My first stout recipe, please critique

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Poppy360

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I'm trying to put together a semi-dry stout that's on the bitter side. I'm working with what I have in stock, so the only changes that can be made are with ingredients that I have in stock. (I wish I could figure out how to copy my inventory list on Beersmith)


BeerSmith Recipe Printout - www.beersmith.com
Recipe: First Stout
Brewer: Poppy
Style: Dry Stout
TYPE: Extract


Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 3.25 gal
Estimated OG: 1.044 SG
Estimated Color: 39.0 SRM
Estimated IBU: 41.2 IBU

Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
5 lbs 9.6 oz Pale Liquid Extract (8.0 SRM) Extract 67.1 %
1 lbs Pale Liquid Extract (8.0 SRM) Extract 12.0 %
12.0 oz Roasted Barley (432.0 SRM) Grain 9.0 %
8.0 oz Chocolate Malt (385.0 SRM) Grain 6.0 %
8.0 oz Special B Malt (145.0 SRM) Grain 6.0 %
0.40 oz Chinook [11.00%] (60 min) Hops 19.1 IBU
0.25 oz Warrior [15.50%] (60 min) Hops 16.9 IBU
0.50 oz Hallertauer [2.10%] (30 min) Hops 3.5 IBU
0.50 oz Hallertauer [2.10%] (10 min) Hops 1.7 IBU
1 Pkgs Fermentis English Ale (#S-04) Yeast-Ale

I don't have any more chinook, warrior, or hallertauer hops, but I do have amarillo, cascade, centennial, palisades, sterling, and magnum. I was thinking about reducing the special B to 3%, but the added malt might be needed with the relatively high bitterness of the beer.

As far as grains, malts, and sugars on hand, I have aromatic, caramunich, light and amber DME's, and belgian dark candy syrup.

I also have US-05 yeast.

Any and all comments and concerns are appreciated.
:mug:
 
Your OG is low for a stout they are normally 1.050-1.075
I would add some centennial to up your IBU's and use the US-05 myself.
It really all boils down to what you like in a stout.
 
In general, I like drier, more bitter beers. Malty beers aren't my thing, so I thought this recipe should go along those guidelines.

Beersmith says .036 to .050 for an OG. I'll be happy to add some DME to bring up the OG to "stay in guidelines". No, but really, I'd like a relatively easy drinking stout that has a good, but not too deep, flavor.
 
If it were me I'd drop the Special B and up the roasted to 1lbs.

I'd also get rid of any hop additions after 60 minutes, you don't really want any hop flavour or aroma in a stout (they would be hard to perceive anyway because of the roasted flavour). You could bump up your IBU's slightly to get to a BU:GU of about 1 and it should balance nicely.

The dryness will be up to the extract manufacturer, use a nice attenuative yeast and it will help but ultimately it will depend upon how fermentable they made the extract.
 
I would skip the special b and use the amber dme to up the gravity a little. I would also skip the hallertau additions at 30 and 10 minutes, the flavor they add will get burried by the roasted grains.
 
bradsul said:
You could bump up your IBU's slightly to get to a BU:GU of about 1 and it should balance nicely.

Could you explain this a little further? Bitterness unit: ? unit. I'm assuming it has to do with malt.
 
Yup, bitterness unit and gravity unit. Basically the big number in your OG.

So your values would be 41:44 or a BU:GU of 0.93. Theoretically if they match you have a balanced beer (in terms of bitterness to gravity anyway). Obviously there's a lot more to it than that, but for a dry stout you want a number around 1 for BU:GU (so you're in pretty good shape).
 
I just bottled my 2nd stout, and I have to say I am very partial to the Whitelabs WLP004 Irish Ale Yeast, very tasty if you like the irish style stout. Actually when I tasted it between Primary and Secondary I can pick out where Guiness and Smithwicks actually have a common taste.
 
Our last oatmeal stout, we used palisade hops at 60 and 30. Worked out well but you could go just at 60 as well.
 
