Quick update, I just kegged and sampled. It’s actually really good, and it’s very sweet. It finished up at 1.033. I didn’t have time to brew again last week without the lactose. I’ll carb this and try again. Might have a great dessert beer on my hands or might have to brew again without the lactose and blend. We shall see......
... the first time using lactose, but it's still a solid 8 points above what I'd hoped to achieve.
It tastes pretty good still, but it's the first all-grain recipe I feel I failed with.
I just brewed 5 gallons of this this on Sunday, second time brewing it. First time was a 1.25 gallon test batch. This time I actually overshot my estimated OG a bit - est: 1.061, mine came in at 1.066. It's bubbling away in the fermenter right now. I'll be kegging this batch but the first time I bottled it. I will say it tasted quite good at first but only improved as it aged. The last bottle I opened tasted the best, it was in the bottle around 5 months by that time. Hopefully yours will taste even better as it ages as well.Had a couple of issues with the original recipe. All probably my own fault.
First off, my BIAB efficiency was terrible, which I attribute to poorly milled 2-row, which led to me having to top up with DME.
Secondly, it's only fermented down to about 1.030. First time using lactose, but it's still a solid 8 points above what I'd hoped to achieve.
It tastes pretty good still, but it's the first all-grain recipe I feel I failed with.
Lactose being unfermentable will lead to a higher then expected FG
What temp did you mash at?Had a couple of issues with the original recipe. All probably my own fault.
First off, my BIAB efficiency was terrible, which I attribute to poorly milled 2-row, which led to me having to top up with DME.
Secondly, it's only fermented down to about 1.030. First time using lactose, but it's still a solid 8 points above what I'd hoped to achieve.
It tastes pretty good still, but it's the first all-grain recipe I feel I failed with.
What temp did you mash at?
Is your thermometer accurate at those temps?
Did you heat the kettle during the mash?
Used a hydrometer for your gravity reading?
What yeast did you use? Made a starter?
Lack of aeration/oxygenation perhaps?Mashed at 152
Thermometer hasn't let us down before
No kettle heating during the mash
Used a hydrometer for all gravity readings
Used rehydrated S-05
Lack of aeration/oxygenation perhaps?
Fermentis now claims (their) dry yeasts don't need rehydration or aeration/oxygenation.
Maybe your poor mash efficiency has something to do with it. Such as beta amylase not getting a good grip on it.
Even if the crush is fairly coarse, given enough time with good periodic stirring should yield decent efficiency.
It may just be a fluke, only looking for a possible cause.![]()
Mashed at 152
Thermometer hasn't let us down before
No kettle heating during the mash
Used a hydrometer for all gravity readings
Used rehydrated S-05
When brewing this last weekend I used distilled water and the Beersmith 3 "Black Full" profile. Not sure how it'll turn out since it's my first time modifying water. The previous time I brewed this recipe I just used spring water.Anyone have a water profile for this? The recipe is certainly good even just using spring water, but would be awesome with the right water
Thanks, keep us updated!When brewing this last weekend I used distilled water and the Beersmith 3 "Black Full" profile. Not sure how it'll turn out since it's my first time modifying water. The previous time I brewed this recipe I just used spring water.
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Good guess, you are correct. 5 gallons into the fermenter.This may be a silly question, but the recipe says the batch size is 5gal and the preboil size is 6.13gal. Is the 5gal the amount after boil, after fermentation, or after packaging? I’m guessing it’s after boil and the 1.13 gallons lost are due to boiling?
Thanks! So the packaged amount would be like ~4.75 gallons assuming ~0.25 gallons trub loss?Good guess, you are correct. 5 gallons into the fermenter.
Sounds about right. I tend to make my batches a little larger on the malts and preboil end to compensate for the boil off and trub losses along the way. So far so good. I end up with 51-53 12 oz bottles fairly consistently on an otherwise 5 gallon batch.Thanks! So the packaged amount would be like ~4.75 gallons assuming ~0.25 gallons trub loss?
Kegged this yesterday. Racked on top of 2 1/2 TBS of Apex Toasted Coconut flavoring and I hope that wasn't too much. The entire kitchen smelled of coconut.Thanks, keep us updated!
I chilled it for 48 hrs and did a quick carb last night and poured a sample glass. Carbonation still needs to round out a bit but damn, it tasted good. Like a Mounds bar only better. Really nice chocolate flavor and the coconut takes it to the next level.Sounds good! Noticeable improvement over just using spring water? I'm going to brew this tomorrow with that water profile
Not sure I can answer your question yet since it's only been in the keg for three days. But the early returns look (taste) very promising though. I do remember being more and more impressed with the bottled batch the longer it aged. This one tastes pretty damn good right out of the shoot. Maybe the coconut is influencing my impression, who knows. Good luck tomorrow.Sounds good! Noticeable improvement over just using spring water? I'm going to brew this tomorrow with that water profile
Kegged it today. OMG!! This is definitely the best stout I have made and it is still uncarbed!. I agree better than LHMS. Not only that. I have visited over 80 breweries during last two years and I think this is at the top of many stouts I have tried. Thank you thank you OP for sharing this recipe! I think I'm brewing it again this weekend to fill up that fermenter. Maybe I'll add coffee to it.If you are on the fence on this brew just do it!
Wow wow wow! Having my first glass now. This stout is amazing. Haven’t even started and I think I’ll buy the ingredients for my second batch.![]()
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