Good Flavor, Thin Body

[Brewer_Ben]

Just had the first bottle of my stout that I built from the ground up. The stout has a nice all round flavor, that even a non-stout drinker like my wife liked, but it tastes thin in the mouthfeel. Is it the recipe or just that I am only able to use extract brewing currently? Thank you in advance!

Recipe:

6lbs Pilsen DME

1lb Roasted Barley
.5lb Chocolate malt
.5lb Caramel 60L

2oz cluster @ 60min.

S-04 for yeast

OG: 1.055
FG: 1.013

 

[Brownalemikie]

I've been brewing kits from Midwest Brewing and noticed the same thing with their Beer Simply Beer stout extract kit. So the last couple batches I've added 4 cups of Quaker 1 minute oats to the steeping grain bag. Makes a big difference in mouth-feel but adds to the cost of the batch.

 

[Brewer_Ben]

Thanks, will try this on the next batch!

 

[Lefou]

For an extra flavor boost you could also try Simpsons or Fawcett golden oats. Grind it up and steep. It's more expensive than store-bought flaked oats but will give you another possible option.

 

[thehaze]

For a Stout ( depends a lot on how you like them ), you did not have enough crystal. Crystal 60L is something people put in their IPAs ( sarcasm intended ), so you need something like English Crystal 90L, 120L or 140/150L. You could also use Falked Oats, Golden Naked Oats and Flaked Barley ( works great in dark beers ).

 

[RM-MN]

Leave your stout in the bottles or keg at room temperature for a couple more months and you will get the mouthfeel you are lacking. Dark beers take more time to mature than the light colored ones. My stouts don't even get sampled until 6 months have passed anymore because they are so much better with that extra time. They will still be changing at 2 years, getting smoother and easier to drink.

 

[Brewer_Ben]

Thanks for all the replies, I will definitely be going darker on the crystal and I like the sound of the golden naked oats. As for the rest of the batch some aging is definitely in order, its only 2 months old today.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

I was trying to figure out how to get a nice mouthfeel on my stouts. Here's the notes I have so far from researching:

Golden Naked Oats and flaked oats (up to 10%)
Flaked Barley (up to 5%)
Roasted barley - over use can leave burnt flavor
Maltodextrine
Crystal
Higher mash temp (156+) (not relevant for extract brewing)
Longer boil: 90-120 minutes
WYeast 1450

I brewed a souped up version of Northern Brewers Bourbon Barrel Porter (all grain). I mashed higher, added flaked oats, used 1450 yeast and upped the based grains and some of the roasted grains. I'm bulk aging with bourbon and toasted oak cubes...the mouthfeel isn't totally there, but it's definitely not thin.

Ultimately, I want something like the barrel aged stouts from Prairie Artisan. Not there yet, but I'll get it figured out. That level may be hard without going pretty high ABV as I think a relatively high FG may be a key element too. That's where mashing higher can really pay off I think.

 

[Lefou]

This might sound odd, but pour your stout and drink it barely chilled or at room temperature. The appearance and perception will change. A stout can give you a whole different impression when consumed at cold temperatures.
Yards Brewing makes a couple variations of excellent stout and I can tell you for a fact their Love Stout is a very different beer slightly warm.

 

[Grod1]

the most obvious answer. lactose, and or maltodextrine,
how about some maris otter extract. instead of that pilsen.

 

[Brewer_Ben]

Yep, warmer has definitely been better. With more age it now tastes more of chocolate, not much of the roast character is left. I think my next step is going to be adding some oats. This recipe was made out of what I had on hand/gifted ingredients. Pilsen is all I had at the time.

 

[Lefou]

Maris Otter, malted oats, chocolate, white wheat, and Victory.
Those are the five grains that keep popping up in the porter/robust porter recipe being kicked around by me at the moment. Belgian Pilsner is typically the base malt in my lighter beers, but Maris Otter is available at my brew shop, so it's on the menu for a darker style.
After the German-style amber ... and the Belgian pale ale.... well, you get the idea.