First go at a stout

Macca · Post by **Macca** » Tuesday Sep 13, 2005 8:00 am

Morning all, after a recent trip to sunny (NOT) Hobart and trying the Cascade stout I thought I might try making a stout myself.

i am not a traditional stout drinker (more lagers ands pils) so any tips on kits and hops mixtures would be greatly appreciated.

As stated this is the first go and if it doesn't work out well I might just try again, thats what brewing is all about.

Macca

Wassa · Post by **Wassa** » Tuesday Sep 13, 2005 10:16 am

I am about to put down the following:

1 can Coopers Stout
1kg Dry dark malt extract
500g Maltodextrin
250gm Oatmeal

Mix content of can with malt and malrtodextrin in 2 ltrs of boiling water. Transfer to fermenter and fill to 20litres. Add Oatmeal then yeast. Ferment then bottle, let condition in bottle for at least 3 months, chill, drink and enjoy.

NickMoore · Post by **NickMoore** » Tuesday Sep 13, 2005 1:01 pm

hiya wassa, a "heads up" (literally) about fermenting stouts. they tend to be very friendly and want to rush out through the airlock to greet you in the morning. very messy. best to fill fermenter to circa 18L only and try to keep temp in 18-20 range. (or you could have a crack at a "dragon stout" and use lager yeast.)

NICK.

undercover1 · Post by **undercover1** » Tuesday Sep 13, 2005 1:18 pm

Or use a blow off tube.

Smabb · Post by **Smabb** » Sunday Sep 18, 2005 10:56 am

http://www.homebrewandbeer.com/forum/vi ... 0&start=80

I put this down a couple of weeks ago. Looks pretty good so far.

Cheers

Hillbilly · Post by **Hillbilly** » Sunday Sep 18, 2005 11:53 am

Try one of these, just tip it all in the fermenter add another 5 liters of water and let nature do it's thing, sooo easy, you'll never look back.
http://www.esbeer.com.au/prod190.htm

anti-fsck · Post by **anti-fsck** » Sunday Sep 18, 2005 6:23 pm

Fuggles hops, you can't forget the fuggles hops!

Macca · Post by **Macca** » Monday Sep 19, 2005 8:15 am

I started a coppers stout on the weekend with basically what was in the garage ie 1kg Coopers BE II and 500grms or Coopers Light malt.

Added some Saflager yeast andit was off and kicking within 8 hrs.

I have some Saaz and Coopers hop pellets at home I have not added any yet was thihking about adding some when I rack it to a cube. Any suggestions on which one to add if any and how much?

Tyberious Funk · Post by **Tyberious Funk** » Monday Sep 19, 2005 9:54 am

I got some Toohey's Dark Ale on sale a kmart a few weeks back. Although it isn't a stout kit, I figured I could beef it up to be stout-like. I used the following ingredients;

1.7kg can of Toohey's Dark Ale
1.0kg Morgans Master Blend Roast Black
0.2kg Lactose
0.2kg Dark DME
0.3kg Rolled Oats
Safale s04 yeast
Water topped up to 15 litres.

This puppy started fermenting within a few hours of being pitched. But a cold snap slowed things down a bit and the fermentation stalled several points shy of the target FG of 1022. I gave it a stir and that kicked off fermentation again. I'm now waiting for the yeast to settle a bit because it is still a bit hazy. I might consider racking to a secondary this weekend.

It tastes fantastic out of the fermenter. The Morgan's roast black has created a flavour similar to Cooper's Best Extra... which I rate as one the best commercial stouts going around, so I'm pretty happy. I didn't add any extra hops because with the fermenter topped up to only 15 litres, I'm estimating there is already around 45IBUs in there which puts it into the ballpark for an Oatmeal stout.

Now I just have to make sure I don't screw up the bottling 'cos I think I have an absolute ripper on my hands.

Post by **Oliver** » Monday Sep 19, 2005 1:26 pm

Macca wrote:I started a coppers stout on the weekend with basically what was in the garage ie 1kg Coopers BE II and 500grms or Coopers Light malt ... I have some Saaz and Coopers hop pellets at home I have not added any yet was thihking about adding some when I rack it to a cube. Any suggestions on which one to add if any and how much?

Macca,

Saaz isn't a hop usually associated with stouts, but I guess there's no reason you couldn't use them. Add 10-15g when you rack.

I'm not familiar with the Cooper's hops. Have you got any more information?

Oliver

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Monday Sep 19, 2005 2:24 pm

saaz would be wasted on a stout. Try some fuggles instead and save the saaz for a lager (better still a pilsner).

Post by **Oliver** » Monday Sep 19, 2005 2:57 pm

Having thought about this further, Guest is probably right. Get yourself some Fuggles. Saaz is so subtle that it will probably be completely lost in a stout.

Cheers,

Oliver

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Saturday Sep 24, 2005 3:52 pm

I am loving stouts- easy to make and great even in our higher temperatures on the north coast of NSW.

The Muntons gold imperial stout has blown my mind. Really nice, though I have found it a bit better balanced with 100 to 200 grams of lactose.

The kit yeast is a bit slow to get started, so giving it a drink and a feed beforehand is nice. The premium kit price is about the same as buying off the shelf liquid malt and good yeast and a kit, so happy days

Muz

steveo · Post by **steveo** » Saturday Sep 24, 2005 8:45 pm

Stouts would have to be the best, easiest, closest to commercial beer of all the home brews. Just the kit and a brew pack and they're always good. You can make them better, try some licquorice extract as well, and you'll be real happy I reckon. Can be a little bit fizzy sometimes though.

anti-fsck · Post by **anti-fsck** » Sunday Sep 25, 2005 10:16 am

steveo wrote:Can be a little bit fizzy sometimes though.

Isn't one of the tricks with stout to only lightly carbonate them? I have a black and tan here that has way too nuch carbon dioxide, and it makes it a bit hard to drink, both in terms of how dry it is and how much it bloats you. I've just laid down a stout that has half the priming sugar of a normal beer.
It also has 250 grams of lac in it, which in hindsight is still a bit too much.