Suggestion for a first stout?

[PearlJam]

I want to make a stout next and have gone through the recipes on HBT. I would like some recommendations for an easy stout with maybe a coffee after taste, slight chocolate is ok, but not preferable.

TIA

 

[BlueHouseBrewhaus]

You can start with a basic recipe and customize to your taste. Here's an "off the top of my head" possible recipe.

Maris Otter 80%
Roasted Barley 8%
C120 7%
Chocolate malt 5%

From there you could add some flaked oats for an oatmeal stout. Or some lactose for a milk stout. Or a little black patent for something roastier. Or some cold brewed coffee in the bottling bucket for a coffee stout. Or some cacao nibs in secondary for a chocolate (or mocha) stout.

Or all of the above. The recipe page is still the best way to find a tried and true recipe but if you want to create your own, decide what you want and go for it.

For what you describe, the initial recipe will give you some chocolate notes. The best way to get coffee notes is to actually add some cold brew coffee.

Another possibility is to find a commercial brew you like and search for a clone.

 

[histo320]

Go to the recipes section, that is where I have found all of my stouts. There are some great tried and true recipes.

A very basic one is my None More Black Vanilla Stout, if you just want the stout simply don't add the vanilla.

 

[CJ-3]

I have brewed the None More Black.

It's awesome

Start with that one.

 

[Leezer]

I have ordered the ingredients to make Yoopers Oatmeal Stout (on the recipe database). Chose it because my friend brewed it and it was fantastic. Has a bit of roasty coffee taste too, very smooth.

 

[BlueHouseBrewhaus]

Good choice. That brew is a classic.

 

[PearlJam]

I think I am going to try the Yoopers Oatmeal Stout and the None More Black after each other.

Thanks guys

 

[Hoofer]

Oatmeal stout is fantastic!

 

[Leezer]

I think I am going to try the Yoopers Oatmeal Stout and the None More Black after each other.

Thanks guys

A change made to oatmeal stout original recipe is to use wyeast 1450 instead. Thats how my friend made it and what I plan to do. Hope it goes well for you. For me its my second attempt at an all grain.

 

[Brew_Meister_General]

I want to make a stout next and have gone through the recipes on HBT. I would like some recommendations for an easy stout with maybe a coffee after taste, slight chocolate is ok, but not preferable.

TIA

And lactose! Mmmmm, sweet creamy head! You can use it up to 10% on top of the grain bill (ex. 5kg grain = 500g lactose max on top).

Its also unfermentable so it'll rough add a SG of 1.003 per 100g per 10 litres.

 

[Yooper]

A change made to oatmeal stout original recipe is to use wyeast 1450 instead. Thats how my friend made it and what I plan to do. Hope it goes well for you. For me its my second attempt at an all grain.

That's actually my preferred yeast strain. I was "talking" to some brewers a while back on Facebook, and that was the strain that I really pushed to a guy that was making that recipe.

It really is a weird word to use, but "luscious" comes to mind when describing the mouthfeel with that strain and that recipe. It's not heavy or thick, or sweet, but it's just so rich feeling with that yeast strain.

 

[alexacuna]

I brewed an imperial stout from the forums and added 3 cups of brewed coffee when putting it in the fermenter and it's delicious. I've had my first 22 out of the batch (going to let the rest carb for another week or two) and it's going to be a constant rotation for me.

 

[Redlantern]

I want to make a stout next and have gone through the recipes on HBT. I would like some recommendations for an easy stout with maybe a coffee after taste, slight chocolate is ok, but not preferable.

TIA

I would recommend you pick a recipe, make it, and then send some to me so I can tell you if you did it right

 

[MindenMan]

Roasty is one thing (coffee like), bitter is another. Chocolate malt doesn't actually taste like chocolate IME unless you use a lot of it and let your beer age a long time. I might also suggest if you plan on adding coffee at bottling time, unless all you want to taste is coffee, go sparingly on bottling day as the coffee flavor will intensify as time goes on. Just my 0.02

 

[Brew_Meister_General]

Another tip is use roasted barley instead of black malt as its meant to have a more pleasant and less bitter taste.

Another another tip is to steep the roast barley at room temperature over night as this supposedly extracts more the wanted flavour compounds whilst leaving behind more of the unwanted ones (so I read on AHA). And also not to exceed a total of 1.5q/lb when steeping as too much water is meant to result in tannin extraction.

 

[MindenMan]

Another tip is to add your roasted barley to your sparge (if applicable). I have used this method before and gotten the color I wanted and just a hint of roast w/o the usual bitter component.

 

[PearlJam]

Thanks guys.

