It’s a shame that the homebrewing more or less died when I got serious about finishing my PhD and starting a new postdoctoral position, still, at some point a guy has to get back in the saddle. Never mind that I’m sweating at 9 pm in shorts and a t-shirt. Fall is here so it’s time for a stout. Here’s the recipe:
2 cans dark malt syrup
1 can light malt syrup
8 oz. 80L crystal malt
4 oz. 20L crystal malt
4 oz. 120L crystal malt
16 oz. English chocolate malt
7 oz. Black patent malt
4 oz. Roasted barley
around 1/2 lb. dry malt powder
20 HBU Simcoe hops
20 HBU Target bittering hops
Plus the dry malt used for the Irish Ale yeast starter culture.
This is going to be a huge, pitch black beer that will hopefully turn out like the novelty stouts made by craft brewers like Southern Tier. This is the sort of product that I call an archive beer. While I’m brewing more moderate beers that lend themselves to daily drinking, the high alcohol content will let it age slowly into something worth bringing out for relatives and special occasions.
Open thread.
***Update***
Original gravity 1.083. It’s going to be a big’un.
ArtB
That sounds familiar – I got serious about finishing MY PhD about a year ago, and haven’t brewed a beer since. I’m worried that my getting one’s degree involve ripping out all parts of one’s personality not related to one’s dissertation. You’re a beacon of light (where light=beer) on an otherwise cloudy (clouds=many long days in the lab) horizon.
joe
Sounds like a nice partial mash there! I haven’t brewed since I took up a new hobby (rugby) but I’d imagine phd candidacy is insanely time-consuming! Next brew for me will be an IPA using my homegrown willamette and cascade hops; can’t wait!
What’s your OG and FG looking to be on this one? I’d guess at least 1.080 if you’re aging and 1.015 for that yeast strain. You should try my hometown strong stout: victory storm king.
Gus
If I’m thinking of starting brewing, any recommendations on books/techniques to start with? I’ve had so many homebrews that were mediocre. I’d love to make my own, but drinking it is more important. I don’t want something I’ll have to force down.
joe
Sounds like a nice partial mash there! I haven’t brewed since I took up a new hobby (rugby) but I’d imagine phd candidacy is insanely time-consuming! Next brew for me will be an IPA using my homegrown willamette and cascade hops; can’t wait!
What’s your OG and FG looking to be on this one? I’d guess at least 1.080 if you’re aging and 1.015 for that yeast strain. You should try my hometown strong stout: victory storm king.
joe
apologies for the double post
@ Gus: I and most homebrewers would recommend the complete joy of homebrewing by Charlie Papazian. Great Dow newbors and more advanced guys alike.
Ronnie P
Is that a partial mash? Based on those specialty grains, you could just steep them. No mash needed.
Gus: Palmer’s How to Brew is probably the best book. Also, read up at http://www.homebrewtalk.com/.
That being said, “drinking is more important” might be a sign this isn’t for you. Your first batch may very well be mediocre, but you’ll improve if you keep at it. Start simple, don’t overreach.
ResumeMan
That’s not a partial mash; none of the grains he’s using need to be held for enzyme action. They’re just flavor, and I’m sure he just steeped them.
That looks like a pretty meaty stout!! 1.083 isn’t *quite* into Russian Imperial territory, but it’ll be pretty hefty. I’d probably cut back on the black malt and go more roast to make it taste more “stouty.” You might have a bit of a burnt astringent flavor there. I also hope you have enough hops in there to offset the residual sugar with such a big grain bill.
I second the “How to Brew” recommendation. It’s a great book that presents the info in a no-nonsense but clear and easy to understand format. I haven’t read the latest version of the Complete Joy, but the previous edition was a little too focused on the goofy “have fun” aspect and didn’t really clearly (or, in some cases, accurately) convey the info I needed. Palmer’s book is excellent.
Enjoy the beer! I haven’t brewed in so long I almost forget what my mash tun looks like :(
wmd
My last stout had an 1.092 o.g., 1.021 f.g.
This was with Wyeast 1056. It’s tasty, but you can’t drink much of it without getting pretty drunk.
shirt
Recomendations, yes, Zymurgy: it’s the last word in brewing. Google it.
If you can get a copy of he clasic all grain brewing copy of zymurgy, do it. Brewing with malt extracts is all well and good but, eventually you have to put these aids aside and learn to mash and sparge (you can do that with your significant other but things may get sticky). All grain brewing is especially feasible for those of you with cellars.
