Modern Homebrew Recipes (32 page)

Variations:
I could see doing a single-step
hochkurz
decoction mash with these base malts. I’ve also done these types of beers as fruit beers, blending
in compatible dark and/or dried fruits that match the underlying esters (such as cherries, plums, or even figs).

JAMAICAN ECLIPSE

Tropical stouts match foreign-type stouts in strength, but without the strongly roasted and burnt component and with significantly less bitterness. Some have fairly high esters. The lower bitterness makes them seem sweet (as can a higher proportion of crystal malts); many commercial examples are sweetened post-fermentation. It seems kind of counter-intuitive that these would taste good in the hot weather of the tropics, but they do. They must be served quite cold.

Style:
Tropical Stout (New BJCP Style)

Description:
A traditional Caribbean stout recipe that is easy to tailor to your personal taste preferences.

Ingredients:

Water treatment:

RO water treated with ¼ tsp 10% phosphoric acid per 5 gallons

1 tsp CaCl
₂
in mash

Mash technique:

Infusion, mashout, dark grains added at
vorlauf

Mash rests:

158°F (70°C) 60 minutes

170°F (77°C) 15 minutes

Kettle volume:

8 gallons (30 L)

Boil length:

75 minutes

Final volume:

6.5 gallons (25 L)

Fermentation temp:

59°F (15°C), then lager at 32°F (0°C) for 3 weeks

Sensory description:
Roasty and chewy with low bitterness and moderate sweetness. The roast character has depth, combining chocolate and toffee flavors without harshness, while the yeast character adds some fruitiness. Full-bodied and higher in alcohol, although the sweeter flavors tend to mask it fairly well.

Formulation notes:
This is a fairly generic recipe that allows for variation. The base malts are traditional, but can be varied between six-row and two-row. Corn sugar is simply added to increase the gravity. The crystal malt can be US or UK in the 80–120°L range. The roast, black, and chocolate malts can be varied in any proportion; use the husked varieties to provide some bite since the percentage isn’t that high. The beer is fermented as a warmer lager, and then undergoes a short, cold lager before serving. Typically, the beer is sweetened and darkened with proprietary syrups. A simple sugar syrup at serving time might be best since almost anything a homebrewer would use would either ferment or bring unwanted additional flavors (such as lactose, caramels, brewing sugars, etc.).

Variations:
If you think of this as a Jamaican stout, how about adding in some Jamaican spices? You can add a bit of allspice for an accent, or go whole hog (or should it be whole goat?) with Jamaican jerk or curry seasonings. The sweetness and richness of the beer can balance smoky or spicy additions. If you want to be both goofy and inauthentic at the same time, you can use Italian coffee syrup flavorings to provide sweetness at serving.

KATHERINE THE STRONG IMPERIAL STOUT

This is an older recipe I put together to celebrate the birth of my daughter. We drank some of it after her christening, which was held during an ice storm that made the town look like the inside of a snow globe. I remember drinking it while listening to Metallica’s eponymous black album, which seemed both appropriate for the beer and jarringly disconnected from the outside world. Funny how you can tie a beer to important memories.

Style:
Imperial Stout (Classic BJCP Style)

Description:
An American version of imperial stout with a big chocolate flavor and a hoppy, bitter finish.

Ingredients:

Water treatment:

RO water treated with ¼ tsp 10% phosphoric acid per 5 gallons

1 tsp CaCl
₂
in mash

Mash technique:

Infusion, mashout, dark grains and crystal malts added at
vorlauf

Mash rests:

152°F (67°C) 60 minutes

170°F (77°C) 15 minutes

Kettle volume:

6.5 gallons (25 L)

Boil length:

75 minutes

Final volume:

5 gallons (19 L)

Fermentation temp:

68°F(20°C)

Sensory description:
Roasty and hoppy with a strong mocha component to the roast. The late hops are earthy, woody, and piney. Full-bodied and chewy, with caramel, toffee sweetness underneath. Strong alcohol and hop levels allow this one to be aged for a long time.

Formulation notes:
Layers of crystal malt provide some additional sweetness and balance to the roast, chocolate, and coffee flavors of the dark malts. Strong hopping provides some heavy bitterness. The piney Chinook hops go well with the roast as an aroma, but I would avoid using them as a flavor addition because their resiny character can clash with the dark malts.

Variations:
I think it would be fun to omit the late hops and add a couple vanilla beans (or just 1 to 2 Tbsp of good-quality vanilla extract, or to taste) to this beer. The vanilla and chocolate character would be a good match, but only if the piney hop notes weren’t in the way of the aroma.

FERRET AND TROUSER LEG IMPERIAL STOUT

This recipe comes from my friend Jay Wince, who was an award-winning homebrewer before becoming a GABF-medaling craft brewer at Weasel Boy Brewing Company (where he calls this recipe “Anastasia RIS”). I love this recipe because it’s so simple. Who would believe you could get such complexity in a style like this with only three ingredients in the grist? I’ve brewed this recipe several times, including several variations on the main theme.

Style:
Imperial Stout (Classic BJCP Style)

Description:
An English-style Imperial Stout that derives its flavors from very specific ingredients, and ages nicely.

Ingredients:

Water treatment:

RO water treated with ¼ tsp 10% phosphoric acid per 5 gallons

1 tsp CaCl
₂
in mash

Mash technique:

Infusion, mashout, dark grains added at
vorlauf

Mash rests:

152°F (67°C) 60 minutes

170°F (77°C) 15 minutes

Kettle volume:

8 gallons (30 L)

Boil length:

75 minutes

Final volume:

6.5 gallons (25 L)

Fermentation temp:

68°F (20°C), letting rise to 73°F (23°C)

Sensory description:
Deep black color with a strong roast flavor that has chocolate and coffee components. The bitterness is high, which gives it a bittersweet finish like dark chocolate. Light but noticeable late hop character with a citrusy, floral quality. Rich and full-bodied, this beer ages very well.

Formulation notes:
A very simple recipe with a high percentage of roasted grains and malts. The base malt is neutral, so the dark malts and grains carry all the flavor. Fawcett malt is the key; their grains aren’t as
highly roasted as some other maltsters, so they can be used in higher proportions without bringing additional harshness. The yeast is another key choice, along with the fermentation temperature. This yeast can be driven warmer without bringing harsh alcohols or off flavors. This beer can be ready quickly, but it also ages well with all that dark grain present; Jay won his GABF gold with a version that was 10 months old.