% munich 10L (briess)
• 4% caramel 60L (briess)
• 4% light roast barley 300L (briess)
• 4% chocolate 350L (briess)
• 2% black 500L (briess)

Mash:

• BIAB single infusion mash targeting 153F for 60 minutes (my temp drops down to 150 by 60 minutes), pH: 5.50

Boil:

• Magnum @60 for 50 ibu
• EKG @60 for 10 ibu
• EKG @10 for 10 ibu

Ferment:

• Pitch wort on top of full (US-05) yeast-cake that was used to make a < 6% abv beer
• Keep temperature between 62 and 66 for at least 1 week
• Keep temperature below 70 for another 3 weeks (cool basement)

Bottling:

• Add table-sugar to reach 2.2 volumes CO2
• Add bourbon @ rate of 2 to 3 ounces per gallon of beer (2 is barely perceptible, 3 is slap-your-face)
• Add rehydrated bottling yeast (I use EC-1118)

Age:

• Less than 3 months: kinda weird...
• 4 months: not bad...
• 6 months: wow!
• 7 months: holy crap this is fantastic!
• 8 months: dammit, I should have brewed more cuz I'm all out!

 

[secretlevel]

With thanks to @secretlevel , here's my version of a Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout that hits all the right notes for me (and friends/family). I've made it 3 times now, and it is absolutely fantastic!

OG: 1.120
FG: 1.035 ~ 1.040
ABV: 11 to 13%
IBU: 70
bu/gu: 0.62

Water:

• Calcium: 150 ppm, Magnesium: 10 ppm, Sodium: 75 ppm, Chloride: 150 ppm, Sulfate: 130 ppm

Grist:

• 70% 2-row (briess brewer's malt)
• 16% munich 10L (briess)
• 4% caramel 60L (briess)
• 4% light roast barley 300L (briess)
• 4% chocolate 350L (briess)
• 2% black 500L (briess)

Mash:

• BIAB single infusion mash targeting 153F for 60 minutes (my temp drops down to 150 by 60 minutes), pH: 5.50

Boil:

• Magnum @60 for 50 ibu
• EKG @60 for 10 ibu
• EKG @10 for 10 ibu

Ferment:

• Pitch wort on top of full (US-05) yeast-cake that was used to make a < 6% abv beer
• Keep temperature between 62 and 66 for at least 1 week
• Keep temperature below 70 for another 3 weeks (cool basement)

Bottling:

• Add table-sugar to reach 2.2 volumes CO2
• Add bourbon @ rate of 2 to 3 ounces per gallon of beer (2 is barely perceptible, 3 is slap-your-face)
• Add rehydrated bottling yeast (I use EC-1118)

Age:

• Less than 3 months: kinda weird...
• 4 months: not bad...
• 6 months: wow!
• 7 months: holy crap this is fantastic!
• 8 months: dammit, I should have brewed more cuz I'm all out!

Haha I love the evolution of the tasting notes here! It's a rollercoaster. Do you ever add any oak or throw this bad boy into a barrel?

 

[redrocker652002]

This looks kinda cool. Might try a 1 or 2 gallon test run to see if I like it. Can I bottle it and store it or is it better to age in a smaller keg?

Let's say I run a 2 gallon batch, how much yeast do you think I will need? Would one packet do or would I be smart to add 2?

 

[Hoochin'Fool]

Haha I love the evolution of the tasting notes here! It's a rollercoaster. Do you ever add any oak or throw this bad boy into a barrel?

I've never tried adding oak, just a nice 94 proof bourbon (Elijah Craig and Four Roses are all I've used so far). Can't say I noticed any difference between the bourbonated beers, but I didn't have any to do a side-by-side.

 

[Hoochin'Fool]

This looks kinda cool. Might try a 1 or 2 gallon test run to see if I like it. Can I bottle it and store it or is it better to age in a smaller keg?

Why not both? I'm not equipped for kegging anything...

Let's say I run a 2 gallon batch, how much yeast do you think I will need? Would one packet do or would I be smart to add 2?

A single packet of US-05 should be plenty for 2 gallons. But for all my imperials, I make a 1.055 amber ale, then immediately after bottling it, I make my imperial wort, and dump it right on top of the first beer's yeast cake. Definitely keep it cool for the first few days to avoid blow-off.

 

[Shenanigans]

Looks like a decent beer.
It's difficult to find the light roasted barley here in Europe.
I guess I could use less of the normal stuff or just let it age a bit longer.

 

[Hoochin'Fool]

Looks like a decent beer.
It's difficult to find the light roasted barley here in Europe.
I guess I could use less of the normal stuff or just let it age a bit longer.

If I was to attempt this with 500L to 600L roasted barley instead of 300L roast barley, I'd plug the recipe into my software, and drop the amount of (dark) roasted barley until I got the same "color" level that my recipe gets, per Brewer's Friend software:

But truth-be-told, you really can't go wrong with around 15% munich, 4% medium crystal, 11% choc+roast+black (just don't forget the bourbon)! And age! Needs 6 months for really-good.

 

[G_robertus]

Looks like a decent beer.
It's difficult to find the light roasted barley here in Europe.
I guess I could use less of the normal stuff or just let it age a bit longer.

See if you can find the Swaen. They have lighter roasted barley and a darker type. The lighter version is still darker than American versions, but it's less dark than English versions. Weyermann has relatively light RB as well I think.

