Sweet Stout Silver Medal 2012 Chicago Cup - Singing Boys Cream Stout

[Pappers_]

Recipe Type

All Grain

Yeast

Danstar Windsor

Yeast Starter

no

Additional Yeast or Yeast Starter

no

Batch Size (Gallons)

5

Original Gravity

1.050

Final Gravity

1.020

Boiling Time (Minutes)

60

IBU

34

Color

dark, black

Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)

14 days, 68 degrees

Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)

14 days, 68 degrees

Tasting Notes

Very dark, sweet, full-bodied, roasty - resembles a sweetened espresso

A different twist on the cream stout, using Munich malt as the base malt. This is a rich, full-bodied, malty, roasty and slightly sweet stout. This stout is well-balanced - nothing dominates or is too much. This is my favorite of all the stouts I've brewed, really great for a cold Chicago evening.

Ingredients
7.00 lb Munich Malt
2.00 lb Wheat Malt
1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L
0.75 lb Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM)
0.50 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM)
0.75 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] (60 min)
1.00 lb Milk Sugar (Lactose)
1 Pkgs Windsor (Danstar) Yeast-Ale

Other Info
Original Gravity: 1.050 SG
Final Gravity: 1.020
Alcohol by Vol: 3.9%
Bitterness: 34.4 IBU
Calories: 227 calories/pint
Color: 36.7 SRM
Mashed at 154 degrees, single infusion, batch sparge
Used organic malts and hops


Edit: the volume should have been 6 gallons, not 5, but in any case, adjust the grain bill to fit your process and volumes so that it hits around 1.050 OG.

 

[JonK331]

That recipe sounds awesome. I would like to brew something like that but would like it to come out a little dryer but still use the lactose. Would a highly attenuative yeast such as the Safales do the trick? Do you have any idea what the differences in gravities might be if the lactose were not included? Just wondering if it is possible to make a dryer stout and still use the lactose. Would a 150 degree mash do it?

 

[Pappers_]

That recipe sounds awesome. I would like to brew something like that but would like it to come out a little dryer but still use the lactose. Would a highly attenuative yeast such as the Safales do the trick? Do you have any idea what the differences in gravities might be if the lactose were not included? Just wondering if it is possible to make a dryer stout and still use the lactose. Would a 150 degree mash do it?

I think you could do a lower mash or add less lactose. If you make it less sweet, I would consider backing off of the IBUs and the roastiness a little, also.

A different yeast is also a possibility - but I would think you would want to stay in the same general English ale family. The strain of yeast won't affect the lactose - lactose is a non-fermentable sugar.

 

[Pappers_]

Someone asked for an extract version:

5.25 lb light dry malt extract
1.00 lb Milk Sugar (Lactose)

Steeping Grains
1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L
0.75 lb Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM)
0.50 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM)

Hops
0.75 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] (60 min)

Yeast
1 Pkgs Windsor (Danstar) Yeast-Ale

 

[Pappers_]

Had a glass tonight and thought I'd add a photo here

 

[JediJoel]

A bit of a thread resurrection here...

How does the Munich fair in this brew? Doesn't make it too sweet does it? I love Munich and think it would be a great base grain but am wondering with the crystal and the lactose if things were too sweet. I'm constructing a sweet stout recipe with a lot on Munich.

 

[Pappers_]

It is a sweet stout, but I wouldn't describe the flavor attributed to the Munich as sweet. I think I would describe it as malty. Balance is the key in cream or sweet stouts, I think, between sweet, malt, bitter, and roasty. The final gravity of this batch is 1.020, so it's sweet.

 

[JediJoel]

Thanks for the quick response. As you can tell I'm still developing a taste for different malts and their interaction with each other. I've also just begun constructing my own recipes. I really appreciate all the recipes you've contributed. I brewed your 95th Anniversary Ale shortly after you did and loved it!

 

[deanfootlong]

i think im going to brew this recipe this sat. anybody who has brewed this have any input on what they would change for next time?

 

[Pappers_]

I've brewed this a number of times, and have a batch ready to bottle. This batch, I used the White Labs Edinburgh yeast instead of the Windsor and used Pacific Gem instead of Simcoe hops.

 

[Cjtabares]

I am thinking about brewing this, would it be a good all grain for my first all grain brew?

 

[Pappers_]

I am thinking about brewing this, would it be a good all grain for my first all grain brew?

Sure! Stouts, especially sweet stouts, or porters are 'forgiving' beers, in that they are so flavorful that they cover up potential flaws. Its not a huge beer (in terms of grain bill, OG and abv) so its done relatively quickly.

You can use any number of yeasts with it, too. My latest batch of it used my 'house' strain - the yeast I tend to harvest and wash, which is WL's Edinburgh strain. But you could use Windsor from Danstar or Fermentis' US-04 if you'd rather use dry (which is easier to use and doesn't require a starter).

