S'More Beer?

[rwing7486]

Thanks for your response Rob.

And whoops . . . I already brewed it yesterday. Oh well. But based upon your advice at least I know from now on how to properly use this ratio in the future.

But hopefully all is not lost. I came up with about 5 different combinations by changing the quantity of malts and the quantity of bittering hop additions and the bitter hop times in order to get the ratio between .5 and .6 as you suggested while still keeping the total IBUs at 43.

The whole challenge of brewing this S'More Stout is all about the taste. So in order to get the IBU/SG ratio and the total IBUs where you wanted them, I decided to chose the least invasive combination that didn't require changing the hops or the specialty grains. In order to get your suggested numbers I simply raised the quantity of base malt and left everything else intact. It did result in a 1% bump in the ABV.

I'm hoping that the slightly higher ABV is inconsequential as long as I achieved the "perceived bitterness" that you suggested.

Thx again for your "best practice" of using the IBU/SG ratio in BeerSmith, and I will be sure to follow your method during future brew days.

Here are a couple of pics taken while sparging. This wort was like "graham cracker black gold" . . . . .

Awesome setup! Let me know how it turns out! I love the graham cracker smell when brewing this beer. Just curious what was your SG? And what was the final recipe you went with?

 

[BlackDog-Brewery]

Just curious what was your SG? And what was the final recipe you went with?

I tried to preserve and leave your recipe intact as much as possible. I mean that's the whole point of this thread is to come up with the perfect recipe for a S'More Stout. The only changes were:

- I could not get the WLP-007 so I went with it's dry yeast equivalent, SafAle English Ale Yeast, S-04

- In order to achieve your recommended perceived bitterness ratio of 0.5 to 0.6 while still having an estimated IBU of 43.9 I had to bump up the base malt quantity by 2 pounds. All of the other specialty grains and ingredients remained the same.

- I know what my boil off rate is for 60 minute boils. So I didn't want to take a chance with a 90 minute boil until I can experiment with a 90 minute boil sometime in the future and gather data for BeerSmith

BTW . . .

After reading your comment about how the graham crackers contributed to a higher than expected OG, I did a little research to try and find out what the potential SG of graham crackers might be. I found a recommendation of 1.006. After seeing that my actual OG came in higher than estimated, I'm not sure if that was due to the graham crackers or the fact that I am still working on getting my estimated brew house efficiency numbers in BeerSmith to be more accurate (I only recently starting using this software). A contribution value of 1.006 SG still might be a little low, but it's a start.

The brew was just transferred to the secondary after 8 days and had less than 5 bubbles / minute in the airlock. I will post a follow up after I achieve FG and do a taste test to see if it needs more of something to be added prior to bottling.

S'More Stout Recipe

Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Total Grain Weight: 17 lbs
Est Original Gravity: 1.069 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.023 SG
Est Color: 50.4 SRM
Est ABV: 6.1 %
Est Bitterness: 43.0 IBUs
Desired IBU/SG ratio: 0.5 to 0.6
Boil Time: 60 min
Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage
Measured Original Gravity: 1.074 SG
Measured IBU/SG ratio: 0.6

Ingredients

1 lbs Rice Hulls (0.0 SRM)
8 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM)
1 lbs 12.0 oz Graham Crackers (70.0 SRM) (estimated SG potential is 1.006)
12.0 oz Barley, Flaked (1.4 SRM)
12.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM)
12.0 oz Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM)
12.0 oz Victory Malt (25.0 SRM)
8.0 oz Mesquite Smoked Malt (5.0 SRM)
8.0 oz Midnight Wheat Malt (550.0 SRM)
8.0 oz Roasted Black Barley (515.0 SRM)
4.0 oz Honey Malt (17.5 SRM)
2.00 oz East Kent Goldings [5.60 %] - Boil 60.0 min, 31 IBUs
1.00 oz East Kent Goldings [5.60 %] - Boil 30.0 min, 13 IBUs
1 lbs Milk Sugar (Lactose) [Boil for 15 min](0.0 SRM)
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 10.0 mins)
6.00 oz Cocoa Powder (unsweetened) (Boil 10.0 mins)
1.0 pkg SafAle English Ale (DCL/Fermentis #S-04)
2.00 Items Vodka, Marshmallow, 50ml Airplane Size (Secondary 2+ weeks)
2.00 Items Vanilla Bean (pre-sanitized in vodka) (Secondary 2+ weeks)

