![]() ![]() ![]() Clear wort in and out of the kettle is so important to brewing a great beer as many off-flavours are contributed from either grain material getting into the kettle, or the post-boil trub getting into the fermenter. Then we started to run-off into the kettle and sparged on the fly with hot liquor under 80✬ (any hotter and you risk extracting astringent tannins from the grain husk). 25mins until the wort ran clear (dilute a sample with water if its too dark to check clarity). We then recirculated the mash for approx. We brewed a simple single infusion mash at 67✬ for 60mins at 2.5L/kg of water with a 75✬ mash-out for 10mins finalizing at 3L/kg water:grist ratio. Mashing, Hops, Boiling, Fermentation & the Nogg I am a big promoter of keeping the recipe simple and allowing the ingredients to be noticed and not over complicate the flavours. This gave us a nice rich roasted barley flavour and the flaked barley gave it extra body and an incredible off-white lasting head (the brandy added after fermentation would thin the beer slightly). This is the fun creative part so I wont even begin to tell you how to brew the perfect stout, but for those who are interested here is what we used: There are so many good recipes out there to take inspiration from, but if you keep it simple you will give yourself a base on which to grow with each brew. When it comes to yeast, check the manufactured / best before date and prepare in a yeast starter where possible.Ĭhoosing the right grain bill for your stout can be challenging. When it comes to selecting hops, ask your supplier what year the crop was harvested and where it came from – it could prove better to use fresh hops that you may not have considered for your recipe than a ‘true-to-style’ variety that has been sitting on the shelves for 2 years. When you are at your LHBS make the effort (if possible) to sample the ingredients: chew the grain, you want a firm crunch from the kernel’s husk and pleasant malt flavor from the starch inside – if its chewy and stale, consider using a different grain or supplier. Choosing your ingredientsīefore we get into which malts, hops and yeast are going to produce the perfect stout, I would like to focus on something very important and often not considered when compiling a recipe Freshness. Popular minerals to use include Table Salt (NaCl), Gypsum (CaSO4), Calcium Chloride (CaCl), Epsom Salts (MgSO4), Baking Soda (NaHCO3) and Chalk (CaCO3). BeerSmith has a great water profile tool to calculate your additions. If your water levels are above the target for the style, you can dilute with distilled water. The high Calcium and Bicarbonate addition is to increase the alkalinity when using dark malts (which are more acidic than pale malts) for an optimum mash pH. While it is true different breweries are famous for different styles, we are assuming they don’t make adjustments to their local water supply, trust the science.įor the Eggnog Stout we went with the following mineral profile: I’d also be careful of being drawn into “regional water profiles”. Be careful because while being a little under with your additions will probably be forgiven, if you go overboard you could end up with a salty, sour laxative beer – so always err on the side of caution. ![]() Chloride (Cl-1) – accentuates the fullness of the beer.įinding the correct water profile for a particular style is fairly easy through reputable home brew forums.Sodium (Na+1) – balances the beer’s sweetness. ![]() Sulphate (SO4-2) – compliments hop bitterness.Bicarbonate (HCO3-1) – balances water pH.Magnesium (Mg+2) – an important yeast nutrient in small concentrations.Calcium (Ca+2) – determines water hardness & is instrumental to many processes in the mash and in the boil.The report may be a simple single page document or could be a complex 30-page dossier that will leave you wondering “brewing isn’t meant to be this hard”, but there are only a few ions that are critical to the brewing process: If you are on tank water, find your closest water testing facility or use distilled / spring water. These reports are typically subject to variance but it will give you an idea of what’s in your water. The first step is knowing where you start this can be done by contacting your local council and requesting a water quality report. While the brewing process is quite tolerant of poor conditions, it’s not likely going to be a great beer if the water profile isn’t appropriate to the style. I’ve heard this far too many times to count. “If the water tastes good, you can brew with it” Let’s start at the beginning, where all beer is inevitably destined for glory or the drain: Brewing Water We’ve had a number of people ask us for more info on the process, so I thought I would go in to more detail in this post about how to brew a stout. It has been 2 months since we brewed our first commercially available beer the Eggnog Stout and we are pumped with how it has been received. ![]()
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