I recently purchased a True Brew Irish Stout kit from my local homebrew store. It was the only stout kit they had on hand. Aftter talking about a few of my favorite stouts (Bear republic Black Stout, Steelhead Extra Stout, etc) and telling him that I really wasn't a fan of Guinness(anymore), he suggested I use Safale US-05 yeast instead of whatever came in the kit. So he went ahead and swapped out the yeast and said the change would help achieve a stout more to my liking.
Before I brew this kit, I'm wondering if I should return it and get a different stout kit instead? Or will the change in yeast get me the type of stout I'm after. If it turns out to be like Guinness I'll be pretty dissapointed. Does anyone know if the yeast swap will actually change the results of the kit from a Guinness style to something more closely resembling the stouts I enjoy? Guinness and Steelhead are very different. One has a mild almost indistinguishable flavor and thin mouthfeel while the other is robust, flavorful and full bodied. Can a simple yeast swap have that dramatic of an effect in flavor, mouthfeel, etc? Or was he just trying to get me to buy the kit by pretending the yeast swap will make all the difference in the world.
I'm aware that a change in yeast can sometimes have a dramatic effect on a brew, but is it a magic ingredient that can change Guinness into Steelhead et al? Does anyone have any experience with the True Brew Irish Stout kit, and/or Safale US-05?
As always, TIA.
Before I brew this kit, I'm wondering if I should return it and get a different stout kit instead? Or will the change in yeast get me the type of stout I'm after. If it turns out to be like Guinness I'll be pretty dissapointed. Does anyone know if the yeast swap will actually change the results of the kit from a Guinness style to something more closely resembling the stouts I enjoy? Guinness and Steelhead are very different. One has a mild almost indistinguishable flavor and thin mouthfeel while the other is robust, flavorful and full bodied. Can a simple yeast swap have that dramatic of an effect in flavor, mouthfeel, etc? Or was he just trying to get me to buy the kit by pretending the yeast swap will make all the difference in the world.
I'm aware that a change in yeast can sometimes have a dramatic effect on a brew, but is it a magic ingredient that can change Guinness into Steelhead et al? Does anyone have any experience with the True Brew Irish Stout kit, and/or Safale US-05?
As always, TIA.
