Chocolate Stout

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by MLCampbell, Oct 25, 2014.

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  1. MLCampbell

    MLCampbell Initiate (0) Oct 8, 2014 Maine

    Brewed a chocolate stout of my own concoction. So far, I haven't done a kit, like a good newbie should. I like to experiment. Since I've started brewing, all I've done is make up recipes. So here is my chocolate stout recipe:

    7lbs Stout Malt Extract
    2lbs Bairds Chocolate Malt
    Wyeast #1084
    1/2oz Northern Brewer Hops at 45min
    1/2oz Norther Brewer Hops @15 min
    1 Tablespoon of Irish Moss @ 5 min

    It produced 3 gallons at OG 1.086. Maybe 1.110. 1.110 was what I measured the first time. Then I measured again for shits and giggles and got 1.086. FG at 1.037 (stayed there for 2 days). Bottled after 7 days.

    I sampled this batch after 6 days of bottle conditioning (just want to see where it's at and making notes to keep track of any differences over the weeks). Bottles have remained at room temp so far.

    Here are some of what I picked up.

    - A hint of chocolate.
    - Subtle bitterness.
    - Little head retention, but the foam nearly spilled over the top of the bottle when I first opened it.
    - Espresso-like aftertaste with some sweetness.
    - Leaves a syrupy feel in the mouth like after drinking cough syrup (slick at the roof of the mouth).
    - Can definitely taste (and smell) the alcohol.

    Overall, it's good. My best batch so far. Curious to see what a few more weeks of conditioning will do. I'd appreciate opinions, thoughts, or feedback from these details.
     
    #1 MLCampbell, Oct 25, 2014
  2. scurvy311

    scurvy311 Savant (1,135) Dec 3, 2005 Louisiana


    2 pounds of chocolate malt in a 3 gallon batch is a lot of chocolate malt

    The espresso with sweetness is probably the 2 pounds of chocolate malt plus the high final gravity

    If it was primed with sugar properly the carbonation should settle down with a few more weeks of age on it. The immediate foaming is probably due to suspended particles that haven't settled out yet again, assuming it was properly primed for the bottles

    Syrupy mouth feel probably due to the high final gravity and not fully carbonated

    What was your oxygenation technique and your pitching right?
     
    #2 scurvy311, Oct 25, 2014
  3. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    How much priming sugar did you use, and how much beer made it into the bottling bucket? If you used too much or if it wasn't well mixed, this could explain the foaming. Or if attenuation wasn't finished, you could be headed for bottle bombs. Not to alarm you, but...

    1.086 or 1.110? If you don't know how to use a hydrometer properly, I would wonder about the FG being stable. I would keep these bottles is a safe place.
     
    #3 VikeMan, Oct 26, 2014
  4. psnydez86

    psnydez86 Initiate (0) Jan 4, 2012 Pennsylvania

    ( explosive detonation sound )
     
    #4 psnydez86, Oct 26, 2014
  5. MLCampbell

    MLCampbell Initiate (0) Oct 8, 2014 Maine

    I have them contained and covered. Hopefully no bombs. Is there a period when I should.be most concerned?

    Oxygenation through whisking. I pitched when the wort was at 78 degrees.

    Definitely a lot of chocolate malt. I like the flavor, though. I'm happy with it so far.
     
    #5 MLCampbell, Oct 26, 2014
  6. MLCampbell

    MLCampbell Initiate (0) Oct 8, 2014 Maine

    I should mention too that I pitched a full packet of yeast, hence the strong alcohol smell/taste. My intention was to brew 5 gallons, but i ended up with 3 because I wanted a somewhat higher OG. Didn't realize I should have pitched less until after it was done.
     
    #6 MLCampbell, Oct 26, 2014
  7. pweis909

    pweis909 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,250) Aug 13, 2005 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah


    For three gallons at 1.110 or 1.086, I'm pretty sure you did not overpitch. Your beer probably should not be considered finished at 1.037, and the fact that the gravity didn't change for two straight day could very well mean there was not enough yeast. Yet, you may be getting some strong smells or taste from fusel alcohols, which can occur in high gravity fermentations in which temperature, oxygen, and pitch rate are not well controlled.
     
    #7 pweis909, Oct 26, 2014
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  8. MLCampbell

    MLCampbell Initiate (0) Oct 8, 2014 Maine

    You're right. I just looked up how much yeast I should have added to a high gravity beer such as mine and calculated the amount of yeast cells per gallon. Definitely under-pitched. And I don't have a lot of equipment yet to control temp or oxygen (in time it will happen). The temp never exceeded 80F, but it was higher than I would have preferred (around 76-78F). But the strong alcohol smell and flavor are not necessarily a bad thing for me either, though I did want less of it.

    Well, it's been a fun learning experience so far. Thanks for all your feedback. It's amazing how much I've learned in the few weeks I've been at this.
     