Mash Profile

Mash at 151.0 F for 90 min
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F

Carbonation

Volumes of CO2: 2.3
Carbonation Used: Bottle 5.0 gal with 3.93 oz Corn Sugar
Age for: 30.00 days
Storage Temperature: 65.0 F

Notes

Make a slit down the center of the vanilla beans and scrape out the filling. Soak / sanitize the filling and the outer shells in marshmallow flavored vodka for 1 week before adding to secondary.

 

[rwing7486]

I tried to preserve and leave your recipe intact as much as possible. I mean that's the whole point of this thread is to come up with the perfect recipe for a S'More Stout. The only changes were:

- I could not get the WLP-007 so I went with it's dry yeast equivalent, SafAle English Ale Yeast, S-04

- In order to achieve your recommended perceived bitterness ratio of 0.5 to 0.6 while still having an estimated IBU of 43.9 I had to bump up the base malt quantity by 2 pounds. All of the other specialty grains and ingredients remained the same.

- I know what my boil off rate is for 60 minute boils. So I didn't want to take a chance with a 90 minute boil until I can experiment with a 90 minute boil sometime in the future and gather data for BeerSmith

BTW . . .

After reading your comment about how the graham crackers contributed to a higher than expected OG, I did a little research to try and find out what the potential SG of graham crackers might be. I found a recommendation of 1.006. After seeing that my actual OG came in higher than estimated, I'm not sure if that was due to the graham crackers or the fact that I am still working on getting my estimated brew house efficiency numbers in BeerSmith to be more accurate (I only recently starting using this software). A contribution value of 1.006 SG still might be a little low, but it's a start.

The brew was just transferred to the secondary after 8 days and had less than 5 bubbles / minute in the airlock. I will post a follow up after I achieve FG and do a taste test to see if it needs more of something to be added prior to bottling.

S'More Stout Recipe

Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Total Grain Weight: 17 lbs
Est Original Gravity: 1.069 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.023 SG
Est Color: 50.4 SRM
Est ABV: 6.1 %
Est Bitterness: 43.0 IBUs
Desired IBU/SG ratio: 0.5 to 0.6
Boil Time: 60 min
Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage
Measured Original Gravity: 1.074 SG
Measured IBU/SG ratio: 0.6

Ingredients

1 lbs Rice Hulls (0.0 SRM)
8 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM)
1 lbs 12.0 oz Graham Crackers (70.0 SRM) (estimated SG potential is 1.006)
12.0 oz Barley, Flaked (1.4 SRM)
12.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM)
12.0 oz Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM)
12.0 oz Victory Malt (25.0 SRM)
8.0 oz Mesquite Smoked Malt (5.0 SRM)
8.0 oz Midnight Wheat Malt (550.0 SRM)
8.0 oz Roasted Black Barley (515.0 SRM)
4.0 oz Honey Malt (17.5 SRM)
2.00 oz East Kent Goldings [5.60 %] - Boil 60.0 min, 31 IBUs
1.00 oz East Kent Goldings [5.60 %] - Boil 30.0 min, 13 IBUs
1 lbs Milk Sugar (Lactose) [Boil for 15 min](0.0 SRM)
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 10.0 mins)
6.00 oz Cocoa Powder (unsweetened) (Boil 10.0 mins)
1.0 pkg SafAle English Ale (DCL/Fermentis #S-04)
2.00 Items Vodka, Marshmallow, 50ml Airplane Size (Secondary 2+ weeks)
2.00 Items Vanilla Bean (pre-sanitized in vodka) (Secondary 2+ weeks)

Mash Profile

Mash at 151.0 F for 90 min
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F

Carbonation

Volumes of CO2: 2.3
Carbonation Used: Bottle 5.0 gal with 3.93 oz Corn Sugar
Age for: 30.00 days
Storage Temperature: 65.0 F

Notes

Make a slit down the center of the vanilla beans and scrape out the filling. Soak / sanitize the filling and the outer shells in marshmallow flavored vodka for 1 week before adding to secondary.

