Can I get a recipe check on a milk stout?

[Blackdirt_cowboy]

I’m planning on doing a milk stout soon, and would like someone more versed in this style to critique what I came up with. I’m shooting or something somewhat mellow on the roastiness and not cloyingly sweet. Here’s what I’ve got.

5 gallon batch:
OG 1.060
FG 1.014
IBU 32
SRM 39
ABV 6%

9 lbs Maris Otter
1.75 lbs crystal 80
.75 lbs chocolate malt
.25 lbs roasted barley
.25 lbs black patent

2 oz willamette @ 60 minutes
wyeast 1084
.5 lb lactose

What say the experts? Also, if I wanted to add chocolate flavor, how would I accomplish that?

 

[Pappers_]

I think that's nice. Might consider backing off the crystal a little, or subbing in some other kind of crystal. With your chocolate to roast ratio, this may end up tasting more like a porter than a stout, but that is kind of what you're going for. Brew it as is and see how it turns out!

 

[Blackdirt_cowboy]

Thanks pappers. Would you lower the amount of crystal 80, or just change it to crystal 60, or maybe even crystal 20?

 

[Northern_Brewer]

I’m planning on doing a milk stout soon, and would like someone more versed in this style to critique what I came up with. I’m shooting or something somewhat mellow on the roastiness and not cloyingly sweet. Here’s what I’ve got.

5 gallon batch:
OG 1.060
FG 1.014
IBU 32
SRM 39
ABV 6%

9 lbs Maris Otter
1.75 lbs crystal 80
.75 lbs chocolate malt
.25 lbs roasted barley
.25 lbs black patent

Where to begin? First with the ABV, which is way out of style, it should be <4%. Then reduce the IBU in proportion, you want BU:GU in the 40-50% range.

You're making the common mistake of trying to make British beer with crystal and a high-attenuating yeast. NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! In general, British beers are made with low-attenuating yeasts and far less crystal than US brewers think they use. So lose most of the crystal and avoid 1084.

Milk stout is one of those styles which are effectively defined by just one beer, in this case Mackeson. Mackeson was bought by Whitbread in 1929 so the obvious yeast to use would be Wyeast 1099. Ron Pattinson has blogged extensively about Mackeson including recipes from 1943, 1954, 1965 and 1973 on page 1 and 1936 and 1952 on page 4, with information on assorted Mackeson wannabes in between. Only one out of six Mackeson recipes use any crystal at all -1973 has just 4oz. This is not a crystal-heavy style. ABVs ranged between 3.31-3.84%, apart from the pre-war one at 4.53%. Attenuations were generally low before the lactose addition - in the 55-65% range.

But have a read through Ron's stuff and you'll get a feel for what milk stout is about, without slavishly following any one recipe.

 

[Blackdirt_cowboy]

Thanks for the info northern brewer. I really want to brew a traditional stout, but it’s hard to find out what that is. It’s my understanding that a stout was originally just a porter that was “stouter,” for lack of a better term.

I also was under the impression that World War I was the cause of stouts being so low in ABV, due to a grain shortage or something of that nature, so that could be the reason behind the ABV of Mackeson.

Anyway, I’ll take a look at the blog that you referenced and see where that leads me.

 

[Pappers_]

If you're looking to brew a cream stout to the style guidelines, then yes, your recipe won't get you there. Here's a recipe I use https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/...-chicago-cup-singing-boys-cream-stout.149551/ It won a silver medal at a competition a few years ago.

But if you want to make a big sweet stout, an imperial version, you should go ahead and your recipe isn't bad. Regarding the caramel or crystal malt, I would reduce it to no more than a pound.

 

[Pappers_]

In general, British beers are made with low-attenuating yeasts . . . .

Windsor is my favorite for many English styles, for exactly that reason.

 

[Blackdirt_cowboy]

I read the blog that northern brewer referenced, and I’m intrigued by the 1936 version of Mackens. I may try that recipe and the one I came up with and see which version I like better. I like big beers, so 4.3% ABV worries me a little, but the flavor description is exactly what I’m after.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

Thanks for the info northern brewer. I really want to brew a traditional stout, but it’s hard to find out what that is. It’s my understanding that a stout was originally just a porter that was “stouter,” for lack of a better term.

I also was under the impression that World War I was the cause of stouts being so low in ABV, due to a grain shortage or something of that nature, so that could be the reason behind the ABV of Mackeson.

Anyway, I’ll take a look at the blog that you referenced and see where that leads me.

WWI hit British ABVs hard, but it was more due to temperance hard-liners in government than anything. But milk stout was never really a "stout", it was pitched more as a southern version of mild.

If you want to know the history of stout then Ron's your man. Start with this article, then move on to this section of his porter book (and buy the full thing) - you'll struggle to find much crystal anywhere in it. He's also got a load of stout recipes on the blog.

 

[Blackdirt_cowboy]

I finally settled on doing the 1936 Mackeson version from the Shut Up About Barclay Perkins blog. It is just now finished with fermentation. I’m just waiting on it to clear so I can keg it and put it on the gas. This is exactly what I was going for. It’s really smooth and mellow. Very little bitterness and not at all acrid. It has the perfect amount of sweetness.

I input the recipe into brewers friend, and it estimated the ABV at 4.8% vs the 4.3% in the recipe. I was a little more efficient than I anticipated and my brew is 5.2% which suits me just fine. I still plan on brewing the recipe I developed just to see the difference and figure out what I like better. But the one I did brew is a winner in my book.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

Good stuff. Just be careful not to overcarbonate it, too much carbonic acid will mess up the balance.

 

[Blackdirt_cowboy]

What do you think, 2-2.5 volumes of CO2?

 

[Northern_Brewer]

Personally, I'd go less than that. The big bubbles of CO2 force carbonation don't particularly suit any kind of stout, and this style less than most, so personally I'd go for bottle/keg/cask conditioning for preference, a nitrogen blend as second choice. But if CO2 in keg is all you have then I'd try it down at 1.5-1.8 as a first approximation.