I have the recipe as follows then:

Pale malt 7,0 65%
Flaked Oats 1,0 9%
Biscuit Malt 0,7 6%
Chocolate Malt 0,6 6%
Roasted Barley 0,5 5%
Caramunich Malt 0,5 5%
Flaked Barley 0,5 5%

Willamette hops 2oz

Wyeast 1450 (might be difficult to get, is there a decent alternative to the Wyeast products? I can get the typical Fermentis and White Labs fairly easy)

Does this look right?

 

[Brew_Meister_General]

Thanks guys.

I have the recipe as follows then:

Pale malt 7,0 65%
Flaked Oats 1,0 9%
Biscuit Malt 0,7 6%
Chocolate Malt 0,6 6%
Roasted Barley 0,5 5%
Caramunich Malt 0,5 5%
Flaked Barley 0,5 5%

Willamette hops 2oz

Wyeast 1450 (might be difficult to get, is there a decent alternative to the Wyeast products? I can get the typical Fermentis and White Labs fairly easy)

Does this look right?

With a 65% base the only thing you'll have to keep in mind is that it will probably take a while longer to convert all the starch.

One might argue to use either Caramunich or biscuit malt as with too many flavours they become muddled but I could be completely wrong there.

Perhaps change the balance of oat to barley from 9% and 5% to 8% and 6% as flaked oats supposedly have an adverse effect on head retention and the barley will still provide proteins for body/mouthfeel.

In truth my disposition is do what you feel like and learn from the results, theres nothing like doing something thats a bit out there and unorthodox.

 

[sky4meplease]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1451810897.264522.jpg

This seems to be shaping up to be a good beer. 5.5 gallons of American Stout brewed with Wyeast 1056.

 

[Brew_Meister_General]

View attachment 327262

This seems to be shaping up to be a good beer. 5.5 gallons of American Stout brewed with Wyeast 1056.

Wow thats a lot of malt, my initial reaction would be to exchange the black malt for more roasted barley as black malt is known to have a harsher taste, it might better to file it down to 0.5lb as well as roasted malts have such a pronounced flavour that 3.8% should be more than enough.

You should also check how hard your water as the use of a high degree of dark malt it might make your water too acidic, as in below pH 5 acidic.

Other than that I like the dark caramel and also the carapils which will be good for achieving a higher FG. Although you might want to integrate some flaked barley, say 0.5lb, as that will contribute the most to the head and body.

 

[PearlJam]

With a 65% base the only thing you'll have to keep in mind is that it will probably take a while longer to convert all the starch.

One might argue to use either Caramunich or biscuit malt as with too many flavours they become muddled but I could be completely wrong there.

Perhaps change the balance of oat to barley from 9% and 5% to 8% and 6% as flaked oats supposedly have an adverse effect on head retention and the barley will still provide proteins for body/mouthfeel.

In truth my disposition is do what you feel like and learn from the results, theres nothing like doing something thats a bit out there and unorthodox.

This is supposed to be Yooper's Oatmeal Stout with slight change due to availability and suggestions

 

[Brew_Meister_General]

This is supposed to be Yooper's Oatmeal Stout with slight change due to availability and suggestions

Ah well I take it all back then knowing me I'd be adding an extra percent to the oatmeal and flaked barley as I do love a creamy texture

 

[ajdelange]

My suggestion is that you read the label on the roast barley. I just made 50 gal of 25 SRM stout without realizing that I had grabbed 300L roast barley off the shelf instead of 700. Guess I'll use Sinamar!

One couldn't ask for a better illustration of Charlie Bamforth's "We taste with our eyes".

 

[sky4meplease]

Wow thats a lot malt

What do you mean by "lot malt"?

I would say it is complex but it doesn't come off that way and is really quite balanced.

For someone brewing a stout they should already have some control over water and ultimately PH or may be asking for trouble there.

 

[PearlJam]

The best I managed to get for yeast is Whitelabs WLP005. Whitelabs rate it highly for an oatmeal stout

Will be brewing it this weekend

 

[sky4meplease]

Sounds great. Let us know how it turns out.
Do you mind if I ask what sort of water you plan on brewing this with?

 

[PearlJam]

Sounds great. Let us know how it turns out.
Do you mind if I ask what sort of water you plan on brewing this with?

I still have a good couple of bottles of spring water that I will be using. It is on a pH of 5.1

I am really excited about this one!

 

[PearlJam]

The process went well.

I pitched the yeast without a starter....I must still do my first starter. I plan on washing and harvesting the yeast for reuse and hopefully getting it right.

After 24 hours there was zero sign of fermentation. After about 36 hours there was some movement and on 60 hours it was crazy

It has calmed down since

 

[Redlantern]

Never having run a stout before, I Ran Cow Chocula Chocolate Milk Stout from Midwest a week and a half ago. Did not want to monkey with a recipe. SWMBO wanted to get me a beer kit at Christmas, so I picked this. (What an awesome wife - wanting to get me a beer kit. She hates beer and the smell of brewing is simply abhorrent to her, but she supports me anyway)

Took an FG reading when I racked to secondary yesterday - lord that sample was already very tasty. Did not have the cocoa nibs in it yet, but for a simple grain bill, it was already very tasty. I will let the nibs steep for another two weeks and then bottle - probably let it sit for a month or so.

I ran slightly on the higher end of the recommended mash temp - came out 1.060 on OG and FG is 1.023 (which I thought was high). Still, the proof is the tasting. It seems to be a delicious kit and since it was my first, a kit was a great way to go.

 

[Brew_Meister_General]

The process went well.

I pitched the yeast without a starter....I must still do my first starter. I plan on washing and harvesting the yeast for reuse and hopefully getting it right.

After 24 hours there was zero sign of fermentation. After about 36 hours there was some movement and on 60 hours it was crazy

It has calmed down since

Yeah this is pretty normal for an underpitched (liquid) yeast as they are simply taking note of supplies and multiplying before commencing fermentation. As a result you'll finish with a lower FG with a higher number of fusels which the yeast will eventually convert to esters giving you a beer thats fruitier but less malty.

Here was one experiment I came across on Brulosophy I think:

Also in terms of airlocks the bubbler I've found is a bit better for avoiding clogging, although I usually put in a blow-off tube at first as I always get excess activity during the attenuation phase.

 

[PearlJam]

Yeah this is pretty normal for an underpitched (liquid) yeast as they are simply taking note of supplies and multiplying before commencing fermentation. As a result you'll finish with a lower FG with a higher number of fusels which the yeast will eventually convert to esters giving you a beer thats fruitier but less malty.

Here was one experiment I came across on Brulosophy I think:

Also in terms of airlocks the bubbler I've found is a bit better for avoiding clogging, although I usually put in a blow-off tube at first as I always get excess activity during the attenuation phase.

I will brew this one again and try to get it closer to what it should be. Hopefully it will still come out decent enough

 

[Brew_Meister_General]

I will brew this one again and try to get it closer to what it should be. Hopefully it will still come out decent enough

Well post the results and well have a review! Besides, if you follow a recipe you'll always get a good beer, plus theres a solution to every problem, my last beer finished a bit thinner than desired (1.012) but crazily enough you can actually buy dextrins ('Body Bru') and just add that to the fermenter, which helped me get it up to 1.016

 

[PearlJam]

I am thinking of doing the same recipe immediately after bottling. Should I first do the yeast washing and make a starter or is it ok to just rack onto the yeast cake after bottling?

I get a few different views about racking onto the same yeast cake and not sure if it only relates to when doing different beers.

 

[KeninMN]

Don't bother washing. Rack onto about 1/3 of the yeast cake and save the rest in sanitized jars for a future brew. (I would, however, suggest making a starter with the yeast you save for later.)

 

[PearlJam]

Took the gravity this morning and it is at 1.014. The sample tasted very promising even though I just brushed my teeth.

 

[Brew_Meister_General]

I am thinking of doing the same recipe immediately after bottling. Should I first do the yeast washing and make a starter or is it ok to just rack onto the yeast cake after bottling?

I get a few different views about racking onto the same yeast cake and not sure if it only relates to when doing different beers.

Washing would be ideal as then it allows you to separate the yeast from the trub although racking would be a much easier option, especially if you plan to brew again the next day.

Sending it dormant over night by storing the vessel in the fridge would also be ideal but considering its size thats probably not an option, so maybe stick in the cellar with some ice packs just to slow activity.

With harvested yeast you wouldn't need to make a starter, you'll just have to judge by its thickness how must yeast it contains which you can find out about somewhere, I don't actually know.

 

[PearlJam]

So I got everything yesterday to do a new batch. The plan is to bottle and brew on the same day (tomorrow).

I started thinking of experimenting with a couple of bottles. I want to prime 2 with brown sugar, 2 with honey and then also 2 bottles adding maltodextrin to get a feel for how it changes the end product.

The problem is that it appears I will have to boil the maltodextrin before adding it and seeing that I will only do a few bottles it becomes difficult to calculate how much goes into an individual bottle. I will try whatever I can figure out, but if there is any ideas I would appreciate it.