Pale DME, Dark DME

[Finn]

So I want to make this stout, but it's all extract and I want to be able to do the steeping grain/partial mash thing to leave more unfermentable sugars in the wort. It calls for 6 pounds of DME. I'd like to turn that into 7 pounds of LME and add some chocolate malt to the grainbag to get the color of dark DME. How much should I use? Or should I use black patent instead? (But I do want to get some sugars out of the deal.)

Thanks!

--Finn

 

[Blender]

Stouts are known for using roasted barley instead of chocolate malt. I don't like black patent so I wouldn't even consider using myself. I used pound of roasted barley and 1.5 of flaked barley in the dry stout that I am consuming at this time.

 

[Finn]

Cool. The recipe already calls for a half pound of roasted barley. So, like, should I figure half a pound of roasted barley + light extract = dark extract? And just skip the chocolate?

Thanks!

--Finn

 

[Blender]

You will get plenty of color from the barley so there will be no need for chocolate for color. You could add some if you like it for taste but I would use some flaked barley as well if you can find it. Most of the recipes I see use both types of barley and generally a pound of roasted barley for a 5 gallon batch.Try it without the chocolate and then make another with the chocolate and see what you prefer. I would bet that you won't get much fermentables from these grains though so take that into consideration.

 

[Bigfoot]

I always use equal parts of chocolate and roasted barley, but the barley is a must. The color should be fine just using the roasted barley. If you like the dry Irish stouts you might want to add a 1/4 lb. of crystal rye. Good luck.

 

[TexLaw]

I agree that you want that roasted barley in there, especially if you are doing a dry stout. I also like chocolate malt in my stouts, as it rounds them out nicely, but it's not quite.

I also agree to skip the black patent. That is the most overused and least understood grain you can find. It was originally developed as a cheap way to add dark color to beer. That way, brewers could brew the popular porters with the less expensive and less smoky pale malt, rather than the more costly and smoky brown malt. While the smoky character became less popular, folks believed dark color meant stronger beer. I think the stuff tastes and smells nasty, and you won't find it any beer I make.


TL

 

[TheJadedDog]

Not to pimp my own recipe, but take a look at it, it's pretty much what you are describing wanting to do.

 

[Finn]

Not to pimp my own recipe, but take a look at it, it's pretty much what you are describing wanting to do.

Oh, yeah, I saw that one! The reason I didn't use your recipe is that I was after more of a Murphy's than a Guinness. But throw in some crystal 120 and give the grainbag 60 minutes at 160 degrees and I bet it would be a bit sweeter ... maybe I'll do that instead.

The recipe I found came highly recommended as the closest thing to Murphy's, so I thought I'd give it a shot. I'll be refining it as I go into a sort of house beer -- this, along with the English bitter, is one of the styles of beer I just want to have on hand at all times -- so I'm building a custom recipe here ... which I'll then have to figure out how to duplicate in an all-grain system when I take that step.

Thanks again!

--Finn