American Stout Rhinestone Carboy

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This recipe started as a pantry sweep stout to use up the leftovers of several dark malts, but the resulting beer has a really nice, complex flavor and aroma so I think it's worth sharing.

It needs another few days in the keg before it's ready but then I'll post photos of the pour. If it ages well I'll enter it in a competition, but let's see what my brew buds think of it first.

Rhinestone Carboy Stout

Brew Method: BIAB
Style Name: American Stout
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 6 gallons (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 7.5 gallons
Boil Gravity: 1.048
Efficiency: 70% (brew house)

Hop Utilization Multiplier: 0.98

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.060
Final Gravity: 1.015
ABV (standard): 5.93%
IBU (tinseth): 45.32
SRM (morey): 36.77
Mash pH: 5.24

FERMENTABLES:
12.125 lb - Maris Otter Pale (87.2%)
8.6 oz - Roasted Barley (3.9%)
4.7 oz - Pale Chocolate (2.1%)
4.5 oz - BlackSwaen Coffee Malt (2%)
4.4 oz - Roasted Barley (2%)
4 oz - CaraMunich I (1.8%)
2.4 oz - Carafa III (1.1%)

HOPS:
19 g - Magnum, Type: Pellet, AA: 14.7, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 31.03
28.3 g - East Kent Goldings, Type: Pellet, AA: 6, Use: Boil for 20 min, IBU: 11.42
21.6 g - East Kent Goldings, Type: Pellet, AA: 6, Use: Boil for 5 min, IBU: 2.87

MASH GUIDELINES:
1) Temperature, Temp: 154 F, Time: 60 min, Amount: 8.75 gal, Sacc rest

OTHER INGREDIENTS:
5 g - Calcium Chloride (dihydrate), Time: 60 min, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
1.8 g - Epsom Salt, Time: 60 min, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
3 g - Gypsum, Time: 60 min, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
4 g - Baking Soda, Time: 60 min, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
6 ml - Lactic acid, Time: 0 min, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash

YEAST:
Fermentis / Safale - English Ale Yeast S-04
Starter: No
Form: Dry
Attenuation (avg): 75%
Flocculation: High
Optimum Temp: 54 - 77 F
Pitch Rate: 0.35 (M cells / ml / deg P)

PRIMING:
CO2 Level: 2.75 Volumes

TARGET WATER PROFILE:
Profile Name: London (Porter, dark ales)
Ca2: 100
Mg2: 5
Na: 35
Cl: 60
SO4: 50
HCO3: 265
Water Notes:


Generated by Brewer's Friend - Brewer's Friend | Homebrew Beer Recipes, Calculators & Forum
 
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since it's a beverage, I can make this Die Hard reference, "I was always partial to Roy Rogers, myself."
Jk, recipe looks awesome! First time I've seen coffee malt!
 
Alright here is some sweet sweet pourn for all you fans out there!

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20210322_184517.jpg


Hands down this is one of the best beers I've ever brewed. I dropped a growler by my LHBS and they loved it, couldn't believe it was 6%, and they thought it drank almost more like a dry Irish stout than an American stout.
 
Nice glassware!
Enjoy the fruits of your hard work!
I'm sure that keg will kick fast!
Hey thanks! It's a Duvel glass (my favorite), the big red D is on the back side for the photo. The keg is already getting light, it's just such a nice sipper I can't keep my hands off that tap. I'm going to brew this again real soon, easy to make and deeply satisfying to drink.
 
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I wanted to add that, after brewing ~50 batches, this beer is the reason I started brewing in the first place. I can't buy anything this good and I can't stop sipping on it.

Just today, just now, I've arrived at self actualization. It's as if id, ego, and super-ego walked into a bar...


Seriously though, I'm bottling a few to toss into competition. Couldn't hurt.
 
The keg of this beer is getting pretty light, I've left it alone for a couple of months but now it's time to finish it up and brew another batch.

I'm not planning any tweaks at all for a repeat batch, to replicate the 'pantry sweep' grain bill I'm going to order all the grain by the ounce on one of the sites that allow that, assembling a recipe kit, heck maybe I'll order two.

I'll post another pic of it along with notes on how it's matured.
 
I'm getting ready to brew this recipe again. This time to simplify the 'pantry sweep' original recipe, I rounded everything to the ounce and substituted where necessary, ordering the grain bill as a 'kit' from RiteBrew.com. Total cost for the grain was just about $19 even.

Should I use S-04 again or is there a more characterful English yeast I could try? Don't want to change it up too much just looking to test out some variables.

https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/1181820/rhinestone-carboy-2
 
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I've always been partial to Denny's Favorite. Not an English yeast, mind you, but you do have this categorized as an "American stout."

Counterpoint: If you like your original recipe, why mess with it? S-04 makes good stouts.

In any case, you'll be riding out on a horse in a star-spangled rodeo.
 
Finally got around to brewing this batch, just about to mash out now. This time it will ferment a bit warmer than the last batch in January; this time of year the laundry room hovers around 68f. I'll chill it down to 65 and pitch in hopes that it will slow down the kickoff, if I get off flavors from the S-04 at this temp I may try a kveik strain next time.
 
How'd the 2nd brew go @Jayjay1976? I'm designing an American Stout I'm planning to brew in a week or so hopefully. Found a whisky barrel aged chocolate malt I'm going to give a go in the recipe and finally try out Imperial A10 darkness.
 
It turned out really good, maybe a bit drier than the last batch so I think next time I'll up the Caramunich to half a pound, or maybe add some 20~30L crystal.

As for the dark malts I am enjoying this combination but whiskey barrel-aged chocolate malt sounds amazing, who makes it? I did pick up some bourbon barrel chips to age my next batch on, this could be a killer twist on Rhinestone Carboy.

