[yeastmaster]

I'm looking to brew a sweet/milk stout but have never done one before.  I've had pretty good success with doing a dry stout with maris otter, roasted barley, flaked barley, chocolate malt and black malt.  How should a sweet stout recipe be different from a dry stout recipe.  I was planning on adding lactose but wasn't sure how much to add?  Would adding in a crystal malt be helpful and if so what lovibond?  What about honeymalt?

Thanks!

[HoosierBrew]

Lactose would be the defining ingredient differentiating a sweet stout from others. Being a mostly unfermentable sugar, it leaves the beer with a fairly high FG and some sweetness. The best ones IMO are balanced with a decent amount of roast and moderate IBU to offset any excess sweetness. I don't brew them often (mostly as a base to add coffee beans) but here is what I did on the last one:

5.5 gallons
1.060
30 IBU Kent Goldings - 60 mins

82% 2 row
7% Crystal 80
6% Black Patent
5% Chocolate malt
1 lb lactose

WY 1028

Mash 151F/60 mins @ 5.6 pH

Hold 64F for 3 days, then warm up slowly to 70F until FG

[Steve Ruch]

The last time I brewed a sweet stout I used Blackprinz instead of roast barley. To me it tastes a lot like roast barley but is a lot mellower.