“Pout's Revenge" Dry Irish Stout

Brew date: February 3, 2013

#14 - 4 gal BIAB

My go at a dry Irish stout, ready in time for St. Patrick's Day. It will also mark my first beer entered into a tasting competition. The Wine and Hop Shop is hosting a stout contest at the Italian Workmen's Club with the grand prize an opportunity to brew your beer at the One Barrel Brewing Company. Not that I expect to come close to winning, but that is a kick ass prize. The competition is a great opportunity to get honest feedback and connect with the local homebrewing community. I hope to walk away with some solid notes and maybe even the names of an associate or two.

This recipe takes inspiration from the Deck Head Stout on the AHA's website and Brewing TV's episode, "All About Stout." If you've never seen an episode of Brewing TV, check it out. They are fun, informative, and passionate about brewing.

Ingredients:

• 4.5 lbs Maris Otter Malt
• 0.5 lbs Caramel Malt 60L
• 0.75 lbs Roasted Barley
• 0.25 lbs Black Malt
• 1.25 lbs Flaked Barley
• 0.25 lbs Rye Flakes

Hops

• 0.75 oz Cluster (6.8%) (60 min)
• 0.25 oz E. Kent Goldings (6.6%)(leaf) (60 min)
• 0.25 oz E. Kent Goldings (6.6%)(leaf) (knockout)

Other

• 0.75 t Irish Moss (20 min)
• Wyeast 1084 Irish Ale*

*1000 mL yeast starter made 1/31. Used the 10-to-1 ratio described by Mr. Malty's Proper Yeast Pitching Rate. Add 100 g DME and 1000 mL water to Erlenmeyer flask. Mix well. Gently boil for 10 min. Chill and pitch. Swirl occasionally to oxygenate. Night before brewing, put flask in fridge to settle out yeast. Brew day, remove from fridge and return to room temp.

Instructions:

Heat 5 gal water to 120 'F. Add grain. Temp will stabilize to 104-110 'F. Rest for 25 min. Direct heat to 154 'F. Maintain temp and rest 60 min. Heat to 168 'F and rest 10 min. Strain using grain bag. Suspend over brew kettle using strainer. Slowly sparge grains with 1 gal water heated to 168 'F. Grist absorption from 7.5 lbs of grain will be approx. 1.25 gal. Should be left with roughly 4.75 gal. Boil wort for 90 min. Add cluster and goldings at 60 min. Add Irish moss at 20 min. Add goldings at knockout. Let sit for 10 min. Chill wort to 64 'F. Add to fermentor and pitch decanted yeast. Ferment at 64-68 'F.

Observations:

OG: 1.057

Target Gravity: 1.050
Pre-boil gravity: 1.043

Expected ABV: 5.6%

Efficiency: 88%?

First attempt to sparge my grist after mash out. The ghetto setup is visible above. I suspended the strainer and grain bag over my brew kettle while slowly pouring the water over the grist. This probably added 30 min or so to my brew day. Next time I will heat the water in my 3 gallon kettle and sparge while bringing my megapot up to a boil. That way I  should save some time.