I had not heard of any concerns about the oil other than the effect on head rentention which seemed to be well and truely ruled out? Admittedly, I have only read one study (done at Ancor Brewery I believe?) and some bits here and there on forums and other articles.
Is that BYO article on the internet anywhere TL? I had a quick search but came up empty.
After much anticipation, i just poured my first cold glass of Coconut stout off the keg.
YUMMY! To imagine the taste, it is like the dark chocolate "Bounty" (one in the red wrapper).
Taste is lingering. I can see me emptying that keg before too long....
Next plan will be a Framboise attempt I think (have tried Cherry stout prevoiusly with good results also). Maybe with a wheat base I think (Ithink traditionally Framboise is lager based - but what the heck).....
With the risk of going off topic, here's my coconut effort. Not exactly a stout... Bounty Oud Bruin
1.7kg Coopers Dark Ale
1kg DDME
150g Choc Grain (steep)
100g Melanoidin (steep)
500g Coconut Sugar
200ml Coconut Cream
11g Styrian Goldings (20min)
10g Styrian Goldings (dry hopped)
WLP500 Trappist Ale
Basically, I steeped the grain & boiled it up for about 20min with the sugar. I really hesitated with the Coconut cream. First i mixed a tiny bit in a glass with the wort from the grain and tasted what it was like. Nice...interesting... But I stood there for about 5 min with the cream over the pot, thinking "should I really put this in, and risk spoiling a beer?"
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
OG 1050 @ 40c.
I racked it to a secondary and threw in a cloth bag full of shredded coconut (both toasted and raw). Left that for another week, then ended up racking it to a tertiary with more coconut milk, and after realising there was just not enough coconut flavour, stupidly added 1teaspoon coconut essence. That kinda ruined it, as it it added a big chemical/plastic flavour to it.
Had mixed responses so far, but the funniest one from my sis-in-law. "It smells like a barmat in a nightclub at 5am, when every spirit in the house has been spilt on it."
Overall it's nice, but could be a whole lot better. Time may tell.
