RickWG
Well-Known Member
I brewed a choc stout (ale) from AHS about 3 weeks ago. At first I didn't hold much hope for it here's why:
1) First box from AHS came and the lid had come off the LME bucket a bit. There was LME/styrofoam balls all over the box and bucket. I weighed it and it was supposed to have 7 lbs in it. Only had 5 or so. O yea, the yeast was hot and already smacked/swelled(I just went and got a london Ale wyeast from LHBS as I was kind of disgusted)
2) Called AHS and complained and they sent another but the same thing happened during this trip to my house. Don't think I'll be buying from AHS in the future. (Midwest is much better and more responsible in their shipping/packing)
I was able to combine the two buckets to get ~7 lbs and then added another 1.5 lbs of DME that I had on hand cause I wasn't too sure about the amount of LME they sent. (Figured the LME wouldn't hurt the taste much as it's got Dark steeping grains and Chocolate in it.) did my usual late addition.
Fermentation didn't get going for 3 days and when it did it didn't stop for about 1.5 weeks. I left it in the primary for 3.5 weeks and then just bottled. (Sugar, ounce of chocolate powder, O yea, there's 4 ounces of maltodextrine in there too during ferment)
At the end of my bottling I had a bit left and no bottles so I just poured myself a glass and drank it down. (Wife looked at me like I was crazy, Couldn't get her to take a drink) It was pretty damn good. If it's this good with all that went wrong and before conditioning it's gonna be stellar when it hits three weeks. (Assuming it carbs..etc)
just a bit about my troubles with this one. Like I said i gave AHS two chances and they failed twice. I might go for three strikes with them but "burn me once shame on you, burn me twice shame on me." I can probably make my own copy of this recipe in the future though. (needs more chocolate.)
1) First box from AHS came and the lid had come off the LME bucket a bit. There was LME/styrofoam balls all over the box and bucket. I weighed it and it was supposed to have 7 lbs in it. Only had 5 or so. O yea, the yeast was hot and already smacked/swelled(I just went and got a london Ale wyeast from LHBS as I was kind of disgusted)
2) Called AHS and complained and they sent another but the same thing happened during this trip to my house. Don't think I'll be buying from AHS in the future. (Midwest is much better and more responsible in their shipping/packing)
I was able to combine the two buckets to get ~7 lbs and then added another 1.5 lbs of DME that I had on hand cause I wasn't too sure about the amount of LME they sent. (Figured the LME wouldn't hurt the taste much as it's got Dark steeping grains and Chocolate in it.) did my usual late addition.
Fermentation didn't get going for 3 days and when it did it didn't stop for about 1.5 weeks. I left it in the primary for 3.5 weeks and then just bottled. (Sugar, ounce of chocolate powder, O yea, there's 4 ounces of maltodextrine in there too during ferment)
At the end of my bottling I had a bit left and no bottles so I just poured myself a glass and drank it down. (Wife looked at me like I was crazy, Couldn't get her to take a drink) It was pretty damn good. If it's this good with all that went wrong and before conditioning it's gonna be stellar when it hits three weeks. (Assuming it carbs..etc)
just a bit about my troubles with this one. Like I said i gave AHS two chances and they failed twice. I might go for three strikes with them but "burn me once shame on you, burn me twice shame on me." I can probably make my own copy of this recipe in the future though. (needs more chocolate.)