Tag Archive for 'stout'

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Big Honkin’ Stout – brew day

Published on December 30, 2010 in beer. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

This kit was compliments of my good friend Kaytee, who I plan on sharing with.

Northern Brewer Big Honkin’ Stout extract kit. Here is their description:

We took inspiration from American-style foreign stouts for this recipe, combining high bitterness and gravity and an intense roasted grain character to make a pitch-black ale that can’t be ignored. Strong, dark roast coffee with a shot of hops and background notes of tar, dark fruit, and caramelized sugar in the nose, giving way to a big mouthful of malt, roast grain, and more hops with a lingering bittersweet finish. Recommended: 2-stage fermentation and yeast starter.

Big Honkin’ Stout
Extract kit from Northern Homebrewer, Milwaukee, WI

Target OG: 1.068

Malt 1: 3.15 lbs. Dark Malt LME (60 min)
Malt 2: 6 lbs. Dark Malt LME (15 min)

Adjunct: 1 tsp Irish Moss (15 min)

Grain 1: 0.5 lbs Simpsons Roast Barley
Grain 2: 0.5 lbs Simpsons Black Malt
Grain 3: 0.25 lbs Weyermann Carafa III
Grain 4: 0.25 Briess Caramel 120

Hop 1: 2 oz Willamette (60 min)
Hop 2: 1 oz Cascade (15 min)
Hop 3: 1 oz Cascade – (1 min)

Yeast: Safale Us-05 Ale Yeast(59°-75°F)

Boiling Schedule:
Collected 2.5 gallons of water. Steep grains at 155°F for 20 minutes. Bring to a boil. Remove water from heat and mix Malt. Bring water back to a boil. Add Hop 1 @ 60 minutes, Hop 2 @ 15 minutes, add Hop 3 @ 11 minutes. Add Irish Moss with 15 minutes left in the boil.

Notes:
I pitch yeast @ about 60°. My fermentation temps are 61-62°. I’m not going to transfer to secondary fermenter on this stout as suggested. I’ll leave in the primary for about 6 weeks and then begin taking daily hydrometer readings – when hydrometer readings are the same on consecutive days, primary fermentation is complete. Bottle with 6 oz (3/4 c.) of corn sugar. Bottle condition for up to 2 weeks.

My actual OG was 1.067. I pitched @ 60° and fermented @ 61°. It was suggested to use a yeast starter but I simply pitched the single packet of yeast since I had a pretty close amount of dry yeast for this gravity.

Patersbier – secondary

Published on February 17, 2010 in beer. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

After 12 days I racked to secondary with a FG of 1.007. With my OG being 1.042 that will give this beer an ABV of 5.5%. A good session beer for the spring/summer I think. I did get the promised hints of citrus and pear with a bit of spicey notes. One unfortunate thing that happened was that I cooled the heated fermenter down from 74 degrees to room temp of 59 a day prior to racking. The air and liquid must have condensed, therefore pulling in about 1/2 cup of the water in my blow off vessel, up through the tubing and into the top of the bucket and into the beer. I didn’t see any film on top nor smell any off smells, so hopefully all is good. Note to self to leave the temp alone prior to racking.

I also cracked a couple beers that have been aging for a while. My Imperial Stout and Belgian Dubbel turned out great. They’re a little low on the carb but it has only been a couple weeks and it has been cold so they’ll only get better from here on out. So far, the stout has been the best tasting beer I’ve made. Very excited to share.

Imperial Stout – secondary

Published on December 13, 2009 in beer. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

After some serious initial fermentation I’ve racked my Imperial Stout to a secondary fermenter. I think after this brew, I’ll purchase and use some Fermcap to reduce too much krausen and issues with excessive blow off.

My FG was 1.027. My OG was 1.081. I used this site to calculate my ABV and it gave me 7.2%. Ooofta. The color has a slight tint of burgandy, maybe from the malt. The rest looks like motor oil.

Imperial Stout – brew day and recipe

Published on November 22, 2009 in beer. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

I’ve been wanting to brew this beer ever since I got my eyes on the Northern Brewer catalog. Here is there description:

“Imperial stouts were first brewed in England for export to the royal courts of the Russian Tsars. The Tsars are gone but the beer remains, the “War and Peace” of stouts. This kit yields a pitch black beer with tan head, resounding with burnt, bitter chocolate character, hops, and syrupy malt. A viscous, chewy body finishing with lots of roast grain and a warming alcohol note. A nice companion on a cold winter night or accompanying chocolate dessert. Recommended: 2-stage fermentation and yeast starter.”

Imperial Stout
Extract kit from Northern Homebrewer, Milwaukee, WI

Target OG: 1.086

Malt 1: 6 lbs. Dark Malt LME
Malt 2: 6 lbs. Dark Malt LME

Grain 1: .5 lb Simpsons Roasted Barley
Grain 2: .5 lb Simpsons Black Malt
Grain 3: .5 lb Simpsons Chocolate

Hop 1: 2 oz Galena – alpha 13.0% (60 min)

Yeast: #1728 Scottish Ale Yeast w/ decanted starter using stir plate (55°-70°F)

Boiling Schedule:
Steep grains at 155°F for 30 minutes. Bring to a boil. Sparge grains with 1/2 gallon of boiled water. Remove water from heat and mix LME @ 60 minutes. Bring water back to a boil and add Hop 1 @ 60 minutes.

Notes:
Suggested 292 billion cells for a 2 L starter. Transfer to secondary fermenter after about 14 days or begin taking daily hydrometer readings – when hydrometer readings are the same on consecutive days, primary fermentation is complete. Proceed to secondary fermentation for 2 months. Bottle with .75 cups of corn sugar. Bottle condition for up to 1 month. My OG was 1.081.