Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer Double Chocolate Oatmeal Snout

[AugustDerleth]

This sounds amazing, however I'm very much a beginner brewer stuck on my own. What I wanted to do was scale this back to one gallon (in case I royally bone it up), and I understand how to scale back the ingredients but I guess my questions relate to would I still heat everything to the same temperatures for the same amount of time? (150 mash for 1 hour?) My thought process was that since there'd be so much less, there may be variations. Please forgive my lack of knowledge! Any suggestions or advice would be much appreciated! Thanks. . .

 

[ChshreCat]

This sounds amazing, however I'm very much a beginner brewer stuck on my own. What I wanted to do was scale this back to one gallon (in case I royally bone it up), and I understand how to scale back the ingredients but I guess my questions relate to would I still heat everything to the same temperatures for the same amount of time? (150 mash for 1 hour?) My thought process was that since there'd be so much less, there may be variations. Please forgive my lack of knowledge! Any suggestions or advice would be much appreciated! Thanks. . .

Unless you're buying a "just add water" premade kit, you always want to boil. Boil times are always the same no matter how much you make. Just scale the ingredients (including water), other than the yeast, and keep the process the same.

 

[AugustDerleth]

Unless you're buying a "just add water" premade kit, you always want to boil. Boil times are always the same no matter how much you make. Just scale the ingredients (including water), other than the yeast, and keep the process the same.

I'm not buying a premade kit. Thank you very much for your quick and clear response! I think I'm going to try this on the upcoming weekend! BBQ and (small) brew day, hah. Thanks again for posting! I'll update later on how things turn out for a beginner! :fro:

 

[ChshreCat]

awwww.... go for a full batch. You'll wish you did later.

 

[AugustDerleth]

awwww.... go for a full batch. You'll wish you did later.

Haha, I can only imagine! This recipe sounds delicious. It's just, like I said, I'm VERY new and am worried about ruining the batch...and if that's going to be the case, I'd feel much better about it if I only ruined 1 gallon. Wanna really focus on technique and such before I let my eyes get too big!

 

[Brek81]

sounds like a good brew, i may have to throw this in the que after the current two batches finish.

 

[XtremeBrew]

I can't wait to brew this one. This is going to be my birthday present to myself. I've got some vanilla beans I've had soaking in some rum for a bit that should go real nice in this. I was thinking of adding some chocolate extract at kegging time too just to psh it over the edge. Sounds like an awesome brew from all of the comments. Thanks!

 

[ChshreCat]

If you go with the 9oz, you don't need anything to push it over the edge. It's already over the edge, in the ravine and burst into flames.

 

[Cazamodo]

Im getting more and more excited about brewingthis.

Couple of questions.

I have converted it to all grain, so hope it comes out the same. Also im in the UK, and the chocolate malt here is darker, and adds more to teh OG than the US chocolate malt. Should i just work out and use less of this?

 

[ChshreCat]

I don't think I've used UK chocolate so I'm not sure how it would come out either way. But I think it'll still be tasty.

 

[XtremeBrew]

Yeah 'Cat you have me wanting to split my batch and add some cherries or coffee to mine. I think for my first attempt, I will stick to the original recipe.

 

[AugustDerleth]

Made this yest'day, pitched at 2am, by 10am the lid was bulging out and was about to pop. The airlock was hissing loudly and full of beer, but it looks amazing and I am extremely excited about it!! But a heads up to anyone making this, stouts typically need a lot of headspace but MAN this recipe is serious!

 

[AugustDerleth]

When this beer is done and poured into the fermenter, should it just be left at room temperature? or lightly refrigerated?

 

[ChshreCat]

I ferment it in the 60's.

 

[AugustDerleth]

I ferment it in the 60's.

Hmmm...I can't regulate in that range...do you think there'd be any majour problems with it being kept at about 70??

 

[ChshreCat]

Might get some fusel alcohol production at that temp. Maybe some esters, but the chocolate tends to drown those out.

Try doing a swamp cooler. Get a big tub, put the fermenter in it, put water in the tub about halfway up the fermenter and then throw in some frozen water bottles a few times a day. That's what I do.

 

[AugustDerleth]

Idk how I forgot about that, I just had to use my bathtub as one not even a month ago. >_< heh thanks Cat, for this recipe too, looks like delicious chocolate milk! :fro:

 

[ChshreCat]

Not quite like chocolate milk. Definitely not nearly as sweet.

 

[grasshopperfirestarter]

what yeast did you all use on this recipe?

 

[ChshreCat]

I use US04 or US05, depending on if I want more of an English or American profile to it.

Honestly, it doesn't make much difference. The chocolate drowns out most of the esters from the 04.

 

[AugustDerleth]

hahaha cat: the way you talk about this, it seems like it's chocolate with a hint of beer. =P I'm secondary-ing a 2 gallon of it tomorrow.

 

[AugustDerleth]

Hmm. Just realized that I do not have a bean, nor do I know where to acquire one. I understand that 2 tsps of vanilla extract is comparable to 1 medium sized bean. Has anyone tried this? And Chshre; would you strongly advise against this?

 

[ChshreCat]

You really don't want vanilla flavor coming through. All the vanilla does is temper the bitterness of the chocolate a little bit. Shouldn't be hard to find a bean if you check around. If you just brewed this, you have time.

 

[AugustDerleth]

You really don't want vanilla flavor coming through. All the vanilla does is temper the bitterness of the chocolate a little bit. Shouldn't be hard to find a bean if you check around. If you just brewed this, you have time.

Found beans at HEB! One bean at Whole Foods is 6.99 for the cost of the glass jar it comes in, you get 2 beans at HEB for 3.99. Can't WAIT for this stout to finish conditioning! Thanks ChShRe

 

[IPAAAA]

Friend has been bugging me to make him a stout so I may try this one. Anyone got a AG recipe?

 

[Waunabeer]

Anyone else who has brewed this recently have any results? I am probably going to brew this in the next week so I'm just looking for more feedback and/or things to look out for or change. Thanks.

 

[ChshreCat]

The only warning I'd give you is that if you don't really... REALLY like bitter dark chocolate, you might back off on the cocoa. The recipe, as it is, is very bitter chocolate forward. It's not for everyone, but for those of us who really like dark chocolate, the bitter the better, it's perfect.

 

[Waunabeer]

I love dark chocolate; milk chocolate isn't even close in my book, so I'll probably love it. Thanks for the recipe.

 

[jturie]

I must make this. It sounds fabulous. I too have been a bit let down by commercial "Chocolate" stouts.

One question--I want to do this all-grain, so obviously I will substitute more 2-row for the LME (or was it DME?). Will the color still be OK, or should I fiddle with adding a little more dark grains a bit? I would like to stay as close to your original recipe as possible.

Or....substitute Maris Otter for the 2 row to get a little more color? What do you think?

 

[ChshreCat]

Maybe replace it with a mix of 2-row and munich? That'd add a little color and sweetness.