Style Of The Week 8/6/10 - American Stout

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Stuster

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So with winter upon us, stouts seem a good beer to be brewing and drinking. We've done a number of the other stout styles, so this week (and by request) we have American Stout. A bigger, bolder stout (though not up to RIS levels), often with the added bonus of American hops (not something everyone approves of ;) ).

Links
All about beer magazine article
Brewing Techniques article
NY Times article

So tell us all you know about brewing an American Stout. What grains? (This is obviously going to be a crucial aspect of this beer.) Which dark grains do you prefer? Dark grains late? A heap of crystal? Partial mash options? Do you hop it up? With what hops? Which yeast do you favour? Just a clean ale yeast? How long do you let them condition? Anybody managed to drink some of these? Which ones? Any available here?

Tell us all you know so we can make some delicious dark beer. :icon_drunk:



BJCP Style 13E

13E. American Stout

Aroma: Moderate to strong aroma of roasted malts, often having a roasted coffee or dark chocolate quality. Burnt or charcoal aromas are low to none. Medium to very low hop aroma, often with a citrusy or resiny American hop character. Esters are optional, but can be present up to medium intensity. Light alcohol-derived aromatics are also optional. No diacetyl.

Appearance: Generally a jet black color, although some may appear very dark brown. Large, persistent head of light tan to light brown in color. Usually opaque.

Flavor: Moderate to very high roasted malt flavors, often tasting of coffee, roasted coffee beans, dark or bittersweet chocolate. May have a slightly burnt coffee ground flavor, but this character should not be prominent if present. Low to medium malt sweetness, often with rich chocolate or caramel flavors. Medium to high bitterness. Hop flavor can be low to high, and generally reflects citrusy or resiny American varieties. Light esters may be present but are not required. Medium to dry finish, occasionally with a light burnt quality. Alcohol flavors can be present up to medium levels, but smooth. No diacetyl.

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body. Can be somewhat creamy, particularly if a small amount of oats have been used to enhance mouthfeel. Can have a bit of roast-derived astringency, but this character should not be excessive. Medium-high to high carbonation. Light to moderately strong alcohol warmth, but smooth and not excessively hot.

Overall Impression: A hoppy, bitter, strongly roasted Foreign-style Stout (of the export variety).

Comments: Breweries express individuality through varying the roasted malt profile, malt sweetness and flavor, and the amount of finishing hops used. Generally has bolder roasted malt flavors and hopping than other traditional stouts (except Imperial Stouts).

Ingredients: Common American base malts and yeast. Varied use of dark and roasted malts, as well as caramel-type malts. Adjuncts such as oatmeal may be present in low quantities. American hop varieties.
Vital Statistics: OG: 1.050 1.075
IBUs: 35 75 FG: 1.010 1.022
SRM: 30 40 ABV: 5 7%

Commercial Examples: Rogue Shakespeare Stout, Deschutes Obsidian Stout, Sierra Nevada Stout, North Coast Old No. 38, Bar Harbor Cadillac Mountain Stout, Avery Out of Bounds Stout, Lost Coast 8 Ball Stout, Mad River Steelhead Extra Stout
 
Shakespeare stout is easy enough to find nowadays, had my first the other week and really enjoyed it.

apparantly 11% chocmalt 11% dark crystal around about the same oatmeal and 1.5% roast barley according to the brewing network with cascade on the end.

Dispite what most would think the cascade does work in this choc malt and dark crystal riddled beer, it is a great balance.

I would like to brew that recipe but still not too sure on which dark crystal might work best when your using such a huge ammount of it. Cararoma would be too much I would expect but something around 250-280ebc like bairds dark maybe.
 
Good info that, Jayse. I do have some Pacman yeast slurry. Hmm. So many beers to make, so little time.
 
I tried the Sierra Nevada recently, though it was past it's BBD. Very chocolatey, hops had gone piney, not a lot of bitterness (hop or roast) though from memory when young it was citrusy, quite bitter and fresh tasting - i'm guessing not a lot of black/roast malt in these bitter beers.

Chloride:sulphate? 1:1?

I'd probably be adding calcium as sulphate, chloride & carbonate.... if i knew what was in my water.
 
Bumped for the evening stout brewers.





Or even for brewers of stout. :icon_cheers:
 
Mhh one of these is next on my brewing list... despite my initial concerns about how cascade goes with the stoutyness, from the last example or two I've tasted I've decided it goes very well indeed.

Looking forward to some good recipes.

Q
 
Here's one courtesy of JamesL (with his permission). He won the "people's choice award" with this beer (with an overwhelming 24 out of possible 27 points) at the recent West Coast Brewers American Ales competition.

I can vouch for it being a brilliant rich and well balanced beer with a smooth chocolatey roast character and discernable American hopping (think choc orange) and bitterness.

The judges thought it could do with more hops... but they'd just judged AIPA.

American Stout:

Batch Size: 30L
Boil Size: 36L
Brewhouse efficiency: 73%

Recipe:
6.00kg Baudin Pale Malt
0.80kg Munich Malt (joe white)
0.34kg Crystal 40L (joe white)
0.34kg Chocolate malt (jow white)
0.25kg roast barley (joe white)
0.20kg roast malt wheat (jow white)

66gm Horizon hops 11.3%aa 60mins
20gm cascade hops 8.0% aa 5 mins
20gm centennial hops 9.4% aa 5 mins

Alc: 5.8%
OG: 1060
FG: 1016
IBUs: 60.9
colour 86.3 EBCs

Mash temp 68C
30 min Sac rest
Safale US04 yeast used.
fermented at 16C

Thanks James!
 
