Chocolate Stout - Thoughts?

[joeskidmore]

Hi All,

I'd like to get some feedback on a recipe I have created - it's the first one I've ever designed so would like some honest critique of the flavour combo's and choices etc.

Brew Method: All Grain
Style Name: American Stout
Boil Time: 90 min
Batch Size: 19 liters (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 23 liters
Boil Gravity: 1.059
Efficiency: 75% (brew house)

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.072
Final Gravity: 1.021
ABV (standard): 6.58%
IBU (tinseth): 43.74
SRM (morey): 40

FERMENTABLES:
4.5 kg - United Kingdom - Maris Otter Pale (76.3%)
0.4 kg - United Kingdom - Chocolate (6.8%)
0.3 kg - United Kingdom - Crystal 60L (5.1%)
0.3 kg - Belgian - Biscuit (5.1%)
0.2 kg - United Kingdom - Black Patent (3.4%)
0.1 kg - Belgian - Special B (1.7%)
0.1 kg - Flaked Oats (1.7%)

HOPS:
40 g - Challenger, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 8.5, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 38.02
10 g - Challenger, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 8.5, Use: Boil for 15 min, IBU: 4.72
10 g - Goldings, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 4.5, Use: Boil for 5 min, IBU: 1

MASH GUIDELINES:
1) Sparge, Temp: 64 C, Time: 90 min, Amount: 15 L
Starting Mash Thickness: 2.5 L/kg

OTHER INGREDIENTS:
150 g - Cocoa Powder, Time: 15 min, Type: Flavor, Use: Boil

YEAST:
Wyeast - Ringwood Ale 1187

The idea behind the recipe is to get a few select flavours to come through: chocolate, caramel and biscuit. I've tried to limit the hops and hopefully they won't overpower the maltyness I'm trying to get.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks,
- Joe

 

[Cononthebarber]

Looks like a tasty recipe to me and should make some great beer, the special B malt is one I've never used but will have to give it a try some time :thumb:

If it were me I would up the amount of Oats to at least 5% and do a glucan rest (mini mash) with the oats and a small amount (10% of weight of oats) of the maris otter. That should add a creamy fuller oaty flavour which is really great!

 

[joeskidmore]

I've never used it either, just read the flavour profile and thought it might work well with the others.

So, up the oats to around 300g and add 30g of MO and mash prior to a full mash with everything else involved? How long would you recommend to mash these and at what temp? Am I right in assuming (based on 2.5l per kg) use ~500ml water for this process?

 

[tommidolcetto]

+1 to more oats.
Glucan rest 40c for 30 mins. I think! Somebody confirm please.

 

[graysalchemy]

Glucan rest, mash your oats and 205 by weight of MO for 30 minutes at 35-40C then raise the temp back up to mash temp (in a pan on the stove) and add to the main mash

 

[Cononthebarber]

Yep glucan rest as above have said, although I have always done 50c. 300g of oats seems good with 30g MO and with 500ml of liquor. You are looking for a porridge-like consistency but more wet than most would eat (if that makes sense?)

Good luck :thumb:

 

[robsan77]

yep, up oats otherwise it looks very tasty!

 

[joeskidmore]

Cheers guys! Additional oats and glucan rest it is then, shall be buying ingredients this weekend and brewing next week if all goes well.

Just to check though, why the 10% MO with the oats? What does that do?

 

[Darcey]

Active enzymes in the MO which you dont have in the oats (or very low) will munch down on the oats!

 

[joeskidmore]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys! Finally got around to brewing this and posted the results here.

 

[Jeltz]

if the % of oats is below 10% then there is no need for a beta-glucanase rest (apparently)

I used 4.6% today and it was fine :)

 

[joeskidmore]

Interesting read. Will have to re-brew without the two-stage mash and compare.