[Poobah58]

As the title says, I'm looking for some feedback. A buddy wants an Oatmeal Stout and I wanted to do a Milk Stout so we decided to do  a little of both. I could use some help on a water profile as well:

Batch Size: 20.00 gal
Boil Size: 23.00 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
Efficiency: 75.00 %
Est Original Gravity: 1.054 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.015 SG
Bitterness: 25.0 IBUs
Est Color: 43.8 SRM

20 lbs Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) 50.0 %
4 lbs Barley, Flaked (1.7 SRM) 10.0 %
4 lbs Caramel Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) 10.0 %
4 lbs Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) 10.0 %
2 lbs Chocolate Malt (400.0 SRM) 5.0 %
2 lbs Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM) 5.0 %
1 lbs Carafa Special III (470.0 SRM) 2.5 %
1 lbs Roasted (Black) Barley (500.0 SRM) 2.5 %
2 lbs Milk Sugar (Lactose) (0.0 SRM) 5.0 %
1.00 oz Warrior [16.70 %] - Boil 60.0 min 20.6 IBUs
4.00 oz Goldings, East Kent-2012 [5.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min 4.5 IBUs
4.0 pkg English Ale (White Labs #WLP002)

[jamminbrew]

As the title says, I'm looking for some feedback. A buddy wants an Oatmeal Stout and I wanted to do a Milk Stout so we decided to do  a little of both. I could use some help on a water profile as well:

Batch Size: 20.00 gal
Boil Size: 23.00 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
Efficiency: 75.00 %
Est Original Gravity: 1.054 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.015 SG
Bitterness: 25.0 IBUs
Est Color: 43.8 SRM

20 lbs Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) 50.0 %
4 lbs Barley, Flaked (1.7 SRM) 10.0 %
4 lbs Caramel Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) 10.0 %
4 lbs Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) 10.0 %
2 lbs Chocolate Malt (400.0 SRM) 5.0 %
2 lbs Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM) 5.0 %
1 lbs Carafa Special III (470.0 SRM) 2.5 %
1 lbs Roasted (Black) Barley (500.0 SRM) 2.5 %
2 lbs Milk Sugar (Lactose) (0.0 SRM) 5.0 %
1.00 oz Warrior [16.70 %] - Boil 60.0 min 20.6 IBUs
4.00 oz Goldings, East Kent-2012 [5.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min 4.5 IBUs
4.0 pkg English Ale (White Labs #WLP002)

I personally would put a little more hops in your 60 min addition, and a little less at the 10 min, and I would use a little more chocolate malt, and a little less roasted malt, and a little less caramel malt. But that's just my preference.  I think your recipe looks fairly good.

[reverseapachemaster]

Is the carafa necessary with the roasted barley, chocolate and crystal?

[Poobah58]

I'm replacing some one the RB with the carafa.

[Poobah58]

Thinking about this for a water profile:
Calcium: 50.3
Mg: 2.4
Sodium: 7.7
Sulfate: 21
Chloride: 12.8
Bicarbonate: 107.9

OK for a stout?

[erockrph]

The most important part of getting the water right for a stout or porter is getting the right mash pH. I shoot for the upper end of the range (5.5-5.6). I find if the pH is too low, then you don't get the right roast character.

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

[Poobah58]

Interesting. If I use chalk instead by calculated pH raises to 5.5 and I end up with this.
I suppose I could but some of the dark malts in at the end of the mash:

Calcium: 64.2
Mg: 2.4
Sodium: 7.7
Sulfate: 21
Chloride: 0
Bicarbonate: 172.4

[denny]

Interesting. If I use chalk instead by calculated pH raises to 5.5 and I end up with this.
I suppose I could but some of the dark malts in at the end of the mash:

Calcium: 64.2
Mg: 2.4
Sodium: 7.7
Sulfate: 21
Chloride: 0
Bicarbonate: 172.4

Chalk is a bad choice becasue of it's low (and uncertain) solubility.  Pickling lime is a much better choice.

[Poobah58]

I'm brewing tomorrow and have no pickling lime. I only need 4.2 grams of chalk (20 gal batch) to achieve the above. Should I go back to my original profile?

[jeffy]

I'm brewing tomorrow and have no pickling lime. I only need 4.2 grams of chalk (20 gal batch) to achieve the above. Should I go back to my original profile?

If you have the chalk, put it into the mash after you mash in rather than trying to get it dissolved into the liquor.  I have had good luck with this.  The experts say that it doesn't dissolve into water unless you use CO2, but I think that if you have it mixed into the mash it should be effective.  I mean, it's in there and not precipitated to the bottom isn't it?  Even if you don't get the minimal pH change, you'll still get the flavor salt addition.
I am not a scientist.  I'm just guessing.

[HoosierBrew]

I've been experimenting with using baking soda for dark beers to raise pH.  Martin posted that it's fine to use it provided you stay under ~ 50ppm sodium. I never had good luck using chalk and getting consistently good pH, and pickling lime is a PITA IMO due to how quickly pH can swing. I've had good luck with baking soda so far - Bru'nWater works great with it.

[erockrph]

I've been experimenting with using baking soda for dark beers to raise pH.  Martin posted that it's fine to use it provided you stay under ~ 50ppm sodium. I never had good luck using chalk and getting consistently good pH, and pickling lime is a PITA IMO due to how quickly pH can swing. I've had good luck with baking soda so far - Bru'nWater works great with it.

+1 - I have very low sodium in my well, so Baking Soda works well for me. I also find that a little extra sodium (20-30ppm or so) gives a little boost to malty beers that I like.