19 replies to this topic

[SchwanzBrewer]

I am almost out of home brew and I need to brew again. My brother and everybody I have served really likes MLPA, but I have done it 2X out of 3 beers so far. The second time it came out perfect. So I want to brew again and I was considering a 3 time on MLPA, but I really want to do something different and expand my horizons.So I have decided to brew two beers, MLPA to keep everyone happy, and another, except I have no idea what to brew.So please suggest something, keep in mind that I am doing extract for now and I can steep grains, but have not tried a partial mash. I am not afraid to do it, but it complicates things. So unless you have a kick ass recipe that needs a partial mash, try to stick to extract with steeping. (Yes I understand that going all grain would be the way to go to open up my repertoire, but I can't afford to upgrade my equipment right now.)I have been pouring over the recipes in this forum, but I can't make up my mind, so I will see what you all suggest.Thanks!Rich

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

What was your non-MLPA beer?edit: I see it in your sig - my bad. thinking...how about an oatmeal stout?

[SchwanzBrewer]

What was your non-MLPA beer? edit: I see it in your sig - my bad. thinking... how about an oatmeal stout?

It was an SNPA clone mess up, came out ok, but not near as well as the MLPA. I was going to brew a cream ale so my roommate would have something to drink, but hes gone and I would rather have something not so BMC to drink. -Rich

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

It was an SNPA clone mess up, came out ok, but not near as well as the MLPA. I was going to brew a cream ale so my roommate would have something to drink, but hes gone and I would rather have something not so BMC to drink. -Rich

do you use liquid or dry yeast?

[SchwanzBrewer]

do you use liquid or dry yeast?

I have used both, but I have had the best success using a 1056 smack pack and making a starter 18-20 hours before I brew. I made a 1/2 gal starter last time on the MLPA and just dumped it in. Within 30 minutes the airlock was overflowing. The beer came out so clean it wasn't funny, it cleared within a day of refrigeration. I was maybe thinking stout, but I am unsure about doing an extract stout. Would I need something different than just plain DME? -Rich

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

I have used both, but I have had the best success using a 1056 smack pack and making a starter 18-20 hours before I brew. I made a 1/2 gal starter last time on the MLPA and just dumped it in. Within 30 minutes the airlock was overflowing. The beer came out so clean it wasn't funny, it cleared within a day of refrigeration. I was maybe thinking stout, but I am unsure about doing an extract stout. Would I need something different than just plain DME? -Rich

nope - regular DME or LME should work. The rest is in the steeping grains. If you want to give yourself a break try using nottingham dry yeast. This is what I often use in my stouts.

[Big Nake]

Let us know what you have in mind. If it's stout, I can't really help. But if you tell us what you're envisioning, we could easily come up with an extract recipe to fit the bill. If you peruse the recipes on my site, they should all easily convert to extract and I'd be glad to help convert it if necessary. How about a Red Ale? Easy to do with specialty grains. A Blonde? Altbier? English Bitter?Glad to hear the MLPA is working nicely over there.

[nbbeerguy]

Stout Crush and Steep in 1 Gallon 150F water for 20 Min 12 oz roasted Barley4 oz Crystal 60 4 Oz Flaked Barley3 Oz Acid Malt (slightly sour Guinness taste)Strain the grain water into your brew pot. Sparge the Grains with 1/2 Gallon water@ 150F. Add Water to the brew pot for 1.5 gallons total volume Bring the wort to a boil, remove the pot from the stove and add:4 Lbs Light Malt Syrup1.75 Lbs Light DME 1 Oz Target Hops 1/2 Oz East Kent Goldings Add water untill total volume in the brew pot is 2.5 Gallons boil for 45 min then Add 1 Tsp Irish Moss Boil for 15 min remove pot from stove and cool for 15 Min Strain the cooled wort into primary fermentor and add cold water to obtain 5 Gallons Once wort reaches 70F Pitch your yeast Wyeast 1084 or 1098

Edited by nbbeerguy, 02 November 2009 - 05:19 PM.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

