My first BIG STOUT please advise

[aamcle]

Evening all.

I have some ingredients I’d like to use to make a Big Stout for Christmas 2017/18.

I’m combining an abortive White Stout and a mix from GeterBrewed.

• 3500 Maris Otter
  500 Dingemans Biscuit Malt
  2000 Weyermann Munich Malt I
  500 Weyermann Melanoidin
  1000 Flaked Barley
  3500 Pale
  450 Black Crystal Wheat
  250 Black ----------------- do I need this and the crystal wheat?
  250 Chocolate

I think I need to cut back on the two black grains but I’d really appreciate guidance on the grain bill and the hops.

For hops I have been considering

• 61g Challenger at 90
  14 Chinook at 90 (mainly because I have them)
  61 Goldings at 30

And for yeast

WLP090, San Diego Super Yeast Attenuation: 76.00-83.00
Flocculation Medium to High, Alcohol Tolerance: High (10 - 15%)

Using Brewers friend based on 23 litres in FV:-

At 75% the OG should be about 1.12 FG 1.029 ABV 11.5 IBU about 65

I'm not too worried about style but I do want a really enjoyable glass full so recommendations will be very gratefully received, I'm concerned the dark grains.

Thanks Everybody. aamcle

 

[Aotidae]

Dark Roasts around 10%
Crystal around 5%
Flaked as much as 3%

 

[aamcle]

I've been advised that there is not enough roast, I'll roast the flaked barley.

aamcle

 

[505-Brewer]

Mash low, like 148-149F. Pitch a healthy starter w O2. Add more O2 12 h later then control temps and watch it rip. Id cover with foil for a pseudo open fermentation for the first 5-7 days then put on an airlock. Ramp up temps near end to encourage full attenuation.

 

[aamcle]

I was planning to mash at 62 °C and start the fermentation at 16 °C ramping up after day 4/5 to a final temp of 20 °C. I don't have oxygen but I will give special attention to aeration.
I never use an air lock just put the lid loosely onto the FV.

Thanks. aamcle

That's some gain roasted - what a pong I had to keep the kitchen door open.

 

[SpentBrains]

I brewed a dry Irish stout from an online supply house earlier this fall for a friend. He's about 70 and can't unlearn 50 years of American marketing. He believes he's of Irish heritage and has traveled to Ireland a few times in recent years, but get this "...has NEVER TAKEN THE TIME TO VISIT A PUB there..." go figure. In his review of my stout, he thinks the one ounce of hops added for the full boil time made the beer way too hoppy!!!! I mashed at 149f. He feels the beer is too dry. Both of those extremes have mellowed with time. Initially he may have had some valid points, but 3 months in, the beer is fantastic now.

Since I could only give him a few 6-packs, I've enjoyed the heck out of it and it's a big hit with guests. My review?

I kegged half and bottled half. The keg version is about in it's prime. I don't have a nitro tap, so I draw about 2/3 of a glass, then let the stream fall a good 8 or 10 inches to froth up the beer, which stays creamy and has long head retention, due to the flaked barley. I can only set one temp for all my beers with my system, so it's chilled colder than you'd typically serve this style. Consequently, I let it warm slowly and choose a Newcastle schooner style glass for the pour - a draught is only about 10 oz liquid and maybe 5 oz. of head. The two versions are significantly different and I feel the bottles are a little over carbonated, but the flavors are rounder. I use a similar technique pouring from the bottle.

I used a boat load of calcium carbonate, about 4 tablespoons in a 12 gallon batch to help modulate the pH lowering tendency of the dark grain bill. I'm savoring and stingy with the little bit left in the keg now and may have to brew it again soon. I tried two different yeasts, one was a Notingham second generation harvested from a previous farmhouse brown, the other was a dry pack of 04.

 

[SpentBrains]

oh having keg 3 taps... it's real enjoyable to offer 3 significantly different styles Right now I have a Rye, a centennial hop lager and the Stout which rounds out a great wide ranging pallet (yes pallet not palate). We my friends are artists.

A very bitter 90 min dog-fish-head clone will follow the lager and I've still got 3 cornies of Rye,