    #8 MLCampbell, Oct 26, 2014
  9. pweis909

    pweis909 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,250) Aug 13, 2005 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    Fusel alcohols are longer chain alcohols, mostly 5 carbon amyl alcohols rather than the 2-carbon ethyl alcohol that we like to imbibe. According to Wikipedia, that wealth of information, the term "fusel" is German for "bad liquor." Regardless of the accuracy of that direct translation, that can indeed be the result.

    For me, when I drink beverages with an abundance of fusels (or at least, with a problem that I think can be attributed to this condition), I get a nearly instant headache that can persist for up to 24 hours. This has only happened 2x, both high gravity fermentations in which I did not control temperature well, a stout and a mead. I have also experienced something similar with a small number of commercial beers. I'm open to the possibility that I have misdiagnosed the fermentation flaw in these instances, but anything that gives me a headache like this is definitely flawed in some way!
     
    #9 pweis909, Oct 26, 2014
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  10. MLCampbell

    MLCampbell Initiate (0) Oct 8, 2014 Maine

    I like getting into the chemistry of beer. Just got the book " The Chemistry of Beer" by Roger Barth.

    I have gotten headaches from beers before. Not off this one sample of my stout. Perhaps if I had another. If that's the only flaw of this batch, I'll consider it an improvement. Now that it's getting cooler out, I should have better conditions for fermenting - more control. I want to do this recipe again with a lower OG, more yeast, and maybe some cocoa nibs.
     
    #10 MLCampbell, Oct 26, 2014
  11. caryhson1

    caryhson1 Initiate (0) Oct 27, 2014 Texas

    I prefer Carafa III for adding chocolate flavor. I've never steeped them though.
    Can you steep dehusked grains???
     
    #11 caryhson1, Oct 27, 2014
  12. langdonk1

    langdonk1 Initiate (0) May 16, 2014 South Carolina

    Sounds to me like you should have started with kits and a recipe just to learn the basics. You need to build a foundation before the roof goes up, right? You probably enjoy it because it's you're beer. If you bought that beer you would throw it away. Make a swamp cooler next time for fermentation control. Extremely important to keep your ales around 64-72 the highest. Just put your fermenter in a large bucket and fill it with water. Wrap a towel around the fermenter so the bottom of the towel is in the water. The water will wick up the sides of the towel to cover and cool the top part of the fermenter. If it's still too warm put frozen water bottles down the side in the water. Have some backup bottles in the freezer to change out every 6 hours or so. Should maintain around 66 degrees in the middle of summer. Good luck
     
    #12 langdonk1, Oct 27, 2014
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  13. MLCampbell

    MLCampbell Initiate (0) Oct 8, 2014 Maine

    Great advice! I'll need to make one. Sounds simple enough.

    I know very well that I should have started with a kit, but I like to take unorthodox approaches to new things. I feel that I've learned quite a bit from making sub-par brews, knowledge that I may not have gotten otherwise. You learn more from your mistakes than from your accomplishments.

    I do have a kit on the way as we speak, though. This will be a new (and similar) learning experience. I'm all about the experience.

    Thanks for the advice on the swamp cooler. Sounds more efficient that my current method of wrapping in a towel and setting in ice packs when the temp goes up.
     
    #13 MLCampbell, Oct 27, 2014
  14. machalel

    machalel Initiate (0) Jan 19, 2012 Australia

    With a FG of 1.037, I'd be really really worried about bottle bombs... Seriously look up how to deal with these straight away. They can be very dangerous.
     
    #14 machalel, Oct 27, 2014
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  15. MLCampbell

    MLCampbell Initiate (0) Oct 8, 2014 Maine

    "If you know or suspect that a batch has been overcarbonated, treat it carefully. Open each bottle carefully, wearing gloves and eye protection, and allow the excess gas to escape. You can then recap the bottles, or pour the beer back into the bottling bucket, allow it to become flat (and complete fermentation if necessary), reprime, and rebottle." From HomeBrew Talk.

    Looks like I'll have a project tonight.
     
    #15 MLCampbell, Oct 28, 2014
  16. machalel

    machalel Initiate (0) Jan 19, 2012 Australia

    If your OG was actually 1.110, the yeast may have given up and stopped at 1.037, in which case they may not blow, but better safe than sorry. Either way, you really want to get that final SG lower.

    I know its a bother and a hassle, but if it was me, I'd be carefully pouring them (no splashing) back into a sanitised fermentor and pitching a starter of additional healthy yeast; hoping that it drops further and didn't get too oxidised.



    P.s. Next time you make a brew, ensure that everything is well mixed together, as that is usually the cause of wildly varied measurements :slight_smile:
     
    #16 machalel, Oct 28, 2014
    Last edited: Oct 28, 2014
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