Balanced English Stout Recipe?

[Gold]

Hi there, just drinking my first AG brew, a very simple, strong and hoppy American IPA. Used a kind of hybrid between a coolbox mash tun and BIAB, using a mashing bag in an unmodified coolbox (student flat means not much in the way of facilities), achieved just under 70% efficiency so can hopefully achieve more this time.

Looking to make a more balanced beer this time and turned towards one of my favourite bottled beers, Wye Valley Dorothy Goodbody's Wholesome Stout. I like how balanced this is, I have read it uses Northdown hence the choice. This is my first attempt at creating a recipe so bear with me, using Hopville Beer Calculus.

Batch Size 10L
Target OG 1.048
Target FG 1.013
79° EBC
36.2 IBU

87% 2.000 Pale Malt (Maris Otter) 70% 5
11% 0.250 Chocolate Malt (UK) 73% 744
2% 0.050 Black Malt 60% 909

boil 60 mins 15 Northdown leaf 6.2
boil 30 mins 10 Northdown leaf 6.2
boil 1 min 10 Northdown leaf 6.2


Any feedback on the recipe would be appreciated, particularly on the balance of the malt. Not looking for extreme flavours but a nice dryish balanced flavour.

[dave-o]

I would say that 11% choc may be a bit harsh, and you say you are not looking for extreme flavours. Roast barley would make more of a standard stout, unless you have a reason to use choc?

And if you want stout thickness and creaminess you could do with flaked barley.

Standard stout recipe is 70/20/10 pale malt/flaked barley/roast barley.

Your hop schedule looks fine.

[Gold]

[quote="dave-o"]I would say that 11% choc may be a bit harsh, and you say you are not looking for extreme flavours. Roast barley would make more of a standard stout, unless you have a reason to use choc?
[/quote]
Thanks for the help. I don't have any roasted barley in and am short of cash! Was thinking of adding torrified wheat for a bit more body, thoughts?

[dave-o]

OK well you could tone down the choc to perhaps 7-8% and up the black to 3-4%.
I wouldn't advise putting torri in an ale in any great amount, it tastes a bit funny.

You don't have to use flaked barley, it's just good if you want that stout thickness.

[Spud395]

Oatmeal works well in stout to add body and creaminess.
Malted Wheat would be better than torry as a head addition

[Gold]

[quote="Spud395"]Oatmeal works well in stout to add body and creaminess.
Malted Wheat would be better than torry as a head addition[/quote]

By oatmeal are normal porridge oats okay? Just add them to the mash?

[Spud395]

That'll do the job, dont over do the amount though as it can cause your mash to stick.

5-10% I is normal enough.

Some toast in the oven beforehand, best leave for a week or so after toasting I believe or it can be harsh

[Barley Water]

Well this might sound radical but I say if there ain't no roast barley in the grist, it ain't stout. Roast barley has a very unique flavor in beer and if you are trying to brew to style it really needs to be there to be a stout. Absent that, I would probably call it a porter. You might try the Three Shades of Stout formulation to be found on these forums, it makes a very nice pint, not too over the top. I just brewed the recipe that the great Jamil Z published, it's in secondary right now and I will be very interested to see how it comes out but I have done the Four Shades recipe and can recommend it.

[Garth]

Four shades is well recommended to any stout lover, it's great do a search for the recipe