Shepherd Neame Double Stout....

[Clobber]

Now that is a tasty pint, I was gobsmacked to be honest, very nicely balanced for such a flavoursome brew...

I won't waffle on about the flavours, try it for yourself. I also don't wish to start an argument about it not being a true "double stout" it is just handsome beer IMHO.

Any one got any ideas on how to make something close?

[Clobber]

Does no one else like this stuff????

[fego]

I suspect not many have tried it, me included.

Where did you have it?

[Oli1979]

Never heard of it?

[GrowlingDogBeer]

I have a bottle in the beer fridge, I will try it later. I picked it up in Tesco.

[seymour]

I assume you're referring to the updated 5.2% ABV version available in bottle (and cask as the St. Patrick's Day seasonal) since November 2012, supposedly based on an encoded 1868 brewery book, not the previous 4% joke. I wish I knew the specific grainbill percentages, but here's what little I've gathered. The historical claim still seems a bit far-fetched, considering a "Double Stout" of that era would've been at least 7-8% ABV, and in 1868 might've still been called Porter, right? I expect it would've been hoppier too; this overlaps the India Porter era. "Chocolate Malt", as such, didn't yet exist, but may be a modern-day substitution for a vague ingredient like "roasted malt." I wonder too, if darker malts from that period would've been smoky? As always, correct me if I'm wrong.

Ron, FuggleDog, Critch…anyone else out there wanna comment?

Shepherd Neame Double Stout (2012-, based on 1868 recipe)
Shepherd Neame, Faversham, Kent, UK
ABV: 5.2%
Grainbill: Pale, Crystal Malt, Chocolate Malt, Brown Malt, Roasted Barley, Flaked Oats
Hops: East Kent Goldings (bittering addition only?)
IBU: ≈40?
Colour: opaque black
Yeast: proprietary Shepherd Neame brewery ale strain, available in Spitfire and 1698 bottles

Here are more "Double Stouts" for comparison. I always like to study several different approaches before crafting my own recipe (my latest of which I snuck into the following list).

Courage Double Stout (1915)
Courage - London, England, UK
OG: 1079
Grainbill: 59.5% Pale, 19.5% Brown Malt, 10.5% Black Malt, 10.5% Sugar
Hops: Goldings, Cluster, Fuggles
IBU: ≈70?
Colour: black
Yeast: unknown, but presumably very similar to other London ale brewery strains, quite possibly "anonymized" in the NCYC archives

Fullers BS (Double Stout, 1915)
Fullers - London, England, UK
OG: 1064
Grainbill: 57.7% Pale, 12.4% Brown Malt, 6.2% Black Malt, 3.4% Flaked Maize, .5% Oats, 20% Caramelized Sugars
Hops: Cluster and Goldings (early), Goldings (late)
Colour: black
Yeast: proprietary Fullers brewery strain, their modern strain is adapted to conical fermenters but may still be related, available in Bengal Lancer and 1845 bottles

Fullers Double Stout/Past Masters (1893, reissued 2011)
Fullers - London, England, UK
OG: 1070
Grainbill: 56.5% Pale (Archer barley drum malted and kilned to 1900 porter specs), 19% Brown Malt, 3.4% Flaked Maize, 4.1% Chocolate Malt, 17% #3 Invert Syrup & Molasses
Hops: Fuggles, Goldings
Colour: black
Yeast: proprietary Fullers brewery strain, their modern strain is adapted to conical fermenters but may still be related, available in Bengal Lancer and 1845 bottles

Green Flash Double Stout Black Ale*
Green Flash - San Diego, California, USA
ABV: 8.8%
Grainbill: Pale, Dark Crystal Malt, Roasted Malts, Golden Naked Oats
Hops: Target
IBU: 45
Colour: opaque black
Yeast: Chico/Sierra Nevada/Siebel BRY96/WLP001/Wyeast 1056/Safale US-05
*this is a very successful recipe for Green Flash. They also offer as separate listings: Belgian Double Stout (the same beer fermented with a Trappist ale strain), Coffee Double Stout (with cold-pressed French roast coffee), Double Stout with Serrano Chilis, and a version aged in bourbon barrels for 14 months which came out at 10.1% ABV!

Harvey's Imperial Extra Double Stout/Imperial Russian Stout
Harvey's/Harvey & Son/The Bridge Wharf Brewery - Lewes, East Sussex, UK
ABV: 9%
Grainbill: Pale, Amber Malt, Brown Malt, Black Malt
Hops: Fuggles, Goldings
IBU: 70
Colour: opaque black
Yeast: Harvey's proprietary dual-strain, repitched for over 50 years, possibly the same as Brewlab Sussex 1

Hook Norton Double Stout
Hook Norton Brewery Co. - Banbury, