Windsor for sweet stout?

[mjardo]

Hi, I'm planning to cook a sweet stout. I've tried it using lactose, but I really didn't like the result.
I was thinking in mashing 30 minutes at 63º C (145.4 F) and another 30 minutes at 70º C (158 F). My goal is to generate non fermentable sugars. Plus I will be pitching with Windsor yeast, that I understand it "eats" less than a Nottingham.

What would you say my OG should be to achive a 6% ABV beer aprox?

 

[m00ps]

That is definitely not the route to go. It will do the opposite. The 145 mash will make highly fermentable sugars and will be most of what you get. Do a single step mash at 154 and use Windsor. I normally do stouts a bit higher but wind or is the lowest attenuating yeast I've used. I doubt it'll take it below 1.020

The og depends on what style you want. 1.050 to 1.060 seems like a good place to start for a sweet stout. 10% crystal. 10% dark grains

 

[RM-MN]

Hi, I'm planning to cook a sweet stout. I've tried it using lactose, but I really didn't like the result.
I was thinking in mashing 30 minutes at 63º C (145.4 F) and another 30 minutes at 70º C (158 F). My goal is to generate non fermentable sugars. Plus I will be pitching with Windsor yeast, that I understand it "eats" less than a Nottingham.

What would you say my OG should be to achive a 6% ABV beer aprox?

The results of this mash schedule may be exactly what you want....or maybe not. It depends so much on the crush of your grains. If your grains are coarsely crushed it might work perfect but if they are milled a bit finer, most of the conversion would be done within the 30 minutes and the wort would be very fermentable leaving you with little sweetness. It would be better to do the single infusion that m00ps suggested with possibly even higher mash temp than suggested. I might try 157 for the mash temp to get the unfermentable sugars.

 

[Queequeg]

How much lactose have you used the past? Also how much crystal? My advice with lactose is to use sparingly.

 

[daksin]

If you're going for sweet and thick without adjuncts, do a short, hot mash. You'll want to shoot for a 20-30 minute mash around 70-71C. That should be all the time you need to get full conversion, while mostly stopping the activity of beta-amylase (which gives you more fermentable sugars).

One other option would be to use some maltodextrine, however that provides more body and less sweetness when compared to lactose.

 

[mjardo]

Thanks everyone! great information.