Building my stout.

Since talking out my process of what I want in the last porter worked so well, I will try this one more time with a stout. If you read last weeks post, you'll know I'm looking into a new everyday stout. Dry Stout.

There seems to be varied opinions on what makes a good stout now days. Things are getting lumped together as if there is only one stout variety.

Most peoples today would describe what they think a stout is, as a thick, black, strong, burnt/roasty, high hopped beer.  And I would say, that yep,, this is one type of stout. One that I love drinking my self. But, that of course is only one type of stout.

What I want out of this stout, is that stout that seems like only a memory now. The lower/mid strength, lighter bodied, burnt/roasted, low hopped dry stout. Seems now days they only stouts like this around are the old stand bys. Murphy's, Beamish when you can find it, and a bit further away but pretty close, Guinness.

With all that in mind, A stout is, or should be, a pretty basic recipe. I think any base malt will work, even German types like Vienna I think would make a good stout.  But I think I'll stick with good old US 2 row. Something that I will pretty much have on hand. Gotta keep it easy though, as this is going to be an “everyday” beer

Even though this is a “dry” stout, it should have some sweetness to it in order to give both perception of depth, and to square off with the roast. Roast is good, but it needs to buffered. I for one don't think much of the taste of 60L. 40L crystal is what I want here. It will give more sweetness with less grain, and will not lend as much taste.

And of course roast. There are a couple of trains of thought on which roast to go with. But I personally tend to think a stout is a stout, because of the roast barley. Save the black patent for porters. And while I have in the past stouts included Chocolate malt.. I think I have only done so out of habit. For this first draft I will leave it out. I am pretty sure it will not be missed.

And then there is one more thing I taste in the stouts. It seems that in the ones that I have learned to like more than others, there is a grainy taste to them. I'm not entirely sure its a grain taste. Could be astringency or just residual roasty,, I dunno. But something in my head always says is something to do with Munich.

Sounds like we have a direction with the grain now. So lets get to hopping.

High hopping a stout in fine in some styles, but that's not what we I am looking for here. I want the hops to do their job of muting the sweet, I want just enough to know they are there. But I don't want to taste them or smell them. I think pearle fits this nicely. Had good results with that exact effect in a cream ale.

And I'm not lookin for any yeast profile either. No Irish, or Brit yeasts in this one. Just a good clean yeast that can chew it down enough and not leave it on the sweet side. Of course, US-05 fits.

Ok we have our ingredients. How do we assemble this sucker. Well taking everything into account.. Lower grav, dry, roasty, non hoppy,, I think we will start with..

Nebula- dry stout, 13A

6lbs 2 row

8oz 40L crystal

12oz Munich malt

1lb roast barley

1 oz perle hops @60

us 05 yeast

Mashed low at 150