re: Homebrewing: In-Process Thread

Here's my recipe for my Night Owl Coffee Stout.

11 lbs 12.0 oz Pale Malt, Maris Otter (Thomas Fawcett) Grain 8 66.7 %
2 lbs 2.0 oz Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 9 12.1 %
1 lbs 6.0 oz Chocolate (Briess) (350.0 SRM) Grain 10 7.8 %
12.0 oz Carafa III (Weyermann) (525.0 SRM) Grain 11 4.3 %
10.0 oz Caramel Malt - 120L (Briess) (120.0 SRM) Grain 12 3.5 %
10.0 oz Roasted Barley (Briess) (300.0 SRM) Grain 13 3.5 %
6.0 oz Carapils (Briess) (1.5 SRM) Grain 14 2.1 %
1.50 oz Nugget [13.00 %] - Boil 75.0 min Hop 15 53.6 IBUs
1.00 oz Liberty [4.30 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 16 8.7 IBUs
1.0 pkg London Ale Yeast (Wyeast Labs #1028) [12 Yeast 18 -
2.00 oz Coffee (Cold Steeped) (at Kegging) Other 19 -

I've made this twice, both times it was good, but this latest batch is much better, IMO. This batch i lowered my maris otter a little, upped my flaked oats, doubled my chocolate malt, got rid of black barley, and instead used roasted barley and slightly decreased my debittered carafa. I found this batch to be less sweet than my first batch, which was the goal.

My inspiration was Founder's breakfast stout. But my goal was that i want a deep coffee and chocolate flavor, with a full mouthfeel, that isn't acrid, but isn't too sweet either. I find that the debittered carafa 3 is good to get rid of any acrid roastiness that roasted barley can deliver if used too much. However, the carafa 3 leaves a more sweet flavor. The black barley i was previously using, simply added color, and doesn't add flavor. I found by using roughly 60/40 de-bittered carafa III to Roast barley ratio, i get the right amount of roastiness to where it's not sweet, and not too acrid or roasty. The uptick in chocolate malt really rounded out the beer and gave it a good chocolate/coffee flavor.

I've had stouts before made with large amounts of roasted barley and it tasted like an ash tray. However, the amount you have in your recipe shouldn't do that.

Your percentages of chocolate malt, roasted barley are similar to mine, i think. Should turn out good.

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I'm going to brew up a Stout this weekend from a recipe on homebrewtalk.com, and was looking for some feedback as I'm not a hardcore Stout guy by any means.
It's called Deception Cream Stout
7 lbs 2 row
1.5 lbs white wheat
.75 lbs crystal 60
.75 lbs chocolate malt
.5 lbs roasted barley
.5 lbs lactose
. 75 oz Magnum

It's highly rated on HBT, but wanted to run it by some of y'all to see what you think.

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With 11 pounds of grains, it sounds like it's gonna be a session stout. Maybe that's what you're looking for, but I'd probably up the base grains a bit and swap out 2-row for Maris Otter.

The recipe doesn't look terribly far off, but I would also consider making a few of the changes that have already been suggested.

The recipe has an OG 1.058 at 75% efficiency and a FG of 1.020.

The OG is about right for a standard milk stout, but if this finishes at the recipe's FG 1.020, you're looking at 4.9% stout.

Which is ok, but I would follow B's advice and switch the base malt to Maris Otter and add up the amount by about 1.5 pounds. This should bring your OG to around 1.065 and your ABV up to around 6.0%. That's the same ABV as Left Hand's Milk Stout which is one of my favorites in this style.

As far as wheat vs flaked oats/barley, both will give you head retention, but I find that wheat contributes very little to the body of a beer.

I don't think the beer will be particularly 'thin' as is, but if you want a more silky/creamy mouth feel you could consider subbing in a flaked grain for all or a portion of that wheat.

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Also I'll use less roasted barley to avoid any acrid taste.

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I have had good luck just throwing the roasted malt in right as I start to sparge, rather than the full mash. You could try that.

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I attempted a breakfast Stout and think I used too much coffee or something as it had a bit too much of that acrid taste

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How much coffee did you use? I cold steeped 2 oz. of Cafeciteaux Coffee El Hombre with 2 cups water overnight. You wouldn't think 2 cups of cold brewed coffee (16 oz.) would do much to 5.5 gallons of beer, but it's there. It's not overpowering, but it's noticeable. You know it's a stout, but there is the presence of dark roast coffee. It's perfect. You live in BR? If so i could possibly get you a bottle.

Also, if you are boiling the coffee, greater chance of the coffee becoming acrid. Cold steeping cuts back on the oils being released (or something like that).

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. Also I'll use less roasted barley to avoid any acrid taste.

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I think you are ok with the amount you have. It only account for about 4%. I wouldn't reduce that amount unless you are swapping out for some carafa III, or adjusting your chocolate malt. That's just me personally. Of course, if you think that will get what you desire go for it. I will say if you just swap out carafa III, you should have a sweeter stout, with a smoother roastiness.

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I need to toast some coconut tonight to add to a porter. Not sure if I want to dump it in the primary, rack to a secondary directly on the coconut or use a bag, or use a bag and add it to the keg.

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Do whatever's simpler. As these exbeeriments continue to show, the easiest method typically ends up being, at worst, just as good as the harder method.

Just based on this photo from HBT....Getting coconut out of the neck of a carboy looks like a total PITA.



If I was fermenting in buckets, I'd toss the coconut in primary.

If I was using carboys, I'd add a bag of coconut to the keg.

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Getting coconut out of the neck of a carboy looks like a total PITA

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yes it does!

any ideas of issues that may develop leaving a bag of coconut in the keg of beer for 3-4 months? (assuming proper sanitation)

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Tie a string to the bag of coconuts and pull it out afer a week.

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That's what I'd do.