Hops for a Dry Stout

[Prionburger]

I'm making a dry stout using Jamil Zainasheff's dry stout grain bill, but with WLP013 London Ale and different hops.

I have two choices: Wilamette, or Northern brewer.

So here's the question: Would Northern Brewer conflict with the esters? Willamette would be closest to the original recipe, but woody hops with oakey esters sounds great in a stout...

Anyone experienced in dry stouts?

 

[bradsul]

I'd go with the Willamette myself, but I have a deep rooted love of Fuggles.

The northern brewer would be safe though, in a dry stout it's really only there for bittering so you don't have to worry about the flavour too much.

 

[Prionburger]

Thanks for the quick reply Bradsul! Yeah, maybe I should go with the Willamette. It's closest. I have a nice cheap hunk of it that I got from hopsdirect, time to crack it open, and I'll save the NB for steam beers.

 

[bradsul]

No worries. Dry stout is one of my favourite styles, I can't resist the threads.

 

[Prionburger]

Do you tend to make the low gravity types? How long does it usually take for the green to go away?

Drooling already...

 

[bradsul]

I definitely tend towards session beers. I like to enjoy my beer but I don't much like getting drunk.

A classic dry stout will be very enjoyable at 6 weeks, but will reach it's prime at 2 months in my experience. With my own house stout (in my recipe dropdown) I like to go 2-3 weeks in primary and then a month in secondary or in the keg. The bitterness and roasted flavours seem to need that time to perfectly mellow into a really drinkable beer.

 

[Prionburger]

I'll have to cram the pipeline full of this stuff then. Woo!