Stout Crush and Steep in 1 Gallon 150F water for 20 Min 12 oz roasted Barley 4 oz Crystal 60 4 Oz Flaked Barley 3 Oz Acid Malt (slightly sour Guinness taste) Strain the grain water into your brew pot. Sparge the Grains with 1/2 Gallon water@ 150F. Add Water to the brew pot for 1.5 gallons total volume Bring the wort to a boil, remove the pot from the stove and add: 4 Lbs Light Malt Syrup 1.75 Lbs Light DME 1 Oz Target Hops 1/2 Oz East Kent Goldings Add water untill total volume in the brew pot is 2.5 Gallons boil for 45 min then Add 1 Tsp Irish Moss Boil for 15 min remove pot from stove and cool for 15 Min Strain the cooled wort into primary fermentor and add cold water to obtain 5 Gallons Once wort reaches 70F Pitch your yeast Wyeast 1084 or 1098

A nice looking recipe. Here are my recommendations: use whirlfloc instead of irish moss. pick an appropriate dry yeast to make life easier unless you don't mind making starters. I'd chill at least mid 60s.

[nbbeerguy]

A nice looking recipe. Here are my recommendations: use whirlfloc instead of irish moss. pick an appropriate dry yeast to make life easier unless you don't mind making starters. I'd chill at least mid 60s.

This came from 150 Clonebrews

[earthtone]

Here's my suggestion, since I love simple stouts:1lb Roast Barley6oz Flaked Barley4.5lb Light DME15 AAUs EKG @ 601056/WLP001/US-05Enjoy!

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

Here's my suggestion, since I love simple stouts: 1lb Roast Barley 6oz Flaked Barley 4.5lb Light DME 15 AAUs EKG @ 60 1056/WLP001/US-05 Enjoy!

this would also be very nice

[3rd party JKor]

doesn't flaked barley need to be mashed?

[earthtone]

Ordinarily I would add 2.2 lb of flaked in my AG simple stout, but that would add a lot of starch if it is steeped and not mashed as you say. Instead I drop it down to 6 oz and you still get the protein and yes, some starch but it contributes to the silky smooth character of the stout. I've tried it with oats, flaked barley and with only malted grains in extract recipes and my favourite is still with the flaked in there. That said I wouldn't put much more than 6oz in to steep, I'm under the impression the starch can increase the mouthfeel similar to the high protein content of flaked grains so you get more head retention and body out of the grain anyway (normally the starch would get converted and not contribute)....I may be wrong there though anyways, the recipe posted above is tried and true from before I went all grain! Enjoy whatever you make!

[SchwanzBrewer]

Here's my suggestion, since I love simple stouts: 1lb Roast Barley 6oz Flaked Barley 4.5lb Light DME 15 AAUs EKG @ 60 1056/WLP001/US-05 Enjoy!

I think we have a winner. I'll probably stop by the LHBS tomorrow at lunch, looks like I'll be brewing this weekend. Thanks! Rich

[SchwanzBrewer]

I didn't make it to the LHBS last week, so I went today. I got enough ingredients to make 5gal of the stout and 5 more gal of MLPA (Since everyone in my family requested it)Just gotta brew this weekend!Cheers,Rich

[earthtone]

Awesome, let us know how brew day goes!Are you doing the stout and the MLPA in the same day?

[SchwanzBrewer]

I brewed in the same day, yes. It was a long day, I fell asleep during the stout and forgot to add DME. I added it during boil and had a boil over. Question:I didn't do any research in conditioning or bottling a stout. Should I have put this in a secondary and let it sit for a while?Its too late now, but I had the stout in primary for 5.5 weeks because I couldn't get time to bottle. I bottled the same way I always do. What is the standard aging/conditioning time for a stout? Also, I know you usually pour with a nitro tank for a creamy head, is there any special bottling technique that I should know about?I got in a rush to bottle and didn't even think about what the style should be like.Cheers,Rich

[orudis]

I brewed in the same day, yes. It was a long day, I fell asleep during the stout and forgot to add DME. I added it during boil and had a boil over. Question: I didn't do any research in conditioning or bottling a stout. Should I have put this in a secondary and let it sit for a while? Its too late now, but I had the stout in primary for 5.5 weeks because I couldn't get time to bottle. I bottled the same way I always do. What is the standard aging/conditioning time for a stout? Also, I know you usually pour with a nitro tank for a creamy head, is there any special bottling technique that I should know about? I got in a rush to bottle and didn't even think about what the style should be like. Cheers, Rich

almost no beers need a secondary IMO, certainly not a stout other than a RIS, and that just needs conditioning, whether in the keg or bottle.

[SchwanzBrewer]

How long should I let the stout condition in the bottle before chilling and serving?Its been 3 weeks in the bottle so far.Cheers,Rich