Esb Extra Special Stout Ideas

[Sydneybrewer]

Gday all,

decided to put down a quick kit and bits brew and i wanted to see if you guys think the recipe would work.

decided on using the 3kg esb extra special stout tin as a base.

3.0kg ESB Extra Special Stout Tin
0.7kg Caramalt
0.3kg Choc Malt
0.25kg Ground Turkish Coffee
safale S-04

ferment volume of 20L at 16C

i do have about 1kg of caramalt all up and 1kg of choc malt but a little scared to use too much choc as i have never used it before and i am told it has a very overpowering flavour, i am hopping that the caramalt will add some nice sweetness.

 

[manticle]

Gday all,

decided to put down a quick kit and bits brew and i wanted to see if you guys think the recipe would work.

decided on using the 3kg esb extra special stout tin as a base.

3.0kg ESB Extra Special Stout Tin
0.7kg Caramalt
0.3kg Choc Malt
0.25kg Ground Turkish Coffee
safale S-04

ferment volume of 20L at 16C

i do have about 1kg of caramalt all up and 1kg of choc malt but a little scared to use too much choc as i have never used it before and i am told it has a very overpowering flavour, i am hopping that the caramalt will add some nice sweetness.

Are the choc and caramalt grains or tins of liquid malt?

 

[clarkey7]

Gday all,

decided to put down a quick kit and bits brew and i wanted to see if you guys think the recipe would work.

decided on using the 3kg esb extra special stout tin as a base.

3.0kg ESB Extra Special Stout Tin
0.7kg Caramalt
0.3kg Choc Malt
0.25kg Ground Turkish Coffee
safale S-04

ferment volume of 20L at 16C

i do have about 1kg of caramalt all up and 1kg of choc malt but a little scared to use too much choc as i have never used it before and i am told it has a very overpowering flavour, i am hopping that the caramalt will add some nice sweetness.

SydneyBrewer,

This kit was one of the best (IMO) out of the 100 kit beers I made - so my suggestion is not to mess around with it too much.

Of course, if you've used it before - go right ahead.

Looking at my old spreadsheet - if you make it up on it's own to 19L you get OG of 1044 so you might want to take that into consideration. Maybe go 18L.

If you do go the extra grain route, balance that with a hop addition of some kind (make up half volume in pot on stove and boil with 20g EKG for 5 mins or so as an example).

Anyhoo - good luck,

PB

 

[Sydneybrewer]

Yeah they are grains manticle, and i was hopping to add a bit more sweetness, more along the lines of a sweet stout, do you think i should use some EKG as i only have that and cascade in the freezer atm.
Edit: just realised you sugested EKG so might give it a whirl, just got home from work after a very long day.

 

[manticle]

If they are grains you will get sweetness out of the caramalt. The choc will be dry and roasty but I have found that choc malt combined with sweet will gve a great chocolate characteristic.

The ESB kits are meant to be at the top of the range for kits so maybe take PB's suggestion and brew it with minimal tweaks. If it turns out well but you think it needs more then brew it again with more. The fact that they are 3 kg suggests less is more.

If you must tweak this time, I'd go 50 - 100g of choc (hot steeped then drained and boiled) 250-350g caramalt (steeped then boiled) and add some roast barley (250 - 500g) instead of the turkish coffee. EKG is in style for a UK stout - you could use the cascade to make an american stout now or in future.

Personally I'd use a lighter, less full flavoured kit as a base (eg coopers dark ale) then build up with grains and hops. For this one - brew as is and see how it goes. It's not like your first one is ever your last one.

 

[Sydneybrewer]

Thanks mant and pocket, i think i might take the advice and leave it alone or add only very small addtions of the choc/caramalt to make it a tad sweeter.