I'm also ready to branch out from S-04 so let me know how the Imperial A10 works out for you!
 
@Jayjay1976 It's made by Sugar Creek. You can find it at Great Fermentations, not sure if its available elsewhere. I'll shoot you message once I've had a chance to brew/taste it. I've had good results from other Imperial yeasts so hopefully this one is more of the same. What made you go with an English yeast on an American Stout?
 
Gotcha, just curious. I was thinking about using lutra in the one I'm designing for the quick turnaround but I've been eyeing Darkness for long enough now.
 
Turns out mine won't be a traditional American stout either. Apparently A10 is an Irish ale strain.
 
Session stout brewday is in the books, didn't get much aroma from the barrel aged chocolate malt during the mash or boil but I swear I could smell a rum/whiskey aroma as I was oxygenating the wort. Also got bit better efficiency than planned. Measured a 1.060 O.G. vs planned 1.057. Could be the boil off, it looks like I was a bit low but hard to tell see my fermentor markings with the darker color.
 
Alright here is some sweet sweet pourn for all you fans out there!

View attachment 723137

View attachment 723138

Hands down this is one of the best beers I've ever brewed. I dropped a growler by my LHBS and they loved it, couldn't believe it was 6%, and they thought it drank almost more like a dry Irish stout than an American stout.
Good name and good looking recipe. Not sure how it categorises as American Stout? Maris Otter, EKG and S-04. Not that I am category fixated! I just crossed the virtual pond to look at an American stout recipe and I don't think I found one.... ;)
 
Good name and good looking recipe. Not sure how it categorises as American Stout? Maris Otter, EKG and S-04. Not that I am category fixated! I just crossed the virtual pond to look at an American stout recipe and I don't think I found one.... ;)
Well it is brewed in America by an American, and although the ingredients come from several different countries, America is a melting pot, so in that spirit I consider it to be an American stout. Whether or not the BJCP would agree is really none of my concern.

I do understand your interest in brewing a 100% domestic American stout. I think you could follow the basic recipe substituting the German, English, and Belgian malts and hops with suitable American counterparts. Choose which region of the US you want it to be representative of and go from there. I was recently gifted a few pounds of Admiral Malting's Kilnsmith crystal malt and will use some of that to brew a special edition higher gravity Rhinestone Carboy that I will age on oak. I also plan on brewing a sour version with Lacto at some point.
 
Well it is brewed in America by an American, and although the ingredients come from several different countries, America is a melting pot, so in that spirit I consider it to be an American stout. Whether or not the BJCP would agree is really none of my concern.

I do understand your interest in brewing a 100% domestic American stout. I think you could follow the basic recipe substituting the German, English, and Belgian malts and hops with suitable American counterparts. Choose which region of the US you want it to be representative of and go from there. I was recently gifted a few pounds of Admiral Malting's Kilnsmith crystal malt and will use some of that to brew a special edition higher gravity Rhinestone Carboy that I will age on oak. I also plan on brewing a sour version with Lacto at some point.
That's a very good point about it being made in America by an American 👍

I might do as you suggest, and also use Cascade, Centennial or Willamette or something. And US05 or Bry-97.

Thank you!
 
That's a very good point about it being made in America by an American 👍

I might do as you suggest, and also use Cascade, Centennial or Willamette or something. And US05 or Bry-97.

Thank you!
Make it yours! That's the best thing about being a homebrewer, total freedom to brew whatever beer you want to drink.
 
I'm brewing this again on Saturday, this time using Weyermann boho pils for the base malt, a pound of Admiral Maltings Kilnsmith courtesy of @markcurry and fermenting it with Denny's favorite.

A while back I rationalized the malt bill and ordered three "kits" of just the specialty malts, to which I will add my own base malt. Convenient way to stock up for future batches while retaining some flexibility.
 
I'm brewing this again on Saturday, this time using Weyermann boho pils for the base malt, a pound of Admiral Maltings Kilnsmith courtesy of @markcurry and fermenting it with Denny's favorite.

A while back I rationalized the malt bill and ordered three "kits" of just the specialty malts, to which I will add my own base malt. Convenient way to stock up for future batches while retaining some flexibility.
Just thought I’d report back on my thoughts on the Sugar Creek barrel aged chocolate malt in my American Stout. At 5% of the grist I didn’t get any noticeable barrel characteristics and the rum aroma I thought I picked up during fermentation isn’t present either. Probably won’t use it again. I’m going to split the 5% with 2.5% each of pale chocolate and chocolate malts next time around. Also tried Galena and Northern Brewer as a hop combo that didn’t really work for me in this style. On a positive note I do like A10 darkness and will continue to use that in stouts.
 
Just thought I’d report back on my thoughts on the Sugar Creek barrel aged chocolate malt in my American Stout. At 5% of the grist I didn’t get any noticeable barrel characteristics and the rum aroma I thought I picked up during fermentation isn’t present either. Probably won’t use it again. I’m going to split the 5% with 2.5% each of pale chocolate and chocolate malts next time around. Also tried Galena and Northern Brewer as a hop combo that didn’t really work for me in this style. On a positive note I do like A10 darkness and will continue to use that in stouts.
Thanks for commenting and glad you liked the A10. I was curious about that strain I'll try that out next time around. For this batch I chose Denny's Favorite based on what @Yooper wrote about it in another thread. I'll dig that post up and link to it.

To bring some Bourbon barrel character I'll add some soaked oak chips to primary once fermentation is complete, might also add a few to the keg.

Side note, I'll vacuum cycle the chips while they're soaking and post some photos.
 
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