Stout

[mysterio]

I get a really creamy Guinness-like head with a stout tap and a low pressure (12 psi) so I don't think I'll be using mixed gas. In fact I was convinced I had mixed gas until I took the restrictor plate out of the stout tap. Thanks for the feedback guys, I'll probably just stick with the recipe and see where it takes me, Wheeler & Protz are pretty reliable.

I find it incredible that Guinness is virtuallly the only stout on the market. Many microbrew stouts around?

Good point. When most people talk about homebrewing stout it's usually a Guinness clone. I'm actually not that bothered about cloning Guinness, just making a decent stout. If this works out well, I'll probably do an oatmeal stout.

[jasonaustin]

How high is high ~ 30psi?

Almost. Guinness use 35psi.
Nitrogen is much less soluble than CO2, hence the higher pressures needed.

[tribs]

I find it incredible that Guinness is virtuallly the only stout on the market. Many microbrew stouts around?

On Saturday night I had Sam Smiths Extra Stout followed by Sam Smiths Oatmeal Stout. I much preferred the Oatmeal. It was delicious and sweeter than the Extra

The best stout I have had is Black Shiver by Pictish Brewery in Rochdale.

[PieOPah]

I find it incredible that Guinness is virtuallly the only stout on the market. Many microbrew stouts around?

I agree that it is virtually the only comercial stout on the market (along with Murphy's). There are some fantastic 'Real Ale' stouts on the market and I prefer most of them to Guiness.

The first stout I made was with a kit (Coopers) and I loved it.
When I stopped using kits and started with extract and speciality grains, my first brew was a stout.
When I stopped using extract and moved on to AG, my first brew was a stout.

Of all the stouts I have made, I have NEVER tried to make a Guiness Clone (or a Murphys). In fact, I have pretty much made up all the recipes with some input from other people with slight modifications. Even when I made the Coopers Stout from kits, I made them my own. The first one I added a bottle of Ginger Wine. The second I added a few pots of freshly brewed coffee.

While I enjoy both Guiness and Murphys, personally I would want to clone them as much as I would a John Smiths Smooth or a pint of Worthingtons.

If I was going to clone a beer, I would clone a 'real ale' rather than a comercial beer.

[noby]

Guinness Extra (or Original) from the bottle is 4.2% in Ireland, stronger in the US, and is a far superior stout to the draught version. There is a recipe for this version in the Clone Brews book that I have made, and came out great. If anyone is interested I can dig out the recipe tonight. I do recall there was 3oz of acid malt added to give the slight sourness.

As for Guinness, when I go to other countries, it's the last thing I would drink, so I cannot say if it tastes nicer here. AFAIK all of the guinness in Ireland is now pasteurised.
O'Hara's stout is another bottled stout from Ireland that gives Guinnes a run for it's money.

Seveneer, I agree with you about the brewery pint being nothing special. Good tour, fabulous setting for a bar with a great view of the city. Average pint.

[tribs]

AFAIK all of the guinness in Ireland is now pasteurised.

That may be true since they stopped brewing in London and moved all brewing operations back to Dublin. They used to sell unpasteurised Guinness in and around Dublin though, but I've not been for a while. That stuff is fantastic, I do hope you can still get it there.

[steve_flack]

How high is high ~ 30psi?
I find it incredible that Guinness is virtuallly the only stout on the market. Many microbrew stouts around?

Matt

I used 45psi so perhaps was a bit high. You also need to try and degas the beer of CO2 to get the nitrogen to go in otherwise you just get CO2 bubbles and they're much bigger and don't have the same mouthfeel.

BTW, I used a corny keg. I wouldn't want to play with 45psi in a plastic keg. Also I ran the beer through an inline beer chiller.

This was about 6 years ago I played with this as a few people said 'Can you make Guinness?' as if there was some magic about it. There isn't. It's more down to dispense than some brewing magic. I haven't brewed a nitro beer since then and can't really be bothered to these days.

[Jim]

Interesting thread, especially re the pressure required - I didn't realise it was so high.

All the specs I've seen for plastic kegs state 15psi max, so a corny (or equivalent) is a must.

[Andy]

All the specs I've seen for plastic kegs state 15psi max, so a corny (or equivalent) is a must.

That reminds me of a link I found the other day!

http://oz.craftbrewer.org/Library/Gear/ ... Kegs.shtml

[Jim]

All the specs I've seen for plastic kegs state 15psi max, so a corny (or equivalent) is a must.

That reminds me of a link I found the other day!

http://oz.craftbrewer.org/Library/Gear/ ... Kegs.shtml

Nice link! I feel a trip to B & Q coming on.

[monk]

wow...that link is great! It's amazing what you can do with a little eccentric thinking. One of the best parts of homebrewing, as a hobby, is how you begin to see any container or fitting as a possible piece of homebrewing or dispensing equipment! A couple of weeks ago I was at the hardware store and saw a big plastic jar. I turned to my wife, pointed, and said, "you know, that would make a..." "...really good fermenter?" she finished my sentence. Poor woman!

monk

[mysterio]

I am brewing this beer tommorow. I start back university on Tuesday so I'm aiming to have 15 gallons ready on on tap to see me through to the next holiday or spare weekend...

[monk]

I start back university on Tuesday

doh! my condolences.

[mysterio]

I brewed this today... went for 85% pale malt, 5 % each of sugar (for dryness), flaked barley & roast barley, with just over an ounce each of Target & EKG. Looks good!

[Andy]

I wonder if the recipe I posted is intended to be the Guinness Original Extra Stout that you can buy in cans, which I think is a bit stronger and more carbonated.

I've heard of the foreign export stout which is up around the 7% ABV mark and has soured beer added to it to balance the flavour. It's a shame it was never sold here, I would love to try it - I assume you can get it in Ireland?

Was in my local Tescos* tonight and they've got Guiness Special Export in bottles (7%) - imported from Nigeria where it's brewed/bottled!

Also got an offer on 3 for £3 including SNPA, Coopers Pale Ale, New York Lager and Honey Brown Mild (american lager!). Picked up a SNPA and 2xCoopers.



* DaaB, sorry