Help improving a milk stout

[sideshow_ben]

Hi all. I entered a chocolate-milk stout at my local beer-brewing club last night and, although it won first place for non-themed beer (yay!) I got some interesting feedback and I don't know how to implement it. If anyone here can provide some thoughts, I'd be very grateful.

Partial Mash at 155F for 60 min then sparged:
1/2 lb Black Malt
1/2 lb Chocolate Malt
2 1/2 lb Amber Malt

Boil for 60 min in 3-gallons liquor with:
6.6 lb Munich Malt Syrup
1 lb lactose
1/2 oz Willamette Hops
1/2 oz Chinook Hops

Add at last 10 minutes:
13 oz 72% dark belgian chocolate
3 oz Schafer-Berger Cacao
1 tsp Irish Moss

Fermented for 1 week (primary) and 1 week (secondary) with Wyeast London Ale yeast.

Comments that I received included.

* Dark malts make the flavor astringent, not as smooth as it could be. Try some oats to help smooth out the beer. (my note: I was thinking that I should have used de-bittered chocolate malt instead)

* I want the body to be amped up a bit.

* For all that lactose I was hoping for a smoother mouthfeel

* Was expecting more sweetness from the lactose

* Too much coffee flavor

I'm not really sure how to tinker a recipe, so any help is appreciated!

 

[david_42]

Cut your Black malt in half (1 & 5) and swap 1/2 lb of amber malt for flaked oats (2 & 3). Sweetness from lactose is a personal matter, some people find it distasteful, others can't detect it. Cutting back on the Black should let the sweetness stand out more.

 

[sideshow_ben]

Awesome. Thanks!!

 

[Adam78K]

Dont boil lactose add last 10 mins in boil.

 

[Rhoobarb]

IMO, one lb. of lactose in a 5gal. batch is not enough in a Stout. I think if you up it to 1.5lbs. you'll notice a difference. I did and it improved the mouthfeel.

 

[sideshow_ben]

That is all great advice. Thanks, I really appreciate it!

 

[Yooper]

I'll agree with all of the above, and strongly suggest to cut the amber malt even more than David_42 suggested. I use a total of 6 ounces in my IPA, and I can taste it! It's very dry and astringent in large doses.

I actually think you could use half a pound, and use 2 pounds of maris otter malt to make up the 2.5 pounds. And/or like David also suggested, add some oats to the mash.

 

[thataintchicken]

lose the chinook hops and use some old saaz.
Flaked oats is a must -- just not too much. Might even toss in a little wheat for head retention.
I run a pound of lactose in my snowplow clone, but if you are trying get a more Count Chocula flavor, go for 1.5 pounds of lactose.

really want to get freaky? toss some Ovaltine in the boil at 10 minutes.