First Stout

[woodmac66]

O.K thiis my first Stout that I have had a play with I am after some opinions on if I have done this correctly or how i can improve this.

Coopers Stout Kit
1.5kg Coopers Dark Malt Extract
500g Dry Corn Syrup
100g Chocolate Grain boiled for 20min on a rolling boil then throgh a strainer.
15 g of Golding Hops simmered for 2 min , left standing 10 min, then through a strainer.
15 ml of Licorice Extract
Safale Yeast
Final volume 20 litres
O.G 1060 ( Hard to read with the froth but pretty close)
JUst put into the temp room @ 19 degrees.

Now the waiting game begins. :icon_drunk:

 

[razz]

No need to boil the choc malt woodmac, just steep in very hot water (65 degrees) apart from that good luck.

 

[woodmac66]

No need to boil the choc malt woodmac, just steep in very hot water (65 degrees) apart from that good luck.

Thanks Razz !
Have I done any damage boiling...... It smelt pretty good.???

 

[Dazza_devil]

What's it taste like?
Does your hydrometer read 1000 in water?

 

[monkeybusiness]

Have I done any damage boiling...... It smelt pretty good.???

Boiling the grain will leech out tannins which may add some astringency to the beer. It's only a small amount though and the other flavours in the stout may hide the impact (if any). It's done now so I wouldn't worry about it. The recipe should come out nice. Ive done similar in the past.

 

[woodmac66]

What's it taste like?
Does your hydrometer read 1000 in water?

Yes it does read 1000.
Slightly sweet on the front and a touch bitter at the back couln't say I could taste the Hops and a slight hint of chocolate.
Why do you ask about the Hydrometer?
Do you feel the O.G is too high?
I haven't had a lot of experience at tasing prior to fermentation but I guess that comes with experience .

Woody

 

[Brownie]

This a recipe I am thinking of making in a week or two.

Coopers Stout kit 1.7kg
Coopers Brew Enhancer #2 1.0kg
Honey 250 to 500g
Fuggles 12g
Goldings 12g

Safale S-04 or US-05 Yeast.

Also got some left over home made dark candi sugar that was infused with Orange about 200g that I may throw in.

Appreciate any thoughts or critique....

Brownie.

 

[petesbrew]

This a recipe I am thinking of making in a week or two.

Coopers Stout kit 1.7kg
Coopers Brew Enhancer #2 1.0kg
Honey 250 to 500g
Fuggles 12g
Goldings 12g

Safale S-04 or US-05 Yeast.

Also got some left over home made dark candi sugar that was infused with Orange about 200g that I may throw in.

Appreciate any thoughts or critique....

Brownie.

Brownie the candi sugar with orange sounds interesting in a stout. I'd throw it in with the honey to be adventurous.


Here's my windsor stout I did last year. It scored 2 places in the castle hill show (woo!!!)
Coopers Stout kit
1.5kg Morgans Dark Malt can
110g Roast Barley (steep 30min)
15g Styrian Goldings @60min
15g Styrian Goldings @10min
Danstar Windsor yeast

 

[Dazza_devil]

I'm thinking that the OG is a little low
http://www.liquorcraft.com.au/wa.asp?idWeb...p;idDetails=107
My calculations give 1.063 without accounting for any sugars resulting from a boil of 100g Choc for 20mins. Others may be able to enlighten you more on this.
I reckon you need to do more with the hops but it's all subjective.
More details of your method could give an indication of areas where improvement can be made.
Cheers.

 

[woodmac66]

I'm thinking that the OG is a little low
http://www.liquorcraft.com.au/wa.asp?idWeb...p;idDetails=107
My calculations give 1.063 without accounting for any sugars resulting from a boil of 100g Choc for 20mins. Others may be able to enlighten you more on this.
I reckon you need to do more with the hops but it's all subjective.
More details of your method could give an indication of areas where improvement can be made.
Cheers.

