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Heavy Duty (extract) Stout Recipe.....doable?

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commonsenseman

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I'd like to make a really strong stout for my next brew, this recipe look over the top?

6lbs. Dark LME (1 cup at start of boil, the rest at flameout)
3lbs. Dark DME (at flameout)
3lbs. Brown Sugar (at flameout)
1lb. Caramel 120 L (155 for 30 minutes)
1lb. Drk Crystal (155 for 30 minutes)
1lb. Chocolate (155 for 30 minutes)
3oz. Chinook (bittering) ( boil for 60 minutes)
1oz. Fuggle (aroma) (boil for 5 minutes)

I was thinking Wyeast 1728.

Target OG: 1.098
Target FG: 1.028
Target ABV: 9.3%

I'm hoping it'll be strong, but still have some good residual sweetness.

Any comments, suggestions?
 
1. I would used Light Malt extract, it should help you attenuate a little better. And the desired color will still be achieved from specialty grains.
2. I would use Caramel 40L, instead of 120L. Also, if you're dead set on 120, drk crystal seems repetitive.
3. Umm... roasted barley?
4. drop the Brown Sugar, or reduce it greatly. 3 lbs of fermented brown sugar will taste like ass.


If I were to modify this to something I think would work, it would look like this

6 lbs. Light LME Add at start of boil.
3 lbs. Light DME Add at start of boil.
1 lbs. Crystal 40L
10 oz. Roasted Barley
8 oz. Chocolate Malt
8 oz. Brown sugar

Hops schedule:
1 oz Chinook 60 min.
1 oz EKG 5 min.


1728 seems like a good choice, ferment on the low end of the range.

Should be about 6.8% ABV and 37 IBU's. I think all around still the beer your thinking of, just not an alcohol rocket.
 
Ok, so I was trying a little too hard maybe.

1) That makes sense, noted.
2) Why 40L rather than 120L? The 120L seems to have the flavors I'm looking for "pronounced caramel, burnt sugar, raisin, and prune flavor".
3) What's the advantage of adding Roasted Barley? Color? Bitterness?
4) That bad eh? Hmm.....

What if I want a little more ABV & IBU's then?
 
Stick with 120L!!!It is fantastic in a stout.

Why DME at flameout? Always 15 minute boil any ME to sanitize. I would go all DME if it was me!

Also, this beer will just about HAVE to be kegged to carb.
 
Stick with 120L!!!It is fantastic in a stout.

Why DME at flameout? Always 15 minute boil any ME to sanitize. I would go all DME if it was me!

Also, this beer will just about HAVE to be kegged to carb.


Interesting, I'll be reading some more about 120 & 40 before making a final decision.

All DME eh? I guess I don't see why not!

I was thinking of making a big starter (mr malty says nearly a gallon is needed), then possibly adding some dry yeast + sugar at bottling.
 
I am too lazy to calculate the alcohol, but I had a similar stout crap out at bottling (sugar and yeast added) and never really carb.

A beer that big will be too high in alcohol for yeast to carb it.

The next one I did that big, I boiled the priming solution, cooled it, added the dried yeast and let it get foamy over 3 hours or so.

Bottle as usual.

It carbed OK. Fortunately a stout that big with very little carbonation is normal.
 
I would do something like this :

6lbs dark malt syrup 60 min
6lbs dark malt syrup 15 min
1lb light brown sugar at 15 min

1lb crystal 60
8 oz black malt
8 oz chocolate malt


2 oz summit or columbus @ 60 min
2 oz cascade @ 5 min

Wyest 1728 or Safale 04

2 to 3 weeks primary - 2 to 3 months secondary - 2 to 4 weeks bottle condition - Optimal temp 65
It should get you somewhere around 1088 OG and probably around 8.7 to 9% ABV

Simple yet effective.

I always liked dark beers and I've been playing around with a black IPA recipe that came out pretty awesome but thats for another thread.
 
I would do something like this :

6lbs dark malt syrup 60 min
6lbs dark malt syrup 15 min
1lb light brown sugar at 15 min

1lb crystal 60
8 oz black malt
8 oz chocolate malt


2 oz summit or columbus @ 60 min
2 oz cascade @ 5 min

Wyest 1728 or Safale 04

2 to 3 weeks primary - 2 to 3 months secondary - 2 to 4 weeks bottle condition - Optimal temp 65
It should get you somewhere around 1088 OG and probably around 8.7 to 9% ABV

Simple yet effective.

I always liked dark beers and I've been playing around with a black IPA recipe that came out pretty awesome but thats for another thread.

Any reason for those specific grains?

I like that summit & cascade have higher Alpha %'s, but both of them say that they have citrusy flavors. Wouldn't that be undesirable in a stout?
 
Any reason for those specific grains?

I like that summit & cascade have higher Alpha %'s, but both of them say that they have citrusy flavors. Wouldn't that be undesirable in a stout?

I have had good experience with those combinations of grains in dark beers, if you wanted to go with a more roasted taste you can always add some roasted barley or even a specialty malt like carafa III.

As far as the hops, summit and columbus are more pungent than citrusy in my opinion and the high alpha % will offset the cascade or vise versa.
If cascade is too citrusy for you maybe try perle.
Just a suggestion
 
I have had good experience with those combinations of grains in dark beers, if you wanted to go with a more roasted taste you can always add some roasted barley or even a specialty malt like carafa III.

As far as the hops, summit and columbus are more pungent than citrusy in my opinion and the high alpha % will offset the cascade or vise versa.
If cascade is too citrusy for you maybe try perle.
Just a suggestion

Cool, thanks for the advice :mug:
 
I am still pushing all DME, but whatever, fresh LME is fine.

ALSO.....I would add 1/2 tsp of baking soda to the boil.

All the DME will have it's own balanced PH, but all of your specialty dark grains will imbalance the ph a little with no large amount of actual base malt to level it back out, causing a slight "twang".
 
I was under the impression that a stout needed to have at least 8oz of roasted barley or it was considered a porter.
 
..........never heard that. Also, many stouts are "sweet" stouts that wouldn't lend themselves to roasted (although it couldn't hurt;))
 
Any other advice?

The high ABV% is bordering on an imperial so just have patience with the fermenting process, it'll take a few months to ferment properly.

Take it easy when drinking them, besides getting plastered it'll add a few pounds to your frame if you don't use moderation :cross:
 
Good advice Jerzeedevil!

What I hear you saying: "brew something less ambitious and quaffable right on the heels of this brew so you will have something to drink and not be tempted by this beautiful stout before it's time"

That, and "Drink responsibly a$$hole!";)
 
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