Stout Ideas and suggestions.

[berryman]

My first brew of the year (and first one since last Aug.) is going to be a Founders Breakfast clone. My problem is the grain bill size, 16.75 and I have done that big in the M&B but my efficiency really falls and it is a lot more work to mash. 13 lbs 2 row and rest (3.75) specialty malts. Question, what if i just steeped the special or treat it like a minimash and add one lb of 2 row in a bag? that would put me at 12 lbs in the M&B and my favorite amount, I still have my 8 gal megapot and a bag to mash that on. Thoughts?

[bpgreen]

That sounds like it would work.

[Beer-lord]

I see no reason why that won't work.

[mashani]

Thats pretty much what I did for the dopplebock. I just did a separate mini mash in my old pot and then boiled that on my stove while I mashed and then boiled the other in the M&B, and then combined them all in the M&B when the volume allowed for it.

[berryman]

Using Wyeast 1450 with a starter. I am going to add lactose and is not in the recipe, but I want to add it at kegging after I get my FG. Has anyone done this at kegging or bottling? Kinda like back sweetening wine to taste. I have made milk stouts but have put the lactose in at the end of the boil and it is always a guessing game if enough or too much, and the OG and FG are off, but approx. 6-7 points per lb on top and bottom.

[mashani]

As long as it's boiled in some water so it was pasteurized before adding, I don't see why it would be a problem. It's not quite the same as back sweetening wine when you have tossed in stuff to murder all the yeast and bugs so you would want to be careful like that. (Although you could do that in beer when kegging and force carbing if you wanted to, I suppose). I know that your yeast used there will not eat the lactose, but other bugs may happily do it.

[berryman]

I know that your yeast used there will not eat the lactose, but other bugs may happily do it.

Yes and will do a boil before adding and when make wine have to kill the yeast before back sweeting or will keep working, but get temp. down low enough wild yeast can't do much either. As far as I know not much will eat lactose. You think Bella would? I would wonder, that stuff takes everything down,

[mashani]

I don't know for sure, but since Bella / French Saison produces enzymes that can convert even unconverted starch and complex sugars into fermentable sugars and ferment it anyways, and mash temperature is more or less irrelevant when using it because of this when it is pitched in high enough quantities and/or enough nutrients are present to allow it to make those enzymes until it's all chewed up, I don't see why it wouldn't be able to whack off bits of lactose molecules and turn them into something it can eat as well.

[berryman]

This recipe calls for 2 more oz. of coffee a week before bottling, never done it before with coffee, just hops and commando, no problem. Should I boil maybe a cup of water with the coffee first? I'm thinking I should.

[Beer-lord]

I've only used coffee twice but I found making cold brew was better for a coffee porter I made. Supposedly it's not a bitter and acrid than boiled coffee. It should sit for about 24 hours in the fridge.

[berryman]

I've only used coffee twice but I found making cold brew was better for a coffee porter I made. Supposedly it's not a bitter and acrid than boiled coffee. It should sit for about 24 hours in the fridge.

Yes, I think the cold brew would be the way to go, I was just thinking a possible infection on raw coffee, I overthink on things that I have not tried myself.

[mashani]

I've only used coffee twice but I found making cold brew was better for a coffee porter I made. Supposedly it's not a bitter and acrid than boiled coffee. It should sit for about 24 hours in the fridge.

Yes, I think the cold brew would be the way to go, I was just thinking a possible infection on raw coffee, I overthink on things that I have not tried myself.

You could always "cold brew it" but then boil the final product before adding it.