Time For A Big Stout

[james1988]

Evening all,

I'm looking for some advice; using the base for my chocolate vanilla stout, I'd like to make a rather big Christmas beer where big is high ABV around 6%. I'm thinking of adding Blackberries as these are a somewhat Autumnal fruit but I've no idea if it will work or the quantity needed. I was thinking about 1-1.5Kg.

Recipe is below:

Blackberry Stout

Original Gravity (OG): 1.062 (°P): 15.2
Final Gravity (FG): 1.016 (°P): 4.1
Alcohol (ABV): 6.09 %
Colour (SRM): 22.0 (EBC): 43.3
Bitterness (IBU): 30.5 (Average)

5.100Kg - 79.15% - Pale Malt
499g -7.71% - Flaked Barley
313g - 4.84% - Chocolate
290g - 4.44% - Amber Malt
250g -3.86% - Caramalt

45g - 2 g/L Bramling Cross (5.1% Alpha) @ 90 Minutes (Boil)
25g -1.1 g/L Fuggles (5.7% Alpha) @ 10 Minutes (Boil)


Single step Infusion at 68°C for 90 Minutes. Boil for 90 Minutes

Fermented at 22°C with Safale S-04

1.5Kg Blackberries, boiled, mashed and strained. Added in to FV.

Recipe Generated with BrewMate

Any thoughts?

James

 

[calumscott]

That's not "big"! Big is double figures...

I like the sound of it though. I've had one of graysalchemy's elderberry stouts and it was ace, dark fruits and stout are a good combo. :thumb:

 

[PD]

I'll drink to that. GA's elder Stout is firt class.
I dont see why your Blackberry can;t be much different....
But seeing its for Christmas, like Calum I'd brew a little stronger ( around 8-9% ) for the Christmas Cheer !

Also if you are bottling, try and put it into small 330ml bottles, so everyone can enjoy a taste....Good wishes on your brew

 

[dennisking]

bramling cross, perfect for this one.

 

[james1988]

I thought 6% was strong! Lol

 

[PD]

probably is if you live in Essex.......

 

[james1988]

Lol, I don't sport a tan or a six pack (unless we're talking beer). I once tried a beer that was around 10% and it reminded me of cough medicine. I've not gone for anything that strong again.

Maybe I'll up the gravity a bit and shoot for 8-9%.

James

 

[JKaranka]

Hiya!

Just a couple of things:

When are you adding the fruit? Are you calculating the amount of alcohol that they will produce during fermentation?

You won't notice the caramalt with all those ingredients in so you could skip it or replace by pale malt or dark crystal malt.

Add some roast barley! Plenty of roast barley is good!

I'd swap the fuggles and the bramling cross around. I think bramling cross would make a great aroma addition to go with the fruit.

I'd bring the abv up to 7% in line with what's expected from an export stout, and increase the hop bitterness to at least 45 IBU (personally I'd aim at 60-70 IBU). 30 IBU is very low, you risk having a beer that tastes of roasted treacle.

 

[james1988]

Thanks for that. I was going to add them during the primary phase.

Secondly the hops, taken onboard; will swop them around.

I'll also get rid of the Caramalt.

As you can probably tell, I'm new to making recipes lol.

James

 

[JKaranka]

You'll get some alcohol from that fruit addition, it's probably like 800g of sugar at least in that kilo and a half of fruit. You might not need any extra malt to bring up the abv, but you might want some roast barley for the stoutiness in it. :drink:

 

[james1988]

You'll get some alcohol from that fruit addition, it's probably like 800g of sugar at least in that kilo and a half of fruit. You might not need any extra malt to bring up the abv, but you might want some roast barley for the stoutiness in it. :drink:

How much roasted barley would you add? I've not used it in the past.

James

*Edit*

How's this?

Fuggles - 37g -90 Mins
Bramling X - 45g - 35 Mins
Roasted Barley - 250g

*Edit 2*

This is a bit of a budget brew really and the above hops are all I have left. :

*Edit 3*
Grain is ordered. The brew will be on the go on Sunday.

 

[JKaranka]

Yeah, 250g of roast barley is enough for a stout! It's brilliant stuff! Hops sound good, you'll get plenty of flavour from the fruit anyway...