Did you take a gravity reading before transferring to the secondary? I never trust an airlock. S-04 is a good yeast and ferments quick so 8 days should be plenty for it to ferment and clean up any lingering daicetyl.

I plan to brew this beer the weekend of the 29th. Only changes I am making is getting rid of the victory and just adding those 12oz back into the MO.

Your gravity looks to be very close to what I got when i brewed this beer last. let me know how it turns out!

 

[BlackDog-Brewery]

Did you take a gravity reading before transferring to the secondary? I never trust an airlock. S-04 is a good yeast and ferments quick so 8 days should be plenty for it to ferment and clean up any lingering daicetyl.

I plan to brew this beer the weekend of the 29th. Only changes I am making is getting rid of the victory and just adding those 12oz back into the MO.

Your gravity looks to be very close to what I got when i brewed this beer last. let me know how it turns out!

Hi rwing7486.

Yes, I did take a gravity reading after transferring to the secondary and before pitching the vanilla beans and vodka.

Here are my notes . . .

The estimated FG is 1.023 and the actual SG into the secondary was 1.024. The taste was dry enough to not consider adding champagne yeast to further attenuate and risk masking the maltyness. There was a hint of graham cracker aroma. Not as much as I expected. But the good thing is there were no other dominating aromas / flavors such as coffee or too much roasted / smoked malts. The graham crackers were definitely in the lead. Pitch the vanilla beans and marshmallow vodka and re-sample in 2 weeks.


Who ever thought that cloning this brew would be so difficult. This forum thread is 12 pages and growing. Cheers to Saranac Brewing for making it seem so simple.

 

[rwing7486]

Hi rwing7486.

Yes, I did take a gravity reading after transferring to the secondary and before pitching the vanilla beans and vodka.

Here are my notes . . .

The estimated FG is 1.023 and the actual SG into the secondary was 1.024. The taste was dry enough to not consider adding champagne yeast to further attenuate and risk masking the maltyness. There was a hint of graham cracker aroma. Not as much as I expected. But the good thing is there were no other dominating aromas / flavors such as coffee or too much roasted / smoked malts. The graham crackers were definitely in the lead. Pitch the vanilla beans and marshmallow vodka and re-sample in 2 weeks.


Who ever thought that cloning this brew would be so difficult. This forum thread is 12 pages and growing. Cheers to Saranac Brewing for making it seem so simple.

Id take a sample after 1 week with the beer in the secondary, you do not want to have the vanilla dominate the beer over the graham cracker and chocolate notes. For this beer i usually only go between 7 and 10 days with 2 beans in the secondary.

 

[EmeraldBrewing]

I tried to preserve and leave your recipe intact as much as possible. I mean that's the whole point of this thread is to come up with the perfect recipe for a S'More Stout. The only changes were:

- I could not get the WLP-007 so I went with it's dry yeast equivalent, SafAle English Ale Yeast, S-04

- In order to achieve your recommended perceived bitterness ratio of 0.5 to 0.6 while still having an estimated IBU of 43.9 I had to bump up the base malt quantity by 2 pounds. All of the other specialty grains and ingredients remained the same.

- I know what my boil off rate is for 60 minute boils. So I didn't want to take a chance with a 90 minute boil until I can experiment with a 90 minute boil sometime in the future and gather data for BeerSmith

How did this turn out? Curious about the change from 90min boil to 60min and the extra 2lbs. of MO that were added.