New brewer

[Fbrews]

I have 2.5 gal Mr Beer kit and have had one batch go through with good results.

I would like to use only LME kits or recipes for my first stout. I am looking at buying 3.3 lbs of liquid extract and only making 2.5 to 2 gals (although the recipe calls for 5 gal. I have read some brewers saying 2 lbs of brown sugar or no sugar at all. After I read all that I could I really decided I needed to direct this question to a forum in hopes of getting some specific opinions to start my next batch.

So here is what im attempting. A strong(er) stout, using liquid extract recipe. Price from 20-30 bucks on a 2.5 gal batch. ABV above or at 5%, preferably higher. Im currently looking at coopers, and muntons stout extracts. Sugar? No sugar? Am I on the right track? Thanks for your opinions.

I am currently drinking

cismontane, black dawn
chocolat, southern tier
ten fiddy, oskcar blues
breakfast stout, founders brewing

Thanks Fbrews

 

[dkennedy]

I'd shy away from trying to clone Fidy / any RIS as your second brew, personally...it's a big beer to tackle.
I'd avoid table-style sugars, if you're after a sticky stout. Steep grains to add color, body, and flavor (chocolate, roasted malts). Check out the Fidy clone in post #7 of this thread for ideas.

If you can steep specialty grains, then I'd have a go at a Maris Otter extract as a base, really nice malt for stouts.

Excellent lineup, too, definitely stout season (as if it needs a season)!

My 2 cents.

 

[Fbrews]

Oh sorry def wasnt trying to clone those. Just was giving info.. Thanks for the input.

Fbrews

 

[dkennedy]

Right on, I think that I latched onto your list and, in a fit of jealousy, thought Clone.
Cut the Fidy recipe in 1/4 and you'd be on your way to something tasty, I suspect. Lots of other good stout recipes in the recipe section as well- I brewed the None More Black vanilla stout as my second brew, still enjoyable nearly 3 years later (was best between 1 and 2 years, in my opinion).

 

[mrgrimm101]

If you like a healthy amount of hop bitterness and lots of hop flavor, you could make my hoppy American Stout. I call it Summoner Stout. You could easily scale down the 5 minute hop additions to take away some of the hop flavor. Same with the 60 minute addition. I find it to be quite bitter with notes of chocolate and roasty sweetness.

EDIT: this recipe is for 5 gallons

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f68/hoppy-american-stout-summoner-stout-491367/

 

[mrgrimm101]

I found a recipe for a milk/cream stout that I want to try at some point too. This would probably be a good one to try if you like sweeter stouts, rather than bitter stouts.

This recipe is for 5 gallons.

Edit: you can swap out the DME for some LME, you just have to find a malt conversion calculator to find out how much

OG: 1.066
IBU: 31
ABV: ~6.5%

5 lbs DME
1.5 lbs Wheat DME
12 oz Cyrstal 60L
12 oz Chocolate Malt (US)
8 oz Roasted Barley
8 oz Milk Sugar

1 oz Magnum hops (60 min)

I imagine that the milk sugar would be a late addition, probably around 15 minutes left in the boil.

 

[Fbrews]

Please give your opinion

3.95 lb hopped lme stout
8 ounce of coffee and 1 cup of dark brown sugar wort at flameout
This is for a 2.5 gal batch

Thanks

 

[mrgrimm101]

I would drop the coffee and brown sugar. Brown sugar can boost the abv slightly but it can also thin out the beer and leave it a bit dry. It wont make it any sweeter. When brewers use sugar in a stout they use milk sugar (lactose) to create a milk/cream stout. Lactose is unfermentable so it doesnt add to abv, it just adds sweetness.

Rather than adding the coffee or brown sugar, add some specialty steeping grains. These grains will give you the roasty or chocolatey flavors that are often found in stouts. They will also give it the dark color.

Is the LME already hopped? If not youre gonna need some hops.

I would keep it simple if youve only brewed one batch so far. Extract, grains, and hops.

 

[GHBWNY]

I would drop the coffee and brown sugar. Brown sugar can boost the abv slightly but it can also thin out the beer and leave it a bit dry. It wont make it any sweeter. When brewers use sugar in a stout they use milk sugar (lactose) to create a milk/cream stout. Lactose is unfermentable so it doesnt add to abv, it just adds sweetness.

Rather than adding the coffee or brown sugar, add some specialty steeping grains. These grains will give you the roasty or chocolatey flavors that are often found in stouts. They will also give it the dark color.

Is the LME already hopped? If not youre gonna need some hops.

I would keep it simple if youve only brewed one batch so far. Extract, grains, and hops.

I brewed a 5 gal. extract kit True Brew Oaked Imp. Stout that was/is still excellent! Roasty, toasty, chocolatey, smooth, deep, well-balanced, etc., etc. And 6.2%.

Just sayin'...

 

[Fbrews]

I would drop the coffee and brown sugar. Brown sugar can boost the abv slightly but it can also thin out the beer and leave it a bit dry. It wont make it any sweeter. When brewers use sugar in a stout they use milk sugar (lactose) to create a milk/cream stout. Lactose is unfermentable so it doesnt add to abv, it just adds sweetness.

Rather than adding the coffee or brown sugar, add some specialty steeping grains. These grains will give you the roasty or chocolatey flavors that are often found in stouts. They will also give it the dark color.

Is the LME already hopped? If not youre gonna need some hops.

I would keep it simple if youve only brewed one batch so far. Extract, grains, and hops.

Yes it will probably be hopped. I was trying to achieve a not so complex (tasting stout) but get alcohol up slightly. Obviously a recipe that is super simple. I was trying to try one without steeping, why? Cause that what many do to achieve "best" results. I was curious as to knowledgeable brewers, going back to 1 gal or 2.5 gal batches, focusing on price and simplicity. I can always buy a $9 dollar pint.

Thanks for the advice mrgrimm
Fbrews

 

[Fbrews]

I brewed a 5 gal. extract kit True Brew Oaked Imp. Stout that was/is still excellent! Roasty, toasty, chocolatey, smooth, deep, well-balanced, etc., etc. And 6.2%.

Just sayin'...

I was trying to keep the cost of a 2.5 gal batch under near $20. I have book marked all recipes in this thread though. Thanks for all your knowledgeable posts.

 

[mrgrimm101]

I brewed a 5 gal. extract kit True Brew Oaked Imp. Stout that was/is still excellent! Roasty, toasty, chocolatey, smooth, deep, well-balanced, etc., etc. And 6.2%.

Just sayin'...

I wasnt saying not to do coffee..of course its up to the brewer. Just in my experience the extract and steeping grain recipes have always been easy and straightforward. It helped me learn a lot when i was first starting. It can be easy to overcomplicate things. To each their own.

 

[Fbrews]

http://hbd.org/cgi-bin/recipator/recipator?group=15&item=6306

What is v/v w/w in alcohol line?
For 1 gal batches would i divide everything by 5?
I dont understand the percent in the hops section?

Thank you

 

[dkennedy]

What is v/v w/w in alcohol line?

Respectively they are Alcohol by Volume, Alcohol by Weight, I believe.

For 1 gal batches would i divide everything by 5?

Start there, and adjust to hit the gravities, bitterness, etc of the original recipe.

I dont understand the percent in the hops section?

The AA % is the percentage of alpha acids in the hops. Higher AA = more buttering potential, all else equal.