My Stout is Brown???

[tbeahrs]

Long time reader first time poster. So I just finished brewing my 4th batch, an irish stout. The color is dark brown, far from black, and quite the opposite of what I was expecting a stout to look like. Should I expect the color to darken as it ferments/conditions? Is there anything I can do to darken it (aside from adding coffee)? I suppose I'm fine with the color being lighter as long as it tastes good... but I was really looking forward to a dark creamy stout.

 

[KingBrianI]

Some dry stouts come out on the low end of bjcp regulations for color, but they shouldn't look brown. At what point in the process is the beer now? During fermentation, the abundance of yeast in suspension can lighten the color of the beer and perhaps make a stout look brown. Even if it does turn out brown though, who cares if it tastes good. There is something very appealing about a dark beer that has ruby highlights when held to the light though. Your beer, if not black, will probably be like that.

 

[jimmywit]

Just curious what was the recipe? maybe it will turn out more like a porter

 

[tbeahrs]

Thanks for the quick reply. I just finished brewing less than an hour ago, so this baby just hit the primary. My boil size was 4gal and it looked good and dark then. It must have lightened up when I diluted it to 5 gal in the primary. Oh well.

Here was my recipe..

Steeped 50 min at 160:
1lb Roasted Barley
1lb Chocolate
1/2lb Crystal Malt (120L)
6oz Flaked Barley
6oz oatmeal flakes

Boiled 60 min:
4lbs Pale LME
1.5 lb Gold DME
1oz. Nugget pellets (12.2%AA); 60min
1oz. East Kent GOldings 4.9%; 40 min
8oz. Maltodextrine; 30 min

Dry ale yeast (rehydrated 1 hr)


Any suggestions are welcome.

 

[KingBrianI]

All that roasted barley, chocolate malt and crystal malt should make for a dark beer. It should be pretty black. Onceit's in a glass, I'm sure it will be black enough to meet your expectations. Off topic but the flaked barley and oatmeal really should have been mashed.

 

[BarleyWater]

Perhaps a dumb question, but you did have the grains crushed didn't you? If so, maybe a finer crush. Also, might want to make sure the temps are correct, is your thermometer calibrated?

 

[tbeahrs]

Off topic but the flaked barley and oatmeal really should have been mashed.

Ahhhh yes. I had some left around and figured they might bring something to the table just steeping at 160 for 50 min. I'm new at this and don't really know what I'm doing. But I'm having lots of fun:rockin:

 

[tbeahrs]

Yes. The grains were crushed.

 

[jimmywit]

I will say what I have always been told. Wait it out. I think you made a good beer and all will turn out well. If the color is not dark enough for you at the end, maybe use dark extract next time. Just my opinion. But by the looks of it I think it will be dark enough.If not racking to a secondary I have taken the advice from this forum and have been leaving in the primary for 3 weeks. You would be amazed at how much your beer cleans up. Also don't forget it will look differant in a glass. My advice wait at least 3 weeks and when you take your next gravity reading see what the color looks like in the test tube. I know it is hard to wait, I go through the same thing everytime I brew. But the advice is good advice suck it up and wait, it won't go bad in the carboy it will only get better. After all the time and money you have already spent it will be worth it.

 

[david_42]

Should I expect the color to darken as it ferments/conditions?

Yes, the yeast and trub make the fermenting wort look lighter in a dark beer, just as the depth of a fermenter makes a light-colored beer look darker. When the trub starts settling, you'll see a major change.