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Author Topic: Stout Recipe  (Read 7148 times)

chargerssb

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Stout Recipe
« on: January 13, 2011, 09:34:30 pm »
Hello,

I am fairly new to brewing, this will only be my 3rd batch. I got an Irish Stout kit from Midwest Supplies for X-mas. I was thinking of making it into a chocolate cherry stout or a bourbon stout, but wasn't sure how to go about either one, or whether or not either of these would work. Also, if I was going to do a bourbon stout I think I would want to boost the alcohol content somehow... Here are the ingredients that came with the kit:

Fermentables:
-6lbs dark liquid malt extract

Specialty Grains (steep at 155 for 30 mins):
-4 oz chocolate malt
-4 oz caramel 10L
-4 oz roasted barley
-4 oz flaked barley

Hops:
-1/2 nugget
-1 oz willamette

Yeast:
-White Labs Irish Ale Yeast WLP004

Any tips, suggestions etc. would be greatly appreciated. Also, is this still considered extract brewing, or is it partial/mini mash? Thanks.

Offline tschmidlin

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Re: Stout Recipe
« Reply #1 on: January 13, 2011, 11:27:38 pm »
It's "extract with steeping grains", which only differs from partial/mini mash in that the temperature isn't as important and you don't need to worry about conversion.

Brew it as the directions say, what you're trying to do is perfect for additions after fermentation.  Chocolate, cherries, bourbon, all of that can (and I think should) be added later.  Don't use cherry extract, I've never tasted a good one.  Go with a good quality puree if you can't get fresh/frozen whole fruit.  For chocolate, you can use cacao nibs.  For bourbon, use bourbon :)

The fruit and nibs should be added in secondary, the bourbon just add at bottling.  You can get fancier and soak the bourbon with some vanilla beans or other flavor agents, but you might want to start with something simpler.  It's your call.
Tom Schmidlin

chargerssb

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Re: Stout Recipe
« Reply #2 on: January 14, 2011, 08:36:49 am »
Interesting a vanilla bean Bourbon stout that sounds good.  How much bourbon would you recommend for 5 gallons in order to get a decent Bourbon taste but not too much?  Do you have to worry about pasteurizing the fruit at all?

Offline tschmidlin

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Re: Stout Recipe
« Reply #3 on: January 14, 2011, 12:34:59 pm »
If you are using frozen fruit, don't worry about it.  For fresh fruit, I recommend freezing it first to burst the fruit's cells, as ell as some of the bacteria/yeast.  The low pH and alcohol you add the fruit to should take care of the rest of the wild critters.

I'd go with 1-2 vanilla beans in a cup of bourbon as a starting point.  You may end up deciding you want more bourbon next time, but it's better to have it more subtle IMO.  Alternatively, you can soak the vanilla beans in the beer for a week or two and then just add the bourbon at bottling, it's your call.
Tom Schmidlin

Offline Steve

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Re: Stout Recipe
« Reply #4 on: January 17, 2011, 09:45:56 am »
Interesting a vanilla bean Bourbon stout that sounds good.  How much bourbon would you recommend for 5 gallons in order to get a decent Bourbon taste but not too much?  Do you have to worry about pasteurizing the fruit at all?

I've added bourbon flavor to 5 gal. batches of both a stout and an old ale by soaking 8 oz. of medium toast american oak chips in 375 ml of Makers Mark for two weeks with 1 split/scraped vanilla bean and then adding the soaked cubes to the secondary for about a 90 days.  I also enjoyed drinking the 50 ml of Makers Mark which didn't get soaked into the cubes.  It developed a fine mellow bourbon flavor
Steve
 
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Offline Steve

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Re: Stout Recipe
« Reply #5 on: January 17, 2011, 10:18:35 am »
I've used tart Montmorency cherries ordered online from King Orchards in Michigan in a 5 gal. batch of stout after trying them in a batch of Charlie's "Cherries in the Snow" recipe.  The cherries are canned in water.  I used 11 15 oz. cans (approx 10 lb.) from a case of 12 (the last can went into a pie).  These cherries are pasteurized in the can and taste delicious all by themselves.  You could pit, freeze and use 10 lb. of fresh cherries if you can get them or any other canned cherries, but don't use a syrupy cherry pie filling!

King Orchard now offers IQF cherries http://kingorchards.com/store.htm?category=Frozen%20Tart%20Cherries-%20IQF%20Montmorency%20and%20Balaton%20Cherries 

I put the canned cherries in last 15 minutes of the boil and used the packing water from the cans mixed into the brewing liquor.  I left them in the primary for two weeks and cleaned them out before going into secondary for two weeks.  You could also puree the cherries and add them into the secondary.
Steve
 
  "Because beer is food: in cooking, at the table and by the glass. " Lucy Saunders

Offline ipaguy

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Re: Stout Recipe
« Reply #6 on: January 19, 2011, 10:31:03 am »
imo, the Oregon fruit purees are the best for making a fruit beer.  Many less sanitation worries than with fresh or frozen fruit.  I even rip the label off, wash down the can w/ StarSan, and open it with a sanitized can opener.  I haven't done cherry yet, but a 3lb. can of blackberry in 5 gal. of stout was plenty for me.  +1 on adding the fruit to a secondary.  That's the only way to really retain the fruit aroma.
Primary: gotlandsdricke/alt/dunkel hybrid
Secondary: pale barleywine,
Bottled:  Gotlandsdricke
               Oatmeal/blackberry stout
               Honey Kolsch

chargerssb

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Re: Stout Recipe
« Reply #7 on: January 19, 2011, 07:50:36 pm »
Thanks everyone for the tips.  I think I am going to try out a bourbon stout with the vanilla beans soaked in the bourbon.  One thing I forgot to ask.  I have a 1000ml beaker to make a starter with the yeast.  How many days in advance should I do this and how much dry malt extract should I use?  The yeast tube doesn't have very clear instructions for making a starter.  About how long do I let it be out at room temp before I crash cool it in the fridge until I am ready to pitch.

Offline tygo

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Re: Stout Recipe
« Reply #8 on: January 19, 2011, 08:30:10 pm »
Based on your original recipe you're shooting for an OG of 1.048 for a five gallon batch.  Based on that you should be making a one liter starter assuming your yeast pack is right off the production line.  It's probably not so you probably need a little larger starter.

A good target is 100g of DME per liter.  For this batch I'd do up a 1.5 - 2 liter starter in a gallon jug.  Or you could go a little lower on the volume and use a plastic juice bottle (I used to like the campbell's tomato juice ones).

About the only use I get out of my 1000 ml flask is for waking the yeast up in a little wort for the next step in a multi-step starter.

Clint
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chargerssb

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Re: Stout Recipe
« Reply #9 on: January 19, 2011, 10:28:44 pm »
If I use my 1 liter flask, could I make a starter, let it ferment for 24 hours and then stick in the fridge.  Then once the yeast settle, decant off the liquid and put in another round of dry malt extract and repeat this process for a second time to build up more yeast?

Offline rbclay

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Re: Stout Recipe
« Reply #10 on: January 20, 2011, 07:04:53 am »
Randy Clay
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chargerssb

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Re: Stout Recipe
« Reply #11 on: January 21, 2011, 10:15:51 am »
Thanks. I got my starter going last night. We'll see how it does.