Gotta make this cherry stout!

[Hoppin_Mad]

I don't know if you guys have tried this recipe, but it is the bomb diggity.

It is based on the recipe in Papazain's book with a few differences.

Cherry Stout

Recipe Type: Extract
Batch Size (Gallons): 5
Original Gravity: 1.071
Final Gravity: 1.019
Boiling Time (Minutes): 60


8lb dark LME
1lb Crystal malt
.5lb roasted barley
.5 black patent malt
1.5 oz Northern brewer @ 60 min
.5 oz willamette finishing
4tsp gypsum
Whirlfloc
Safale us-05
3 lbs sour cherries
3 lbs sweet black cherries both @ 10 min


Man oh man. This thing was pretty tasty a few months ago and I ended up drinking most of it within a month of bottling. Just found a couple bottles hiding the other night and 2 months later this stuff is incredible. By far the best beer I have ever brewed and probably one of the best stouts I have ever had. Has an amazing cherry aroma and a great little bit of sour cherry kick that is so good with that roastiness.

If you haven't ever tried it give it a shot!

 

[HokieHomeBrew]

Sounds good. You put the cherries in during the boil? Have you considered putting them in the secondary for more cherry flavor?

 

[Hoppin_Mad]

Yea, I added them during the boil as per the recipes suggestion. I was actually surprised at how much of the cherry flavor still came through along with the great cherry aroma. I think the sour cherries are strong enough to be able to go into the boil and still come through in the final product. The aroma is pure cherry while the taste of the cherries tends more toward the sour side.

Two things about the recipe seemed counter-intuitive to me (using dark LME and adding the cherries to the boil) but it came out so well that I wouldn't change them if I did it again.

 

[HokieHomeBrew]

Nice. I might have to convert this to all-grain and try to brew it myself. I've been looking to do a cherry stout for a while. Did a blueberry stout a while back and it was pretty good. Same thing you said, the flavor was mostly a tart/and or sour flavor from the blueberry..not so much the blueberry flavor itself

 

[HokieHomeBrew]

What about doing this recipe exactly as it says and then adding another 3-4 lbs of cherries to the secondary?? What you think? I think its worth the experiment.

 

[Hoppin_Mad]

It would be great I am sure. Just depends how much fruit flavor you are wanting. The way I have it posted is a very balanced stout - it doesn't scream cherry but it is in the mix. I also love big fruity beers though and I am sure it would hold up to more cherry. Maybe try using the sour cherries in the boil and then racking into a secondary with black cherries? Might get the best of both worlds that way...

 

[HokieHomeBrew]

Yeah. I'm definitely going to try this one.

 

[manortc]

Going to follow this as well so that I can make it for one of my upcoming batches.