Brooklyn Black Ops clone-ish

[CherryStScallywag]

This is a clone-ish attempt. i'll explain later.

ok, so I was lucky enough to receive a bottle of Brooklyn Brewing's Black Ops Stout. If you ever see this stuff for sale, snatch it up. It's unlike anything I've ever drank. completely divine. the label describes it like this:

"Brooklyn Black Ops does not exist. However, if it did exist, it would be a robust stout concocted by the Brooklyn brewing team under cover of secrecy and hidden from everyone else at the brewery. Supposedly, "Black Ops" was aged for four months in bourbon barrels, bottled flat, and re-fermented with Champagne yeast, creating big chocolate and coffee flavors with a rich underpinning of vanilla-like oak notes. They say there are only 1000 cases. We have no idea what they’re talking about."

I don't have the most discerning palate when i comes to beer, but i'll do my best to describe Black Ops. Think REALLY awesome imperial stout with complex layers of flavor and aroma that hit you in waves and lasts a long time. Now think of the mouthfeel of champagne. sh*t is crazy.

So, for our second batch of beer we figured go big or go home. The guy at our local brewing shop (O'conner's) helped us put together this recipe:

1lb Caramel Malt 6-row Briess
8.oz Wheat Red Malt
4.oz Black Malt 2-row
4.oz Chocolate
4.oz Roasted Bareley

3.lbs DME Trad. Dark
6.lbs LME Golden Light
3.lbs 4.8.oz LME Dark Trad.

4.oz Willamette
4.oz UK Fuggles

2 packs Safale American yeast

4 days in primary

pitch 1 pack champagne yeast into secondary

"dry-hopped" with"
1.oz dark toasted oak chips soaked in jack
8 vanilla beans


So we're shooting for at least 10%abv. and something that even comes close to approximating Black Ops will still be awesome, so we'll see.

 

[skeezerpleezer]

Never had it, but it is supposedly their black chocolate stout barrel aged. Have you looked for a clone of it? Per brooklyns website, it is 51 ibus, and OG:21.7 Plato.

The champagne yeast is probably added at bottling, not in the secondary. 8 beans is probably a bit much. I have used 3 in an imperial stout, and it came through nicely.

 

[dwarven_stout]

Pretty light on the roast for a 10% RIS.

I'd be inclined towards something like this as a partial mash:

1.25lb Caramel wheat
8oz Wheat Malt
4.oz Black Malt 2-row
1lb Chocolate
8oz Roasted Barley

Balance of 1.087OG as light DME

Agreed on the vanilla beans, too. 8 is almost certainly too many. 1 or 2 soaked in the spirits with the oak is plenty. I didn't get a ton of vanilla from Black Ops.

I did get some characteristic Fuggles aroma though. You didn't say when you're adding hops, but I'd go around 40 IBU bittering, maybe 1/2 fuggles and 1oz willamette at flameout, and the balance at 30 min to go in the boil.

You'll need more than 4 days primary guaranteed, and that champagne yeast should go in when you bottle.

 

[skeezerpleezer]

I missed the 4 days primary. I would let it ride at least 14, then at least a couple months in secondary.

I also agree on upping the specialty grains.

 

[CherryStScallywag]

That's what I would have thought as well, in regards to primary. But the air-lock was VIGOROUSLY bubbling for 3 days and then stopped completely on the 4th.

The OG was 1.096, and when i read it after 4 days it was 1.032, so 8.4%abv. I've read that higher gravity can kill some yeasts, wondering if thats why the recipe called to pitching the champagne in secondary.

Also, the hydrometer tube taste test after primary was incredible.

I think the reason for such a short time in fermentation is because there's so much stuff going into it, that it won't take long to develop a wild complexity... and then bottle condition for at least 30 days.

 

[CherryStScallywag]

1.75oz Willamette 60min
1.5oz Fuggles 60 min

1 oz Willamette 30min
1 oz Fuggles 30min

1.25oz Willamette 15min
1oz Fuggles 15 min

 

[skeezerpleezer]

A few of my thoughts:

1. Most imperial stouts do bubble vigorously at the beginning, but will not be done in 3 days. You cannot tell if a beer is done fermenting by looking at the airlock.