 

[TimeBaby]

Brewed this a little over a month ago, and it was (and still is) excellent. Very popular among my friends and those that had it. My mash techniques weren't perfect, so I ended up with a 3.7% ABV product (don't have my OG/FG notes on me).

I decided to skip the 2ndary and just bottled after letting it sit in primary for 2 weeks, and I couldn't keep my hands off trying one after only 10 days in the bottle, and it tasted marvelous. I think the only difference would be the amount of yeast sediment, but I don't really mind. I might try using Safale-04 or some liquid English strain next time just to see if it sediments better than the Windsor. I can't find anything wrong with this recipe in the slightest and I will definitely keep this one in my arsenal. Great recipe!

 

[Pappers_]

Thanks, Time, I'm glad you liked it. Its the only stout I've been making recently. I've not tried 04 in it, but I think that would work fine. I've lately been using mostly WLP028 Edinburgh, which I use in many of my beers (I harvest and wash it).

 

[Pappers_]

Should have added earlier that a batch of this won a silver medal in the small stout category at the 2012 Chicago Cup competition.

 

[troglodytes]

This is my next brew. My wife loves sweet and milk stouts and I wanted something that didn't need to age. Plus I already had half the ingredients left over from other previous batches. Can't wait to see how this turns out.

One question though, is the 1.050 OG pre or post boil? With this grain bill I'm getting an OG calc of 1.062 post boil and I've locked in my brewhouse efficiency at at 67.5% which is low compared to yours in the OP.

 

[Pappers_]

This is my next brew. My wife loves sweet and milk stouts and I wanted something that didn't need to age. Plus I already had half the ingredients left over from other previous batches. Can't wait to see how this turns out.

One question though, is the 1.050 OG pre or post boil? With this grain bill I'm getting an OG calc of 1.062 post boil and I've locked in my brewhouse efficiency at at 67.5% which is low compared to yours in the OP.

Its post boil OG. I see that I entered it as a 5 gallon recipe, when I usually make 5.5 or 6 gallons, so that probably accounts for the difference. In any case, using your system and processes, I would suggest adjusting the recipe so that you end up at around 1.050 OG.

 

[treacheroustexan]

Was looking for a good sweet stout recipe. Ended up here.

Mashing in now! Roasted barley smells incredible.

 

[treacheroustexan]

Bringing to a boil! Split the batch in half (3 gallon). EDIT: chilling now. Hit 1.050 exactly!

View attachment 1470573203939.jpg

 

[TheSmithsEra]

Had a glass tonight and thought I'd add a photo here

That picture is 100% Homebrew pron! I'm brewing this next. Any updates or tips??

 

[Pappers_]

That picture is 100% Homebrew pron! I'm brewing this next. Any updates or tips??

I've brewed it with all Munich as the base malt, a mix of Pale and Munich, and all Pale. All are good, but I think I like the Munich best.

 

[treacheroustexan]

Any shame in kegging this after a week and half if fermentation is done and let condition in the keg for another week or two? I only did a 2.5 gallon batch and am super impatient.

 

[TheSmithsEra]

I want to stay true to your recipe, and since i'm slowly getting back into all grain, i'm going to use this. I know it's not exactly your recipe, but I don't want to exclude the Munich and use just a light dme.

What do you think?

6# 50% German pilsner, 50% Munich LME
1# Lactose
1# Crystal 60
.75# Roasted barely
.5 American chocolate
Bittering hop for 34 IBUs
WLP 013

 

[Pappers_]

Recipes are made to be adjusted and every recipe is based on another. Its why they give awards to beers at competitions, not recipes. Go for it!

I've made cream stouts with a variety of base malts. Never with Pilsner, though. If you're trying to use up some Pilsner, great. If you're buying the Pilsner specifically for this beer, I'd consider two-row, pale malt or even a golden promise or maris otter. One the other hand, experimenting is great. Let us know how it turns out!

 

[TheSmithsEra]

Well this turned out pretty good. Having it for breakfast right now : )

 

[Pappers_]

Nice looking beer! Breakfast *is* the most important meal . . .

 

[BeernuT100]

This did take 1st place the last comp i entered. Great recipe.

update:
I did use wlp028.

 

[BeernuT100]

Thinking of dropping this on a wlp029 cake.

 

[Saunassa]

Just finished the boil on this and chilling it down. Think I hit all the numbers. Am I correct that the 1.050 SG is with the lactose in? I am at 1.055 so think I did ok.

The is meant to be smooth and sweet with some bitterness but not lots of chocolate flavor from what I can tell. I am going to use Safale S-04 to ferment and planning on 66f temp.

 

[Saunassa]

Packaged 50 bottles today. 34 days in the fermenter when I was hoping to bottle at 20 days. Gotta say it is pretty smooth and tasty. Will know in a few weeks when it carbs.

 

[Saunassa]

5 days bottled, plus 24 hours refrigerated. Wow is this good, if it remains or gets even better this may be my house stout. Thank you for the recipe.