Now that does look nice to me. Choc orange certainly sounds nice. :icon_drool2:
 
Sorry for the OT question but Stuster's OP prompted me to think about this. I'm a pretty new convert to all things stouty and what converted me was an American RIS (North Coast Brewing Old Rasputin RIS). So, in turn, I tired more of them then "regular" stouts and found them to my liking). How much is an American RIS likely to be different to a "traditional" RIS and how much does an American stout differ from a UK stout (apart from the use of American hops)? I guess I'm asking if American hops might be the only effective difference (remembering I'm new to commercial stouts and have certainly never brewed one).
 
I think I can answer that question soon, bum. SWMBO has just recently come back from the states, bearing some Old Rasputin (among others). Haven't cracked it yet but will fairly soon and will post any thoughts I have on the difference between that and other stouts I've had.

Stouts definitely are good. Maybe grab a few to see if you like any of the local produce. I think there are a number of good stouts produced here. But where oh where has Southwark stout gone. :(
 
I am trying as many as I can get my hands on, I assure you (even brewing a robust porter (of sorts) next in preparation for a stout). I'm all sorted for getting my head around the "traditional" style but I guess I'm wondering if my tastes might lean more towards American stouts (as they do with pale ales) but can only ask about the differences since I can't get any commercial examples until I go back.

If you don't mind me saying so before you've tried it, the bottled version of Old Rasputin is very nice but the tap version is absolute magic. I literally went from not understanding these darkest of beers to being head over heels in love and being able to work backwards from there to even find something enjoyable in a BUL Guinness (though not all of it, of course). Very much looking forward to reading your impressions.

Ace of Spades is next on my list.

[EDIT: oh yeah, I meant to ask - what are the other US beers you declined to mention? I know this is a massive derail so PM is fine if you have the time. I've been pretty much obsessed with the beers I had there recently and would love to get your impressions of your haul.]
 
Not sure about imperial stouts but the difference between american stout and foriegn extra stout are pretty well laid out in the style guides. The foriegn extra stout already is made up of two different beers, the tropical version and the export version, american is just another version really but gets its own catergory with the bjcp.

Foriegn extra stout is already a broad style so american stout would fit right into that same catergory with simply an add on the same way they go about differentiating between tropical and export.

American being more toward the export version and the bold/high end of the roasted, coffee and choc flavours and also bitterness, with the added american hops.

Your question is basically
Discribe and differentiate between these three styles.
Thats how the bjcp put it to you in the exam.
 
Shakespeare stout is easy enough to find nowadays, had my first the other week and really enjoyed it.

apparantly 11% chocmalt 11% dark crystal around about the same oatmeal and 1.5% roast barley according to the brewing network with cascade on the end.

Dispite what most would think the cascade does work in this choc malt and dark crystal riddled beer, it is a great balance.

I would like to brew that recipe but still not too sure on which dark crystal might work best when your using such a huge ammount of it. Cararoma would be too much I would expect but something around 250-280ebc like bairds dark maybe.

Jaysingtonsworth,

I think caraaroma would definitely be too much, perhaps give some simpsons dark crystal a try. I wouldn't be afraid to cut back a portion of that 11% with a lighter crystal just to mellow it out a little too...
 
Your question is basically
Discribe and differentiate between these three styles.
Thats how the bjcp put it to you in the exam.

I'm sure you're right but I'm also sure you understand I'm pretty far from being ready to sit the BJCP exam (I'm way too drunk).

Thanks very much for your input. It sheds some light on the issue (or what I need to read up on at the very least).

Cheers.
 
Ace of Spades is next on my list.

Now that is an excellent beer (on tap) IMO.

Will PM you about the US haul (only 6 beers so perhaps not a haul). Might not be tonight though. :icon_drunk:

I think you make a good point, Kai. 11% dark crystal does sound like a lot to me.
 
It's an excellent beer out of bottle too, in my humble opinion.
 
I have drunk a hell of a lot of Ace of Spades, tasty stuff indeed, You'll find it along with other brewboys beers on tap at the local taphouses now.

re 11%, it does sound like a lot to us, nothing suprising for an American recipe though :huh: scatch head!
 
Your question is basically
Discribe and differentiate between these three styles.
Thats how the bjcp put it to you in the exam.

i just had compare these three styles in my exam, "American Stout, Robust Porter, Foreign Extra Stout". :lol:

Biggest difference between all the stouts compared with the American is typically its an imperialised version of their traditional cousin and are generally always complimented by a big late hop addition.

e.g. a dry stout might be brewed to 6% abv with constant hopping throughout the whole boil (probably with local hops too.) Just as a rough example.
 
When you say a big late hop addition, how big are we talking? The recipe posted by bredanos has 1.33g/l @ 5mins. Is this a big addition for this beer? Can the hops be easily masked/overpowered by the other flavours? It seems even Jamil's recipe calls for a similar level of hops at 5 mins (1oz of centennial @ 5 mins in a 6 USgal boil). Just trying to get my head around what is a good balance of the flavours and what would be 'extreme' hopping...

Edit: Bad maths...
 
IMO James' could have done with a tad more hop aroma and flavour.
 
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