stout

[theaug]

So.....first time brewing ..... I have been drinking sierra Nevada stout and bully porter etc.....I like these. Is my BB Oatmeal stout going to taste as good as these store - boughts?

 

[deepcdan99]

With any luck it should taste better, don't expect the same, I try to make clones but they usually end up close but a little different. But always good beer!!! Good luck!

 

[BrewerinBR]

Most likely better as they are fresher and most important Made By You!

 

[theaug]

Yes....that will be awesome.....

 

[Jayhem]

The big thing with stouts and other heavy beers is they need a lot of aging to reach best taste.

I brewed a Brewers Best Milk Stout, it was in the fermenter for 21 days and has now been in the bottles for almost 8 weeks and is just now mellowing into something magical! After 3 weeks in the bottles I was discouraged as it had a bitter aftertaste that made me want to toss the last few swigs! Give it time to age at room temperature, at least a month with a stout! Then another week or 2 in the fridge will make it smooth!

 

[theaug]

So....the Oatmeal Stout has been in the fermentor 3 weeks....got a SG reading yesterday. Instead of pouring it back in, I drank it! Just to get an idea of what I'm dealing with. YUM!!! Wasn't bad at all ! Flat....but GOOD. Cant wait to bottle and (after waiting 3 more weeks) DRINK !!!!

 

[Jayhem]

Better start your next batch NOW or you will be waiting another 2 months once the stouts are gone!

 

[theaug]

lol

 

[theaug]

Tomorrow is bottling day!!! Wish me luck !

 

[theaug]

The stout is in the bottle.....I got 1 bottle shy of 2 cases.....is that about right?

 

[ChessRockwell]

Yep that's about right on, now the wait begins!

 

[Rudeboy]

So....the Oatmeal Stout has been in the fermentor 3 weeks....got a SG reading yesterday. Instead of pouring it back in, I drank it! Just to get an idea of what I'm dealing with. YUM!!! Wasn't bad at all ! Flat....but GOOD. Cant wait to bottle and (after waiting 3 more weeks) DRINK !!!!

Seriously you should drink it. You pull it out with a wine thief, put it in a test tube, put a hydrometer in it, taste it with your mouth. All vectors for infection. Hydro samples should never be poured back in.

Besides infection I all ways drink my hydro samples (well honestly maybe not all of the OG sample but some of it). This gives you a a sensory memory bank of the process. "My wort tasted like this now my finished beer tastes like that, emm."

Beer can't talk the only way it can communicate to us is through sensory process. I'm a big believer in "look, smell, taste" all the way through.

Rudeboy

 

[Draygon]

In regards to your bottle count, IMO its a bit shy of what it should be, which means you probably didnt top it off as much as you could have. I routinely get 2 cases and then some, most of the time I get 2.5 cases in a 5 gal batch.

 

[iv_hokie12]

You get 2.5 cases? I think the most I've ever gotten was 52. I'm generally 48-52 anyway.


I might get chewed out for this, but I just put a sanitized hydrometer directly in the beer. Its more beer for me later, and glass is at least as easy as the thief to get sanitary.

 

[Jayhem]

You get 2.5 cases? I think the most I've ever gotten was 52. I'm generally 48-52 anyway.


I might get chewed out for this, but I just put a sanitized hydrometer directly in the beer. Its more beer for me later, and glass is at least as easy as the thief to get sanitary.

2.5 cases is 60 bottles. 5 gallons is 640 oz. So if you filled 12 oz bottles to 1" below the top you should fill 53 bottles assume you have zero trub loss (which is not possible) so realistically you should fill about 50 bottles per 5 gallon. Now if you are using 11.2oz Belgian bottles and filling them less it might be possible to hit 60 bottles.

The only reason I don't put the hydrometer in the fermenter is because it's near impossible to read accurately through the side of the carboy or from the top of the bucket.

 

[FreshZ]

My next batch is going to be a stout and I have a general stout question.

Why does commercial stout need those widgets in the can for carbonation? Why would I not need the same thing?

 

[malevolent]

You're talking about Guinness which is an Irish Stout. Those "widgets" are filled with nitrogen and help to promote the creamy head on guinness.

 

[theaug]

I like stouts....Guinness is not all that good in my opinion....these small craft brewers make way better stout than Guinness.....plus I prefer the english stout.

 

[iasteeler]

I would have to agree with theaug, I don't care for Guinness either. I have a Russian Imperial Stout that I brewed and like it, but it is a little bland. It has good flavor, just everything is blended that nothing stands out. Also have to agree about small craft brewers. We have a brew pub close by in Ames, Iowa called Olde Main that has an stout. It's one of the best beers I've had. It's an ale stout called the Sodbuster. I'm going to have to plan a roadtrip now that you've got me thinking about it. SWIMBO need a night out anyways for putting up with me and my hobbies.

 

[theaug]

Well....I popped one open today....after about one week and WOW it was good!!! I couldn't believe it!!! Actually tasted smooth and delicious!

 

[theaug]

Now that the stout is in the bottle.....I went ahead and brewed up a Witbier. Cant wait to try em all !!!!!

 

[tellish33]

Stouts are AWESOME! My second brew was an American Imperial Stout by South Hills Brewing Company and my third brew that is currently fermenting is my take on Founders Breakfast Stout.

Youngs Double Chocolate in the can also has a nitro ball in it.