Decoction for a stout?

[brelic]

Has anyone done this? I'm having a brewday on Saturday. The two types to be brewed are an oatmeal stout and an irish red. I thought about trying my hand at decoction on a stout. Any reason I shouldn't do this?

 

[TelemarkBrew]

there is no reason why you can't do it, though with the strong flavors from the specialty malts that really define the style I think the extra maltiness (a real word?) from the decoction might be covered up or really well hidden. So I'd do it if you really feel like it, but if it were me I'd save my stirring arm for another brew day.

 

[brelic]

Telemark, would it make more sense to try it on the Red than the Stout?

 

[TexLaw]

I think it makes a little more sense with the Red than the Stout, but not by much. Keep in mind that decoction does not really add strict maltiness but those melanoidins. They could be good or bad in either beer, depending how you go about it. It sounds like a fun thing to try.


TL

 

[BigEd]

Has anyone done this? I'm having a brewday on Saturday. The two types to be brewed are an oatmeal stout and an irish red. I thought about trying my hand at decoction on a stout. Any reason I shouldn't do this?

Assuming you are using a Brit pale malt if you want to do a decoction for these brews I would suggest doing it after the main rest as a way to raise the temp to mash out. This is the best way IMO to sneak a decoction into a beer that would normally not use one.

 

[brelic]

Assuming you are using a Brit pale malt if you want to do a decoction for these brews I would suggest doing it after the main rest as a way to raise the temp to mash out. This is the best way IMO to sneak a decoction into a beer that would normally not use one.

I am using a Brit pale malt for the stout and domestic 2-row for the red.

That's an interesting suggestion. So, if I understand correctly, are you suggesting to do the decoction in the last, say, 15 minutes of the saccharification stage?

Say my mash is 60 mins @ 155 F. At the 45 min. mark, I would pull out roughly 40% of the mash for the decoction and bring it to a boil for 15 mins. Then I would return it to the main mash at 60 mins to mash out (of course, I might need to cool it slightly or work out proper volume in order to reach proper mash out).

Make sense? I guess in this way, I could avoid the entire protein rest (which is what I had planned on doing). I've read that in some cases, with well-modified malts like we have today, the protein rest can be detrimental.

 

[BigEd]

I am using a Brit pale malt for the stout and domestic 2-row for the red.

That's an interesting suggestion. So, if I understand correctly, are you suggesting to do the decoction in the last, say, 15 minutes of the saccharification stage?

Say my mash is 60 mins @ 155 F. At the 45 min. mark, I would pull out roughly 40% of the mash for the decoction and bring it to a boil for 15 mins. Then I would return it to the main mash at 60 mins to mash out (of course, I might need to cool it slightly or work out proper volume in order to reach proper mash out).

Make sense? I guess in this way, I could avoid the entire protein rest (which is what I had planned on doing). I've read that in some cases, with well-modified malts like we have today, the protein rest can be detrimental.

Almost. With either I would complete the main rest, then pull 35-40% for a decoction boil of 20-30 minutes. Return this portion to the main mash and do a 10-15 minute mashout. The "protein rest is detrimental" stuff is overblown IMO. If you do the rest at too low a temp and too long a time it's probably true but if you want to do a short rest in the 128-132F range for 15-20 minutes you will be able to add a second decoction without ruining your beer.