Ballistic Black Forrest Birthday Cake Stout recipe

[TheAussieBrewer]

Hi all, recently I was inspired to brew up a stout that closely resembled the Ballistic Birthday Cake Stout.

If anyone was interested in brewing it, I thought I’d share the recipe to save you the time trying to develop it from scratch.

Overall the first impression is quite close but I’m yet to do a side by side to compare my recipe to the real deal.

I hope you enjoy, I will post a photo when it’s ready to drink.

Black Forrest Chocolate Cake Stout - The Aussie Brewer
Brewfather

 

[BKBrews]

Sea Legs did a birthday cake NEIPA and it was a great beer, made more impressive by this huge mid palate flavour hit. I really don't know how they did it - I usually find that all a bit gimmicky but they actually nailed the flavour profile of a spongey birthday cake.

 

[JimmyMcFiddlesticks]

Ballistic are pretty easy going with their recipes, they even post some on facebook. If you give them a call they will likely help you out.

 

[TheAussieBrewer]

I think I got pretty close with this first attempt, just needed a few more days on the cherries to bring out a bit more of the flavor and reduce the Supernova down a bit as it comes through quite strong mid pallet. Mouthfeel is super smooth thanks to the nitro pour.

(My beer in the glass, can is for reference)

 

[MHB]

There are a lot of things I don’t like about Nitro Pour, but you have to love the head
Mark

 

[TheAussieBrewer]

There are a lot of things I don’t like about Nitro Pour, but you have to love the head
Mark

I'm not sure what there isn't to like, really suits the style.

 

[MHB]

It mutes most flavours, Guinness made for Nitro used to be something like 60 IBU, a good 50% up on the CO2 conditioned version, just to keep the beer in balance.
I find you get a much more subtle and complex beer if its set up properly for cask serve, you don’t even need a pump (tho they do help if you are going through a bit).
So my personal opinion, you get a better beer with a lot less equipment doing the full cask ale method.
Mark

 

[yankinoz]

It mutes most flavours, Guinness made for Nitro used to be something like 60 IBU, a good 50% up on the CO2 conditioned version, just to keep the beer in balance.
I find you get a much more subtle and complex beer if its set up properly for cask serve, you don’t even need a pump (tho they do help if you are going through a bit).
So my personal opinion, you get a better beer with a lot less equipment doing the full cask ale method.
Mark

Nitro has always seemed like a gimmick to me. It feels good on the lips, but so do many other things that lack the Guinness flavour.

About old Guinness, they've long made it a practice to vary recipes. ABV ranges from 4.2% in Ireland to 7.5 in parts of Africa. The Irish version used to be even weaker, due to restrictive laws, and some then claimed the "real" Guinness came out of London. Canadian-brewed Guiness was less roasty, while a version brewed in Ireland for the US was hardly stout at all.

 

[MHB]

The one made in Nigeria is made only from Sorghum...
Guinness has an interesting history. Probably started with Sir Arthur who in the days when beer tax was a "Malt Tax", worked out if you used 20% flaked and 20% Roast unmalted barley you got an instant 40% tax reduction. Didn’t hurt that the Liffey had so much Carbonate in it I'm surprised it doesn’t set.
Mark

 

[yankinoz]

Mark,

Sorghum, egad: did you by any chance taste it?

Through a mutual acquaintance Ross McWhirter once allowed me an interview at the Park Royal Brewery. It was mostly about tied-house management, but he also filled me in on Guinness's plans for global markets. Let's just say adhering to tradition was not part of them That the McW brothers' book was financed by Guinness and bears the name is also noteworthy. You probably know Ross was a prominent opponent of independence for northern Ireland and was assassinated by the IRA in 1975.

Dan