Ideas For A Stout

[headbanger]

I've been asked to brew something for a local Humane Society fundraiser. I'm planning on brewing a stout and have used the following recipe before with good results. Just looking for some ideas from you all for interesting variations on this recipe if you'd like to contribute.

Basic Information
Batch Name: Cherry Stout
Brewed By: headbanger
Style: Dry Stout
Batch Size: 10.00 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
Initial Boil Volume: 10.9 gal
Mash Method: All Grain

Calculated & Measured Statistics
Calculated O.G. 1.074 (72% Efficiency)
Calculated F.G. 1.021 (72% Yeast Attenuation)
Measured O.G. 1.070 (74% Actual Efficiency)
Measured F.G. 1.020 (74% Actual Attenuation)
ABV 7.4%
IBU 40.3
SRM 52.5°L

Malt Bill
2-Row Malt - 1.75°L 22.00 lbs
Black Malt - 500°L 2.00 lbs
Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L 2.00 lbs
Chocolate Malt - 450°L 1.50 lbs
Sugar, Table (Sucrose) 0.30 lbs

Hop Bill
Horizon 60 min 2.00 oz 12.5%
Centennial 5 min 2.00 oz 9.8%

Yeast Details
Wyeast Pacman

Notes
Add 8# frozen cherries at flame out

 

[m00ps]

why the .3lbs of sugar? Just seems kinda pointless to me. Any thinning of the body ti would bring would basically be negligible. The rest of the recipe looks fine IMO

Id be VERY careful about going through with this. KY has some pretty weird laws on alcohol due to trying to protect the bourbon industry. Ive been approached by several groups to make their organization a beer and have considered a bunch of things.

First off, theres the obvious thought someone may get that fundraiser + homebrew = you are trying to sell it. This may be the thing that gets some nark to look into the matter in the first place

Second, you cannot advertise or, in the eyes of the law, you are trying to make a profit. So they could not advertise your homebrew on any flyers or emails for the fundraiser

Third, the event cant be at a public place. In KY, you are only allowed to consume hoembrew in a private home. The only exception they make is sanctioned beer competitions where they are judging your beer. Ive done things like weddings before, but I was just lucky that no police officer was there, or they jsut overlooked it. I agree most people would be cool with it, but it only takes one nark to put you, and the Humane Society, in a bad position

 

[bransona]

I wouldn't personally care for two pounds of black malt in there, but if you've made it before, then you know best. Maybe consider racking onto cherries in secondary rather than boiling off some of the flavors and smell.

 

[headbanger]

why the .3lbs of sugar? Just seems kinda pointless to me. Any thinning of the body ti would bring would basically be negligible. The rest of the recipe looks fine IMO

Id be VERY careful about going through with this. KY has some pretty weird laws on alcohol due to trying to protect the bourbon industry. Ive been approached by several groups to make their organization a beer and have considered a bunch of things.

First off, theres the obvious thought someone may get that fundraiser + homebrew = you are trying to sell it. This may be the thing that gets some nark to look into the matter in the first place

Second, you cannot advertise or, in the eyes of the law, you are trying to make a profit. So they could not advertise your homebrew on any flyers or emails for the fundraiser

Third, the event cant be at a public place. In KY, you are only allowed to consume hoembrew in a private home. The only exception they make is sanctioned beer competitions where they are judging your beer. Ive done things like weddings before, but I was just lucky that no police officer was there, or they jsut overlooked it. I agree most people would be cool with it, but it only takes one nark to put you, and the Humane Society, in a bad position

Thanks m00ps, the idea of the sugar is just to dry it out a bit but the cherries will also bring some sugar so I may leave it out.

And thanks for the legal advice, my SWBMO is in the legal field so I will have her check into it. I always just assumed everything was kosher as long as nobody tried to charge $$$ for it.

 

[JKaranka]

My variation would be: Remove the cherries, up IBU to 60, bring sugar up to a pound and replace Crystal malt for Brown malt

 

[Hoppy_Sanchez]

I'm a big oatmeal stout fan. Always suggest 2lbs of flaked oats to the mash for a stout. The frozen cherries sound really good too.

 

[Chcarpenter]

Drop the black for debiterized black it's not as astringent, add some flaked oats or try Golden naked oats.

Not sure about pacman on a stout but it will make beer.

I'm a little hesitant about the cherries in the boil, but if you have done this before and you like it go with it.

 

[headbanger]

Drop the black for debiterized black it's not as astringent, add some flaked oats or try Golden naked oats.

Not sure about pacman on a stout but it will make beer.

I'm a little hesitant about the cherries in the boil, but if you have done this before and you like it go with it.

Thanks Ch, I've never seen debiterized black around here but I will check at the LHS today. Pacman works great for stouts!

