First Extract Recipe Suggestion? Stouts?

[withoutink]

Hi All,

I'm looking for a rather reliable recipe, for my foray into home brewing.

I am placing an order for my custom equipment kit. Now I want to get some recipe together. If not. I'll grab a pre made kit from Northern Brewer or something.

But it was suggested, that I ask for a suggestion for something better.

I love dark beers, stouts, coffee, chocolate, vanilla, cherry, spicy. Complex profiles are my favorites.

Granted I may not be able to undertake something like that to start, I figured I'd ask.

So extract based with some steeping grains is fine with me. As long as it isn't too difficult to create.

Any suggestions? ThAnks in advance.

Cheers,

Matt

 

[withoutink]

For reference, here is the equip kit I've cobbled together.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showpost.php?p=6248867

 

[QuercusMax]

Well, the good news is that a nice medium gravity stout (4-6% ABV) is an excellent starting batch. If you have minor flaws, they won't be as noticeable as in something light, pale, and simple.

Never brewed this one, but looks like it might be a good bet: http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/dark-cherry-stout-extract-kit.html

It comes by default with dry yeast, which I'd stick with for now.

 

[madcity]

I would highly recomended the northern brewer rye stout.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[mrdail87]

Style: Foreign Extra Stout
Batch size: 5.0 gal
OG: 1.050
FG: 1.012
Bitterness (IBU): 68.7
Color (SRM): 39.5
ABV: 4.9%

Grain/Sugars:

6.00 lb Amber LME, 75.0%
0.50 lb Roasted Barley, 6.2%
0.50 lb Crystal 60L, 6.2%
0.50 lb Chocolate Malt (British), 6.2%
0.50 lb Briess Extra Special Roast, 6.2%

Hops:

1.00 oz Nugget (AA 13.9%, Pellet) 60 min, 48.2 IBU
1.00 oz Cluster (AA 7.7%, Pellet) 30 min, 20.5 IBU

Yeast/Misc:

Irish Ale yeast, 1.0 unit(s), Yeast
Irish Moss, 1.0 unit(s), Fining , boil 15 min

-----
Here's my own stout recipe. Actually it's the first recipe I ever made. It creates a slightly sweet, toasty, bitter stout with a little bit of raisen/prune flavor in the background.

 

[withoutink]

Thanks for the replies thus far. I was trolling through the recipe database and stumbled upon this.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f68/none-more-black-vanilla-stout-96969/

Is this something one could attempt as their first brew? It sure sounds delicious. Just unsure if a total newbie should take a swing at it

Thoughts?

 

[QuercusMax]

Looks like a good recipe, but you might want to stick to a dry yeast for your first brew, instead of the liquid Irish Ale Yeast. S-04, Windsor, US-05, or Nottingham should do a fine job for a stout.

The main thing I'd recommend is to look for a recipe with an OG (Original Gravity) of 1.055 or lower - higher than that, and you'll really need more than a single packet of dry yeast to ferment it adequately. Liquid yeasts don't have as many cells as dry yeast, so you really need a starter in order to use them properly except for small batches or low-gravity beers.

 

[Pappers_]

Thanks for the replies thus far. I was trolling through the recipe database and stumbled upon this.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f68/none-more-black-vanilla-stout-96969/

Is this something one could attempt as their first brew? It sure sounds delicious. Just unsure if a total newbie should take a swing at it

Thoughts?

It looks fine to me, although the vanilla extract isn't what I'd choose. Also, the recipe posted above looks good. And a good solid kit would be a good choice also.

 

[withoutink]

Awesome to know. Thanks, so instead of: 1 White Labs Irish Ale Yeast

I should get one of these yeasts: S-04, Windsor, US-05, or Nottingham, I suspect they just come in a packet? It just says 1 on the original recipe, so I am not sure what one refers to exactly.

Also, in regards to the extract. I make my own vanilla extract at home.. So I was thinking of using a bit of extract (aged 6 months or more) plus a couple pods of vanilla. Any other suggestions?

I am going to try and source the ingredients today.

 

[Pappers_]

Awesome to know. Thanks, so instead of: 1 White Labs Irish Ale Yeast

I should get one of these yeasts: S-04, Windsor, US-05, or Nottingham, I suspect they just come in a packet? It just says 1 on the original recipe, so I am not sure what one refers to exactly.

Also, in regards to the extract. I make my own vanilla extract at home.. So I was thinking of using a bit of extract (aged 6 months or more) plus a couple pods of vanilla. Any other suggestions?

I am going to try and source the ingredients today.

US-05 and Nottinghan will give a drier, more attenuated beer.
04 will yield a more English style with esters, but still dry. Windsor will yield a less dry, less attenuated English style.

One packet of any of them will be fine, rehydrate them in a cup of water an hour or so before pitching.

 

[kcmobrewer]

I did the pliny kit from morebeer, loved it. Only lasted me about 2-3 months lol. If you like IPAs anyway.

Northern Brewer has a kit now that I have heard is awesome:
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/the-plinian-legacy-double-ipa-recipe-kit.html

Have great experiences with NB as well. Great company.

 

[mrdail87]

White Labs recommends a starter, but Wyeast should work well if you want to use liquid yeast.


A lot of people make starters when using Wyeast anyways, but I've pitched this one right in and it's always taken off like a rocket:
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/wyeast-irish-ale.html

 

[QuercusMax]

Don't want to start a flamewar in here about pitching rates, but Wyeast and White Labs have about the same number of cells in their packages.

Regardless, it's summertime, and shipping liquid yeast is a bad idea - so I'd stick with dry yeast, unless you have a LHBS where you can get fresh liquid yeast that you can be sure hasn't been sitting in the hot sun in a Fedex truck somewhere.

 

[ktrain]

+1 on the rye stout kit. Buddy did that as his first and I sampled and it came out great.