If you want a nice classic dry stout, you can't go wrong with:

65% pale malt
25% flaked barley
10% roasted barley
mash low (~149-150)
bittering addition only, IBU to match your OG

nottingham yeast (or any highly attenuative yeast is good)

It's just a classic simple dry stout with lots of great roasted flavour.
 
bradsul said:
If you want a nice classic dry stout, you can't go wrong with:

65% pale malt
25% flaked barley
10% roasted barley
mash low (~149-150)
bittering addition only, IBU to match your OG

nottingham yeast (or any highly attenuative yeast is good)

It's just a classic simple dry stout with lots of great roasted flavour.

I don't have any flaked barley on hand so that's out of the equation. I'm just trying to use what I have in stock.
 
Poppy360 said:
I don't have any flaked barley on hand so that's out of the equation. I'm just trying to use what I have in stock.
Ah right, I forgot that part. In that case I stand by my original suggestion as I have nothing new to offer. :mug:
 
Poppy360 said:
Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
5 lbs 9.6 oz Pale Liquid Extract (8.0 SRM) Extract 67.1 %
1 lbs Pale Liquid Extract (8.0 SRM) Extract 12.0 %
12.0 oz Roasted Barley (432.0 SRM) Grain 9.0 %
8.0 oz Chocolate Malt (385.0 SRM) Grain 6.0 %
8.0 oz Special B Malt (145.0 SRM) Grain 6.0 %
0.40 oz Chinook [11.00%] (60 min) Hops 19.1 IBU
0.25 oz Warrior [15.50%] (60 min) Hops 16.9 IBU
0.50 oz Hallertauer [2.10%] (30 min) Hops 3.5 IBU
0.50 oz Hallertauer [2.10%] (10 min) Hops 1.7 IBU
1 Pkgs Fermentis English Ale (#S-04) Yeast-Ale
This recipe looks pretty good as is but I would save the Hallertauer for a beer where it would be noticed.

However you said you wanted more of a dry bitter stout, in that case I would switch the yeast to US-05 which is more attenuating, reduce or eliminate the Special B and increase the roasted barley. The special B will add sweetness while the roast flavors will more of a dryer flavor.

Personally I think your original is better but then again it is pretty close to the oatmeal stout in my signature.

Craig
 
BierMuncher said:
You could sub with basic Quick Oats from the grocery store and have a nice oatmeal stout.

That sounds nice. Just add them to my steeping grains? I should keep the Special B in the recipe then, right?

Also, does it have to be Quick Oats or can I used regular rolled oats?
 
So, I've decided to go more towards an oatmeal stout with this brew. Here's the new recipe:

Recipe: Oatmeal Stout
Brewer: Poppy
Style: Oatmeal Stout
TYPE: Extract


Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 3.25 gal
Estimated OG: 1.054 SG
Estimated Color: 46.3 SRM
Estimated IBU: 46.5 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: - %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
1 lbs Amber Dry Extract (12.5 SRM) Dry Extract 9.2 %
6 lbs 9.6 oz Pale Liquid Extract (8.0 SRM) Extract 60.8 % (Late addition)
1 lbs Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 9.2 %
1 lbs Roasted Barley (432.0 SRM) Grain 9.2 %
12.0 oz Chocolate Malt (385.0 SRM) Grain 6.9 %
8.0 oz Caramunich Malt (72.5 SRM) Grain 4.6 %
0.40 oz Chinook [11.00%] (60 min) Hops 18.3 IBU
0.25 oz Warrior [15.50%] (60 min) Hops 16.1 IBU
0.25 oz Centennial [11.60%] (60 min) Hops 12.1 IBU
1 Pkgs SafAle English Ale (DCL Yeast #S-04) Yeast-Ale

Comments or ideas?
 
Poppy360 said:
That sounds nice. Just add them to my steeping grains? I should keep the Special B in the recipe then, right?

Also, does it have to be Quick Oats or can I used regular rolled oats?
If you use rolled Oats you will need to cook them first to geletinize the starches. Quick Oats are nearly identical to the Flaked oats you buy in the HBS.
Craig
 
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