Pastry stouts brewing advice

What temp are you mashing at?

 

I suppose you could mash higher and try it out. I would think that would lead to a somewhat higher final gravity. Admittedly I'm not an expert on making imperial styles cause I generally don't drink those beers.

 

For more perceived sweetness:

- Mash Higher (upper 150s)
- Mash Shorter Time
- Use a less attenuative yeast strain
- Add more Lactose
- Use more Crystal Malts
- Use less bittering hops

Regarding getting (unwanted) higher alcohols, the first place to look would be fermentation temperatures. Keep them on the low end. And that's the temperature of the wort itself, not the ambient temperature.

 

I'd recommend this. Use either Irish or Scottish Ale yeast instead of the S04. Just make sure to ferment in the mid-60s to limit those fusels.

 

Are you going for additionally desserty additions? Chocolate, vanilla, coffee, cinnamon, fruits? I have no advice to offer, and am new to the pastry stout term. Just trying to gauge if this is what it is about.

 

my stouts don't taste like pastry

 

what kinda water profile are you using? Looking to make a vanilla/coffee/maple imperial this weekend and still not sure on a water profile for it. previously i used poland spring, but been building water from R/O lately.

 

your previous brews of pastry stouts just used R/O with no additions?

 

https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/bourbon-county-brand-stout-clone.352773/

This is the best stout that I've made, and will continue to make as a base for different adjunct variations. Its on the thicker/sweeter side but well balanced.

 

If you’re using extra crystal malt I would use c30-40. The last time I brewed my ris I subbed extra 120 to make up for c30 I didn’t have and it came out harsh. There was an article about the harsh malts in the last byo I read

 

Don’t use S04 or 1056

Mash high

Mash short (20-30 minutes)

Ferment less than 64 for at least 48 hours

Add a 162 mash step

If using RO use lots of Baking Soda

Use CaCl as your only Ca source, or at least most of it.

Boil for longer

Use at least a pound of something close to C40 (preferably English) (5g batch)

Chocolate Rye


Then adjunct as necessary... lots and lots of donuts

 

How would that add sweetness?

 

It might not add sweetness but depending on the OG of the beer it will help to prevent the higher alcohols he’s referring to. Especially with S04

 

Less attenuative yeast for sure. WLP002 is 63-70%. That will leave a nice residual sweet body.

- Less attenuative yeast (WLP002)
- Mash high 158F
- High OG (Im sure big JWB beers are around 1.140 OG)
- Lower IBU (maybe 1:3 BU:GU)
- Dextrins, protein grains

A combination of these factors will yield you a thick beer. Just have to dial a combination of these factors in.

I Just made a big 13.5% Barleywine w/ WLP090 that is sitting in a bourbon barrel right now, FG before going into barrel was 1.032.

WLP002 is lower attenuation, but says alcohol tolerance is 10%. I've never tested this strain past 10%, so maybe others could chime in, as JWB big beers are typically 13% - 16% abv.