BeerBorg

Was going to brew this on 1/2/18 but it's supposed to be in the mid 30's here and though I know that's nothing compared to you northern folks, that and the wind is a turn off so maybe I'll get to it next weekend.
Thoughts, ideas, critiques????? I'm a bit concerned if I should use a bit more late addition hops. Maybe 2 oz of Goldings at 10 minutes?????

BeerSmith 2 Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Chocolate Milk Stout
Brewer: Paul
Asst Brewer:
Style: Sweet Stout
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 7.81 gal
Post Boil Volume: 6.51 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 6.00 gal
Bottling Volume: 5.50 gal
Estimated OG: 1.066 SG
Estimated Color: 41.3 SRM
Estimated IBU: 19.1 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 76.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 79.2 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
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Amt Name Type # %/IBU
9 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 61.9 %
1 lbs Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM) Grain 2 6.9 %
12.0 oz Borlander Munich Malt (Briess) (10.0 SRM Grain 3 5.2 %
12.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 4 5.2 %
12.0 oz Chocolate (Briess) (350.0 SRM) Grain 5 5.2 %
8.0 oz Barley, Flaked (Briess) (1.7 SRM) Grain 6 3.4 %
8.0 oz Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 7 3.4 %
4.8 oz Carafa III (525.0 SRM) Grain 8 2.1 %
0.40 oz Magnum [12.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 9 13.8 IBUs
1.00 oz Golding, U.S. [5.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 10 5.3 IBUs
1 lbs Milk Sugar (Lactose) [Boil for 10 min](0 Sugar 11 6.9 %
4.00 oz Cacao Nibs (Boil 5.0 mins) Flavor 12 -
1.0 pkg California Ale (White Labs #WLP001) [35. Yeast 13 -


Mash Schedule: BIAB, Full Body
Total Grain Weight: 14 lbs 8.8 oz
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Saccharification Add 36.21 qt of water at 164.6 F 156.0 F 60 min
Mash Out Heat to 168.0 F over 7 min 168.0 F 10 min

Im I bit of a cold snap this week, I'm not brewing either. Highs barely in the teens all this week. But a nice Stout or Porter is always so nice for the cold weather. I brew a Robust Porter that I use for a Chocolate Porter. Have you ever considered adding Cocoa Powder to the end of the boil? I have found it makes a great addition for that kind of beer. I have struggled to get enough of or the flavor I want from Nibs themselves. But it all depends on what you really want with the beer.

Personally , I wouldn't go 2 oz of late hops but that's just me. I usually split 1 oz between 15 mins and 5 mins so that the hop character isn't too upfront, especially for a flavored beer. Something closer to ~30 IBU might help with a Sweet Stout of that gravity just for a bit more balance.

I'm out. The only dark beer I've brewed is that milk stout that I did a few months ago and that recipe was given to me.

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MadBrewer wrote:Personally , I wouldn't go 2 oz of late hops but that's just me. I usually split 1 oz between 15 mins and 5 mins so that the hop character isn't too upfront, especially for a flavored beer. Something closer to ~30 IBU might help with a Sweet Stout of that gravity just for a bit more balance.

I am only seeing 1oz of late Goldings, not 2, but maybe I'm missing something.

If I was going to late hop it, Goldings is what I would use though. It is almost impossible to over hop with Goldings. That amount may very well just enhance the sweet nose.

Now if it was Fuggles, I'd feel different. (I love Fuggles, but it's totally different animal and not so much in a beer like this would I use it).

mashani wrote:

MadBrewer wrote:Personally , I wouldn't go 2 oz of late hops but that's just me. I usually split 1 oz between 15 mins and 5 mins so that the hop character isn't too upfront, especially for a flavored beer. Something closer to ~30 IBU might help with a Sweet Stout of that gravity just for a bit more balance.

I am only seeing 1oz of late Goldings, not 2, but maybe I'm missing something.

If I was going to late hop it, Goldings is what I would use though. It is almost impossible to over hop with Goldings. That amount may very well just enhance the sweet nose.

Now if it was Fuggles, I'd feel different. (I love Fuggles, but it's totally different animal and not so much in a beer like this would I use it).

He was considering going 2 oz with the late hops in the original post.

I do love some Fuggles over EKG. Those and Willamette are some of my favorites.

Fuggles and EKG in my stouts, might get better chocolate from light chocolate malt (220L) and up it to a pound, the dark may get too much on the bitter side of chocolate. My 2 pennies.

I love fuggles (and Willamette) in Stouts too, especially dry stouts. I'm just afraid that in a "chocolate milk stout" they would stand out enough to interfere with the "chocolate milkyness".

Even we get cold down here but today it warmed up to the lower 60's. I got started when it was 52 and was done with the stout before the wind started blowing for the next cold front.
Kept to the recipe and can change things next time if I like it that much. Numbers were hit on the nail. I'm happy and the beer started showing it's love less than 7 hours later.

Kegged this today and it's not bad. A bit too sweet for my liking but my hopes are that carbonation will take that edge off. I also wished it had some roast notes to it but since it was a milk chocolate stout, I stayed away from that.
I may bottle a few with some coffee beans in the bottle just to see what it's like. Other than the FG, it pretty much came out like it was supposed to so there's that and it's just a tad under 5 ABV so that's a plus too.

First taste test and it still only half carbed. It's a bit thin which is a shame because it tastes good, but doesn't feel good. I'm hoping the carb helps a bit. I wish there was a way to 'thicken' it a bit but it is what it is, an easy drinking beer and the wife likes it and I'll count that a plus.

Beer-lord wrote:First taste test and it still only half carbed. It's a bit thin which is a shame because it tastes good, but doesn't feel good. I'm hoping the carb helps a bit. I wish there was a way to 'thicken' it a bit but it is what it is, an easy drinking beer and the wife likes it and I'll count that a plus.

I have a very similar recipe and had the same issue with a thin mouthfeel. After a few different attempts at improving it I tried using about 5% carafoam, totally changed the beer. Improved the mouthfeel a bunch and made it drink like it was a much bigger beer than it really was (6.5%) I've won several awards with the beer and it's my base for everything from a coconut/chocolate to a peanut butter stout.

Also take a look at Choloca, its emulsified cacoa nibs. I use it in place of the cacao nibs in the boil/secondary, and you can just pour it into the secondary to taste. And makes much less mess than nibs in the boil kettle.

Great idea. I've made much better stouts before even with only LME but this one is a disappointment. And the nibs kill the foam. My wife and sister in law love it when I add some cold press coffee to it. I must admit, it is very much enjoyable with that addition.

I developed this Milk Stout base to use in all kinds of different variations, including coffee. I want to try soaking some beans in rum then filter through them