Boagsy,
It was hard to read the Hydro as I couldn't get the froth away and I took a fairly conservative view.
Maybe it was a bit higher than that.

Thanks for the link to liquorcraft.
As for the Hops what would you suggest?

 

[manticle]

Fuggles and east kent goldings seem to be widely used with stouts.

Agreed on the don't boil the grain suggestion. Crack it (or get it cracked), steep it in how water (preferably around 68 - 70 deg C) for at least 30 mins (I'd do an hour personally) strain, rinse again with hot water and boil the liquid.

I also recommend using roast barley in a stout (treat the same way you would the choc grain)

I think the recipe looks alright though and I don't think you'll be upset with the result.

As for honey - I've used honey in a stout once before. It was quite strong and I don't think I'd do it again. I did get good feedback from others who tasted it but it felt out of place to me.

 

[Dazza_devil]

I wouldn't do as I do mate, I'm just a novice and still learning. I would try to gain as much knowledge as I could by reading and hanging around here, search the forums etc. This site helped me a lot

http://www.howtobrew.com/intro.html

Don't be afraid to experiment, always take notes.

Only you know what you want from a particular brew, one man's medicine is anothers poison so I always take advice as a particular point of view rather than a strict rule of thumb, regardless of it's origins.

Cheers.

 

[woodmac66]

Thanks maticle I thought about roast malt .....I might do that in the next batch and compare, so I will not boil the grain and steep from here forward .
Boagsy thanks for another great link and the goood advice .. appreciated mate.
This is a great site, I am just constantly reading everthing.
Everyone seems unaminous Goldings and Fuggles..... So will add them next time in the same proportion.
Not a big fan of Honey so If it s a verbearing I think I will pass on that .

The infused orange candy sugar does sound nice Brownie .... Let me know how it turns out!

Thanks guys

 

[manticle]

Roast Barley is not malted and as such won't add any fermentable sugar to your brew. It will however impart a lovely coffee-like characteristic and is used in many commercial and home-brewed varieties of stout.

 

[Phoney]

Im thinking about this for my next stout:


2x Coopers Stout tins
1kg LDME
1kg Dex
100g choc grain
100g roasted barley
nottingham yeast

Thoughts?

 

[Interloper]

Im thinking about this for my next stout:


2x Coopers Stout tins
1kg LDME
1kg Dex
100g choc grain
100g roasted barley
nottingham yeast

Thoughts?

My *thoughts* are that with that much fermentable material the stout will climb out of the glass and kick you in the nuts.

Even thought a toucan is plenty bitter if you add that much malt - chuck 10-20gms of hops in the boil for 15 minutes. Fuggles would be my choice.

 

[Phoney]

Cheers I am hoping for something around 7-8%, a hearty winter sipping stout.

Ive got Perle & PoR in stock, might use the latter.

 

[manticle]

2x packets yeast and maybe add some of the sugar in stages over the first few days of primary to get better attenuation.

A suggestion only - not the infallible word of mr experience.

 

[woodmac66]

Just a question guys and it may be silly but you don't learn if you don't ask ...
Does the extra packet of yeast alter the taste or just make sure there is enough to eat all the sugars.What would be the difference only using 1 packet.

These recipes sound really good interested to see how they turn out .
Can't beat a good Stout in this weather!!!!
I tried Lobethal Bierhouses Porter on the weekend and two words :icon_cheers: "Blooody Aesome" :icon_cheers: . I am fortunate enough to live a few kilometers away.
Any of you guys headed to S.A it's well worth a visit...... The Food is also fantastic.... Great little Micro Brewery.
I bought a Growler of the Porter...... Great little touch as all the locals come back for refills.
All their beers were great !

 

[Phoney]

Does the extra packet of yeast alter the taste or just make sure there is enough to eat all the sugars.

The latter, from what I understand if there isnt enough yeast it wont get through all of the sugars.

But making a starter should overcome this right?