Inspiration
This was a last minute brew, thrown together when our order for the beers we wanted to make (Saisons) hadn't arrived. Instead of sitting around, we decided to go through our ingredients and throw something together. We still can't believe how well this beer turned out. It really is amazing. I always say it tastes like a single shot espresso with chocolate.
We based the recipe on a Dry Stout, but it's not really a dry stout. We used lager malt, because we wanted to get rid of it. We used Vienna as the other base malt because we had so much success with it as a base malt in darker beers before. This was Tobias's idea, and it worked out amazingly. The rest of the malts are what we had sitting around. Overall, this has become something I enjoy drinking a bottle of at almost any time. It's sessionable without being weak. It's complex and full without being overly complicated or challenging to drink. Nicely balanced. A great starting place for a dark ale.
We based the recipe on a Dry Stout, but it's not really a dry stout. We used lager malt, because we wanted to get rid of it. We used Vienna as the other base malt because we had so much success with it as a base malt in darker beers before. This was Tobias's idea, and it worked out amazingly. The rest of the malts are what we had sitting around. Overall, this has become something I enjoy drinking a bottle of at almost any time. It's sessionable without being weak. It's complex and full without being overly complicated or challenging to drink. Nicely balanced. A great starting place for a dark ale.
The Recipe
Brew Method: All Grain
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 21 liters (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 26 liters
Original Gravity: 1.059
Final Gravity: 1.012
ABV (standard): 6.2%
IBU (tinseth): 24
SRM (ebcmorey): 37
Fermentables
2.5 kg - United Kingdom - Lager (42.7%)
2.5 kg - American - Vienna (42.7%)
0.25 kg - American - Carapils (Dextrine Malt) (4.3%)
0.25 kg - United Kingdom - Brown (4.3%)
0.25 kg - United Kingdom - Coffee Malt (4.3%)
0.1 kg - American - Chocolate (1.7%)
Hops
26 g - East Kent Goldings, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 5, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 15.08
6 g - East Kent Goldings, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 4.6, Use: Boil for 30 min, IBU: 2.46
34 g - Hallertau Hersbrucker, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 2.2, Use: Boil for 30 min, IBU: 6.67
Mash Guidelines
1) Temp: 40 C, Time: 15 min, Amount: 16 L, Dough in
2) Temp: 57 C, Time: 15 min
3) Temp: 69 C, Time: 60 min
4) Temp: 79 C, Time: 10 min
Yeast
Fermentis / Safale - American Ale Yeast US-05
Water
Amsterdam Source
Post-Brewday Notes
Ferment at 21C (66-70F) for two weeks, bottled to 2.0 vol @ 98grams table sugar
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 21 liters (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 26 liters
Original Gravity: 1.059
Final Gravity: 1.012
ABV (standard): 6.2%
IBU (tinseth): 24
SRM (ebcmorey): 37
Fermentables
2.5 kg - United Kingdom - Lager (42.7%)
2.5 kg - American - Vienna (42.7%)
0.25 kg - American - Carapils (Dextrine Malt) (4.3%)
0.25 kg - United Kingdom - Brown (4.3%)
0.25 kg - United Kingdom - Coffee Malt (4.3%)
0.1 kg - American - Chocolate (1.7%)
Hops
26 g - East Kent Goldings, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 5, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 15.08
6 g - East Kent Goldings, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 4.6, Use: Boil for 30 min, IBU: 2.46
34 g - Hallertau Hersbrucker, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 2.2, Use: Boil for 30 min, IBU: 6.67
Mash Guidelines
1) Temp: 40 C, Time: 15 min, Amount: 16 L, Dough in
2) Temp: 57 C, Time: 15 min
3) Temp: 69 C, Time: 60 min
4) Temp: 79 C, Time: 10 min
Yeast
Fermentis / Safale - American Ale Yeast US-05
Water
Amsterdam Source
Post-Brewday Notes
Ferment at 21C (66-70F) for two weeks, bottled to 2.0 vol @ 98grams table sugar