Here are my ingredients. Any ideas for a stout?

[darkestdays]

I want to make a partial mash stout, but I'm not exactly sure of some of the amounts that I should use for some of the grains. I picked up some smoked malt, and I'm really not sure how much to use for a slightly smoked flavor. I've never even had a smoked beer, but I would like to try one. Should I even use any? Is it an acquired taste?

Anyways, here is a list of my available ingredients...

Grains and adjuncts:
2 LBS American 2-row
1 LB US crystal 120 L
1 LB Smoked malt
1 LB flaked oats
1 LB flaked rice
1 LB black patent
8 oz chocolate rye
8 oz cara wheat
6 oz Belgian caramunich
12 oz victory malt

Other:
6.6 LBS hopped LME
3.0 LBS Light LME
Lots of warrior, simcoe, centennial, newport, amarillo, and cascade hops.

(These are just what I have on hand. I do not want to combine everything listed. I could possibly go and pick up additional ingredients if needed).

As for the style, I'm not too sure. I would like something that has around 6-10 percent ABV. I would also like suggestions for any other style of beer that may come to mind, even if it's not a stout.

I'll probably be brewing something with this tomorrow, so any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

[Shawn Hargreaves]

My initial reaction is that recipe looks very busy. That's an awful lot of different kinds of malt! Too many competing flavors can lead to a muddy tasting beer.

Also, a stout really needs roasted barley (as opposed to black patent malt) to get that distinctive roasty stout flavor. Black malt will make you a dark beer, but really more of a porter than a stout. And a full pound of black malt is pushing it: that stuff can get nastily astringent if you use too much.

As a starting point, I would simplify your malt bill down to just:

2 LBS American 2-row
1 LB US crystal 120 L
1 LB flaked oats
8 oz black patent
8 oz chocolate rye

And then add DME to bulk it up to whatever starting gravity you are going for. That'll give you a nice dark porter as a starting poing.

If you want some smoke flavor (which is definitely an acquired taste in beer: personally I like it a lot but many people absolutely hate it), also include the pound of smoked malt, which will produce a smoked porter.

If you really want to make a stout as opposed to a porter, drop the black patent altogether, and replace it with a pound of roasted barley, which will give you an oatmeal stout.

I wouldn't bother with the flaked rice, cara wheat, caramunich, or victory at all for this.

 

[StoutFan]

If you really want to make a stout as opposed to a porter, drop the black patent altogether, and replace it with a pound of roasted barley, which will give you an oatmeal stout.

I'd have to go with Shawn on this one. Oatmeal stouts are great.

 

[darkestdays]

Sorry if I did not make it clear, but the ingredients listed are not a recipe. I was listing my available ingredients, and I hope to make a recipe out of the ingredients. So, roasted barley is pretty essential to a stout? How much should I go pick up?

 

[StoutFan]

I would sub out the chocolate rye for just 340L chocolate malt, and throw in 6-8 oz. of the roasted barley. Gives it that nice chewy dark flavor,

 

[medic_35057]

Here is my stab at a recipe for you with what you have on hand. Tried to lean toward an American Stout.
SG around 1.069
SRM around 38
IBU's around 55


6.6# Hopped LME
2.0# American 2 row
0.25# Chocolate Rye
0.25# Flaked Oats
0.50# Black Patent
1.0# Crystal 120L

0.75 oz. Simcoe @ 60
0.50 oz. Centennial @ 20
0.50 oz. Cascade @ 10

Irish moss @ 15

Safale S-04, Nottingham or Windsor yeast

 

[darkestdays]

Thanks for the ideas guys! Depending on what I decide to do, this will be my first stout/ porter that is not a kit.

I am debating on weather or not to go pick up some roasted barley, or go with the idea of a smoked porter. Keep the ideas coming, and thanks again!

 

[flyangler18]

With only a single pound of Rauchmalt, you won't get any smoke character. For it to be prominent but not be overpowering, it really needs to be nearly 50% of the grainbill.

 

[Shawn Hargreaves]

From what I've read (I've yet to try a smoked beer myself) the intensity of smoked malt varies a lot over time. The longer it sits on the shelf, the less smoke flavor it will impart. So it can be kind of tricky to predict how much you need.