Hello beer fans-
This will be my third home brew. I’m pretty psyched about this one for more than one reason. I was really happy with my last brew, an Oktoberfest that turned out good, so I feel like even after a short time I’m starting to define my own technique. Let’s not mention my first attempt, it's just better that way. The second reason I’m looking forward to this stout is because…it’s a stout. Unlike our fast drinking mainstream American lagers, where an off taste is immediately perceptible, the richness of a stout can, ehh, give you some lee-way to still make a decent, and if the cards are right, really good beer.
Being a newbie I’m sticking pretty close to a tried and true recipe. For grains I used 4 oz. crushed roasted barley & 6 oz. crushed crystal which I assume is fairly typical. A 2 lb. can of dark hoped malt extract. 2 oz. UK first gold hop pellets, etc.
After a week I decided to do second fermentation which I let perk away for another week. So as I post this I’ve been bottled for a week and I’m three weeks in - total.
I figure another three weeks of bottle conditioning and I’m ready to go. I’ve been bottling using a case of 16 oz. “Grolsch” style bottles (also the preference of the guys in the club) and a case of half gallon growlers. It seems way more practical and efficient this way than actually capping (53?) 12 oz. bottles!
What’s my idea of a perfect stout? I know you didn’t ask. It’s a trick question because there is no perfect stout. It’s like music, there is no perfect song. It all depends on your mood at any particular time. What I’m expecting is a Guinness style stout with that delicious roasted taste and a hint of chocolate. As a side note, some dark chocolate, like 70% cocoa or more dark chocolate and a good stout is an after dinner desert that is hard to beat.
Three weeks and counting, optimistic and flexible, it should be a good end to winter!
Brew on…
Frank Kemper
Brew Jersey Devils
