Stout recipes

[fvl306]

I'm getting ready to make a 5 gallon, partial mash stout. I've looked over several recipes just to get an idea what I was getting in to and have found anywhere from 2-5 ounces of hops. Of course, the kind of hops you use will make a difference, but that is a pretty big range.

I was under the impression that stouts used a lot of hops, because the hops are masked by the strong flavors of darker grains and an overall increase in the amount of grains.

Any advice?

 

[robertjm]

Partial mash is a method of brewing, not a particular style of stout. First decide WHAT type of stout you want to go for and then see what the recommendations are for IBU in that style. A milk stout will be a lot less bitter than an imperial stout would be.

Some stouts are more akin to porters in flavors, but are still called stouts (for whatever reason!).

As for hops? Stick to something English or American, which means they'll be in the 5% and above range generally.

Good luck!

Robert

 

[Yuri_Rage]

Partial mash is a method of brewing, not a particular style of stout.

Ouch! I think he probably understands at least that much. I'm guessing he's asking for help in deciding on the type of stout and recipe that would logically follow.

Most guys' first stout attempts are usually something akin to "I want to make my own Guinness." If that's the style you're after, try a dry Irish stout. OG should be in the 1.050 range, color as dark as you please, and bitterness around 40-50 IBUs. You should obviously go heavy on the roasted/darker grains (chocolate, roasted barley, and black malts are all appropriate). Hops varieties might include Goldings/Fuggles/Williamette and perhaps some Chinook/Challenger/Northern Brewer. You're probably not going to clone Guinness on your first (or even 10th) attempt, but you'll likely get a tasty dry stout you can be proud of.

BrewSmith, ProMash, and Beer Tools are all great software to use in formulating your own recipe. Experiment away, come up with something original, brew it, taste it, tweak it, and repeat as necessary to get exactly what you're looking for.

Good luck, and happy brewing!

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

I'm planning to brew a stout tomorrow that is as simple as I could make it and will apparently be good unless Chairman Cheyco and glibbidy are completely off base (they're not). I know you didn't ask for help on the grist, but in terms of specialty malts I am using 10% roast barley and nothing more.

As to the hops, Ray Daniels in Designing Great Beers suggests a BU:GU of 1.0 for a dry/foreign/imperial stout and 0.5 for a sweet using a single addition of hops at the 60 minute mark. You're not looking for hop flavor/aroma here. I'm shooting for ~0.9.

So basically, if my OG is 1.050 I'll go for ~45 IBU. You're absolutely correct that the extreme roastiness of most stouts will tend to obscure the hop flavor, hence what looks like a relatively high IBU for a beer of this gravity.

 

[uglygoat]

i've found that a little bit of dark/roasted malts go a long way in a stout. in my earlier attempts, i was using too much roast malt, resulting in a harsh, almost acrid taste. now for a five gallon recipe, i've found that i need only a pound to a pound and a half to hit the roast flavor and color i'm looking for.

hops i only add as kettle/bittering hops.