 

[bransona]

Carafa III can replace debittered black, I think. Someone back me up on that?

 

[m00ps]

Carafa III can replace debittered black, I think. Someone back me up on that?

Yeah, its a bit less dark than debittered black malt but there are several malts that fall into this category. If Im remembering right, going from lightest to darkest:
- Perla Negra - 350L?
- Carafa III - bit below 500L?
- Blackprinz- 500L
- Debittered Black Malt - around 500L
- Midnight Wheat - 550L

 

[Hoppy_Sanchez]

Here's my stout recipe I brewed for a wedding that was a hitter

77% 2 row
4.6% Roasted barley
3.1% Crystal 75
3.1% Chocolate malt
12.3% Flaked oats
60 min Nugget 36.1 IBU
30 min Nugget 13.9 IBU

Wyeast 1332 northwest ale yeast

2-4 vanilla beans Mexican and Madagascar

 

[Transamguy77]

I make a stout similar to yours,
22lbs 2 row
3lbs of chocolate,
2 lbs crystal 60 and
1 lb roasted barley
3 lbs of oats.
I use fuggles @60 and 15 and 8oz of maltodextrin if you want it big and chewy. The last batch I subbed 10lbs of MO for 2 row and I didn't really notice a difference.
I did 2 gallons in secondary with a can of pie cherries and it turned out good.

 

[headbanger]

Thanks for all the great ideas! Brewing it today and went with the debittered black malt and added some flaked oars to the bill, also subbed brown malt for crystal. The store I went to was out of cherries so I picked up blueberries instead. I'll post the recipe in a day or two.

 

[chickypad]

If my quick calculations are right the balck malt is only like 7% of the grainbill, so I was going to say I don't think you need to replace the black malt but I see you've already brewed it. A lot of folks are wary of black malt but I actually find the roast to be smoother and a little less espresso like when used in equal quantities to roasted barley. I commonly sub out some or all of the roasted barley in stout recipes for black malt and it doesn't come out astringent to me, definitely never encountered the dreaded charcoal taste that everyone seems to be afraid of. With the chocolate and brown also in there though it should still be roasty enough to make a good stout (or a strong porter, style lines being blurred as they often are with these beers).

 

[jammin]

Thanks for all the great ideas! Brewing it today and went with the debittered black malt and added some flaked oars to the bill, also subbed brown malt for crystal. The store I went to was out of cherries so I picked up blueberries instead. I'll post the recipe in a day or two.

good stuff. subbing to hear your results.

please post your OG, FG & what yeast/ferm temp/starter size etc.

 

[JKaranka]

Sounds very smooth.

 

[headbanger]

Turned out great! Here's the final recipe...

Basic Information
Batch Name: Blueberry Stout
Brewed By: headbanger
Style: Dry Stout
Batch Size: 10.00 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
Initial Boil Volume: 11.9 gal
Mash Method: All Grain

Calculated & Measured Statistics
Calculated O.G. 1.072 (72% Efficiency)
Calculated F.G. 1.021 (72% Yeast Attenuation)
Measured O.G. 1.055 (13.5P)
Measured F.G. 1.005 (6P)
ABV 6.492%
IBU ~40
SRM BLACK

Malt Bill
2-Row Malt - 1.75°L 22.00 lbs
Carafa Malt - ???L 2.00 lbs
Brown Malt - ???L 2.00 lbs
Chocolate Malt - 450°L 1.50 lbs
Flaked Oats - 2 lbs

Hop Bill
Horizon 60 min 2.00 oz 12.5%
Centennial 5 min 2.00 oz 9.8%

Yeast Details
Wyeast Pacman (underpitched with no starter)

Notes
Add 9# frozen blueberries at flame out
Fermented @ 60F 3 weeks with solid steady airlock activity 2+ weeks

 

[ZebulonBrewer]

How much blueberry flavor/aroma did the final product have?

Looks pretty good.

 

[JKaranka]

What did it taste like?

 

[headbanger]

It had a fair amount of both Zeb, I believe I hit a pretty good balance of complimentary vs overpowering with 9# but would be curious to see what more would do.

 

[jjeffers09]

how did your pH turn out with those blueberries and all that carafe and chocolate? I like my dry stouts on the 5.3-5.4 range

 

[headbanger]

how did your pH turn out with those blueberries and all that carafe and chocolate? I like my dry stouts on the 5.3-5.4 range

Not sure, I don't have a PH meter to test it with.

 

[jjeffers09]

pH is a big variable to start testing for, imo. If not there yet for a pH meter, try the strips, they are at least better than not knowing at all

 

[DirtyPirate]

Just make sure to have a blow off tube for Pacman it will bounce air locks of the ceiling. Sounds good