@Hoochin'Fool is the black in your recipe black malt or black barley? I can see either bringing out a different dimension, but I'd go with the latter based on what I felt the official release tasted like. I like the specs of the beer, but I'm used to more complexity in malt. Still I might give it a shot to see how this performs and whether I can drop some stuff from my own recipes as long as I meet 1.120+ OG and 1.040 FG.
I was underwhelmed by the official release a few years back so I will probably use pale ale malt to get a bit more character (and I'm still unsure how to translate 2-row to European malts as everyone has a different idea on this).

 

[secretlevel]

I've used Briess' light RB and it tasted just like any other roasted malt. I wouldn't think twice about subbing it. As a matter of fact, Crisp Roasted Barley adds a great chocolate vibe.
Much of this beer's character comes from extended aging in barrel, so I wouldn't judge the recipe on the grist alone.

 

[Shenanigans]

See if you can find the Swaen. They have lighter roasted barley and a darker type. The lighter version is still darker than American versions, but it's less dark than English versions. Weyermann has relatively light RB as well I think.

@Hoochin'Fool is the black in your recipe black malt or black barley? I can see either bringing out a different dimension, but I'd go with the latter based on what I felt the official release tasted like. I like the specs of the beer, but I'm used to more complexity in malt. Still I might give it a shot to see how this performs and whether I can drop some stuff from my own recipes as long as I meet 1.120+ OG and 1.040 FG.
I was underwhelmed by the official release a few years back so I will probably use pale ale malt to get a bit more character (and I'm still unsure how to translate 2-row to European malts as everyone has a different idea on this).

Thanks, I think I will just use what I have.
As for 2-row I agree it's probably not possible to get an exact substitite here in Europe.
You could use Pilsner, Lager or Extra Pale malt if you want to get a similar colour.
I have all these but will keep them for a lighter colour beer where it would be noticable.
Again, if I get around to brewing this I will just use what I have a lot of and go for a continental Pale Malt.

 

[Shenanigans]

I've used Briess' light RB and it tasted just like any other roasted malt. I wouldn't think twice about subbing it. As a matter of fact, Crisp Roasted Barley adds a great chocolate vibe.
Much of this beer's character comes from extended aging in barrel, so I wouldn't judge the recipe on the grist alone.

Yeah I'm just going to use the "normal' roasted barley. I think what I have is from Best Malt.
I will try get the barrel character using wood chips or cubes.
I have a few oz of cubes here waiting for about 2 years to be used; just need to figure out how much and for how long

 

[Hoochin'Fool]

@Hoochin'Fool is the black in your recipe black malt or black barley?

Black malt, aka "black patent"

 

[Hoochin'Fool]

Age:

• Less than 3 months: kinda weird...
• 4 months: not bad...
• 6 months: wow!
• 7 months: holy crap this is fantastic!
• 8 months: dammit, I should have brewed more cuz I'm all out!

9 months (my bro-in-law still had ALL of the 4-pack I gave him)... still fantastic! Made him take the other 3 bottles back to his house, with the promise that he would save at least 1 of the bottles for Thanksgiving get-to-gether!

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Thanks, I think I will just use what I have.
As for 2-row I agree it's probably not possible to get an exact substitite here in Europe.
You could use Pilsner, Lager or Extra Pale malt if you want to get a similar colour.
I have all these but will keep them for a lighter colour beer where it would be noticable.
Again, if I get around to brewing this I will just use what I have a lot of and go for a continental Pale Malt.

I don’t get this cannot get 2-row in Europe, all UK pale malt is 2-row, e.g. Maris Otter is 2-row. Brew Dudes trialed US 2-row vs Maris Otter ( UK 2-row) and concluded there wasn’t a great difference. MO was a bit more bready but not much.

 

[Shenanigans]

I don’t get this cannot get 2-row in Europe, all UK pale malt is 2-row, e.g. Maris Otter is 2-row. Brew Dudes trialed US 2-row vs Maris Otter ( UK 2-row) and concluded there wasn’t a great difference. MO was a bit more bready but not much.

I get where you are comming from, maybe I should have been more explicit and said American 2-row.
I did say it's probably not possible to get an exact substitite but there are close alternatives.
I haven't compared so can't comment but one of your compatriots on here often says the grain used for American 2-row would only be fed to aminals in the UK
Anyway in this beer with all the roast malt the difference in base malt wouldn't be so noticable which is why I said Robertus should just use something similar based on what he/she can get. It might even turn out even better than the OP recipe.

 

[G_robertus]

I will say I've tried base malt tests in big dark beers and there is a difference between them. Quite a remarkable difference if I may add, but neither was necessarily bad. I tested continental pilsner against Munton's MO pale ale and the former was noticeably 'cleaner', but also a bit boring. YMMV. Using pale ale will probably get you more flavour and regular or low colour pale malt will have less.

 

[Hoochin'Fool]

Just tasting the first bottle, from the most recent batch I made (early july)...

It's a little too sweet, with the FG at 1.039. I think a touch of cinnamon or coffee might make this version perfect. Still very "hot", alcohol burn-wise, but it definitely reminds me of BCBS, tho!

 

[Hoochin'Fool]

Yeah I'm just going to use the "normal' roasted barley. I think what I have is from Best Malt.
I will try get the barrel character using wood chips or cubes.
I have a few oz of cubes here waiting for about 2 years to be used; just need to figure out how much and for how long

My thoughts on "oaking" and "barrel-aging" are:

• You are a homebrewer, and are allowed to add straight-up booze to your beer
• A decent bourbon will ALREADY HAVE all the lovely bourbon notes (vanilla, oak, caramels, etc)
• So just add a decent bourbon before bottling!

 

[Matteo57]

Looks good! I'll have to try this one, love me some good BCBS