My first stout (my own recipe)

[Verett]

Would love y'alls thoughts on my latest brew.

Stout 3 gallon recipe
Grain bill:

Maris Otter pale malt	6lbs
English roasted barley	.5lbs
English coffee malt	.25lbs
Chocolate malt	.25lbs
60L Caramel malt	.25lbs
120L Caramel malt	.25lbs

Mashed at 152-153F for 90min with 3 gallons of purified water. Batch sparged with 1.5-2 gallons of purified water.
Target pre-boil volume: 4.5 gallons of wort
Hop schedule:
Estimated IBU 36

1 oz of EKG	60 min
1 oz of EKG	15min
1 oz of Fuggle	5min

Target post-boil volume: 3.5 gallons of wort
Pitched with Safale S04 (English ale yeast)

I didn't have any way to measure SG when I brewed it, but saved some wort to test it a few days later when my refractometer arrived. I was surprised that it read 1.080 so this might be a heavier stout that I had envisioned. Knowing that my IBUs are probably a little low for this heavy of a stout. This is only my 4th AG brew. I don't follow recipes I just do a lot of research about the brewing process and make up my own. I plan to let it sit in primary for 4 weeks then transfer to a keg and let it condition for a while. Maybe even add some coffee beans to the keg.

 

[Steveruch]

1.080 seems a bit high. When I was doing three gallon all-grain batches 7.5 lbs of grain would have gotten me around 1.060.

 

[Verett]

Yeah I don’t have a hydrometer to check my refractometer reading. I wasn’t necessarily shooting for a particular OG and this is the first time that I have ever actually tried to measure SG of my beer. I normally just throw it all in the mash tun and hope for the best. I usually am pretty satisfied with the outcome.