BTW: dark roasted malts are a natural laxitive. Just thought you should know.
Regards, good luck.
Sloegin
Many a homebrewer give up after a couple of batches from the hassle that is bottling. Find yourself a kegging system asap if you really want to keep the joy of homebrew going.
Matt
Damn elitists.
lane
Yeah, elitists …
uhm, 40 IBU with that much unfermentable sugar? Shudder. Or I am just a hop freak.
Jake
Grab a stout, pull up a couch.
Sully just declared open season on McCain.
wag
My biggest homebrew was a barley wine, All mash, with 22 lbs of grain and 8 oz of hops for 5 gallons. If memory serves right, the final alcohol was 12%. It was great to begin wit, but after 5 years of aging, it was smooth and just beautiful….
Mark
Started homebrewing in the 80’s. Brewed for ten years including all grain in stuff I made myself. See Zymurgy for my article(s). Started a PhD and stopped brewing. Didn’t finish PhD and never started brewing again. Looking for someone in the Detroit area to buy all my gear.
About homebrewing. Get a keg system. Back when I was an enthused hobbiest (sp?) bottling was okay. then it became a drag. Never kegged.
Papazian’s books are good.
I’m partital to Byron Burch’s Stout recipe. Google Beverage People for his shop.
Elitists? Far from it. After you drink five gallons of homebrew that your friends won’t touch you become more of a religionist, accepting the next miracle of good homebrew on faith. Yeast is a tireless master.
My final batch of homebrew was a cyser:
5 gallons of Michigan apple cider.
8 pounds of Kroger honey
1 pound of brown sugar
Champagne yeast (O.S.G. 1.082. F.G. 0.0!)
It was wonderful!
Punchy
Can we get a “Financial Armeggedeon” thread please?
Shit about to explode in 20 minz….
ChrisS
Southern Tier makes some very good stuff. I really like that Wegman’s carries a lot of locally made craft beers in their beer section. I can get Middle Ages (out of Syracuse) in most of the local Wegman’s without having to hop down to the brewery. Well going to the brewery is still fun, most times they have some really great cask-conditioned tastings.
Tim are you in the general upstate NY area? It’s getting time for cider, my friend.
cleek
Wegmans rocks.
But, OT, read this, and despair.
null pointer exception
I need to get wasted. I just lost job. Benefits and legal status in the US about to follow.
redjellydonut
NPE, that’s tragic news indeed. I hope it works out for you.
I’m a casual homebrewer and used the Papazian to get started. But the absolute best resource for the novice homebrewer is the invaluable advice of an expert. In Austin, we have a great brewer in Forrest Rogness. He’s nursed me through some initial failures.
Gus, be assured that the first batch is likely to be pretty iffy product. And sanitize, sanitize, sanitize!
Ronnie Pudding
uhm, 40 IBU with that much unfermentable sugar? Shudder. Or I am just a hop freak.
HBU IBU. 2 ounces of hops at 8% AAU = 16 HBU, and so on.
Gus
Oh, I don’t mind a couple iffy batches. I can keep the fridge stocked with craft brews from commercial brewers if my own product doesn’t turn out. Probably the place to start in the Twin Cities is Vine Park in St. Paul, where you can brew at their site.
Redleg
You don’t malt your own barley? What a [email protected] slacker.
ResumeMan
uhm, 40 IBU with that much unfermentable sugar?
To be clear, that’s HBUs (Homebrew Bitterness Units, which I think is %AA x ounces), not IBUs (Int’l Bitterness Units which is ppm of iso-AAs in the wort). I have no idea what that’ll work out to in IBUs (I’d have to plug it into Promash, but Im not sure Tim gave us enough info to do that), though it doesn’t look like a whole lot…
tom.a
Gus, I’d recommend The Complete Joy of Homebrewing as well, the copy I own is about 20 years old and it’s total cornball but very informative. Easiest thing to do is find a local homebrew supply store, plunk down some cash for the equipment kit ($75?) and a generic ingredient kit ($30?) and go to town. It helps to keep the first batch simple and as mentioned above, sanitize sanitize sanitize! I’m guessing on the costs btw, been a dozen years since I’ve brewed.
Nemoudeis
GAAH! When I first glanced at your recipe, I thought you were calling for crystal METH to put in your beverage.
Man, I have been reading waaay too many Sarah Palin biographies of late.
Nemoudeis
GAAH! When I first glanced at your recipe, I thought you were calling for crystal METH to put in your beverage!
Man, I have been reading waaay too many Sarah Palin biographies of late.