2. 8.4% is not that high of alcohol. Most yeasts are good up to and over 10%, I have used S-05 up to 13.2% with no problems. S-05 normally gets around 72-75% attenuation, more or less depending on mash temp, yeast viability, etc. That should have got you down to 1.024-1.026.

3. Usually when a brewery says they re-ferment using some other yeast, that is done at bottling. Sometimes champagne yeast is used for bottling on high alcohol beers or beers aged for a long time, not to get any of the champagne characteristics.

4. I think the reason for such a short fermentation is that it is your second beer and you are rushing it. There is so much going on there that it will take a long time to develop. In your original post you said it was barrel aged for 4 months then bottled.

Don't take offense to any of the above, not trying to be an A-hole. I know how easy it is to rush the 1st few beers. Once you get a closet full of beer stockpiled it is easier to let one age for months (or years) in the carboy. That said, if you think it tastes ok now, it will be a LOT better in about 6 months. Do yourself a favor and save at least a couple bottles to try at the 6mo mark, then the 1yr mark.

 

[CherryStScallywag]

ok so I followed the recipe for the timing. 4 days in primary, 10 in secondary (with the whiskey soaked oak chips and vanilla beans).

Bottled it yesterday. FG = 1.028 (which is cool because it was only 1.032 after primary)
9.1% abv so a little less than the 10% target.

I messed up the vanilla, it called for 1 bean, but I thought i read 1 ounce (8 beans). surprisingly the initial taste didn't have a ton of vanilla in it at all. maybe that will change with bottle-conditioning. There was definitely an oily-ness to the texture, which I've read can happen with a lot of vanilla. But it was super tasty, very very dense and creamy with a barrage of flavor notes, which I'm assuming will settle out and ripen with conditioning. As far as a flat beer it was the best I've tasted (granted, this is my second batch and I haven't tried a lot of flat beer).

super curious/worried about how the champaign yeast will affect everything.

thanks for the replies and advice.

 

[skeezerpleezer]

If you only got 70.8% attenuation after using american ale yeast and then champagne yeast, I would put the bottles in boxes and bags in a closet or garage. There is a risk for bottle bombs there. I may be wrong, but American ale yeast will usually go that low if allowed to ferment properly before racking to secondary, champagne should eat up some more sugar. It may be ok, but better safe than sorry.

The dense and creamy is probably due to the high FG and vanilla.

 

[dwarven_stout]

Bottled it yesterday. FG = 1.028 (which is cool because it was only 1.032 after primary)

That means it wasn't done, which is why we recommended you do longer than a 4 day primary. Hopefully you don't lose your beer.

 

[skeezerpleezer]

That means it wasn't done, which is why we recommended you do longer than a 4 day primary. Hopefully you don't lose your beer.

+1.

On another note, message board advice is ok, but I suppose personal experience is the best way to learn..........

 

[edwardgjimenez]

Has anyone tried this again?

When would the champagne yeast be added in order to give the beer a champagne mouth feel?

 

[edwardgjimenez]

Found this description saying that the champagne yeast is added during bottling:

Brooklyn Black Ops Stout Bourbon Barrel Aged is a domestic craft beer produced in Brooklyn, New York by The Brooklyn Brewery, established in 1987-1988. This imperial stout is aged in used Woodford Reserve bourbon barrels for four months imparting all the attributes of the oak and whiskey, it is then bottled conditioned with Champagne yeast. Black Ops Stout has aromas of bourbon, caramel, cherries, chocolate, roasted coffee and smoke followed by robust flavors of bourbon, cherries chocolate, coffee, dark fruits and vanilla like oak notes. A limited releases dark ale beer, Black Ops' recipe is supposedly only known by only two people. Depending on the vintage, some details like, ABV, Est. Calories, recipe, tasting notes and other facts may vary. ABV: 10.5%-11.7%. Availability: Limited edition/release, November, annually. Cellaring: Two years plus at 45F. Color: Pitch black. Est. Calories: 315/12oz. Food and Beer Pairings: Rich desserts and ice cream. Glassware: Snifter. IBUs: 50. Serving Temperature: 52F. Yeast: Champagne. Vegan Friendly.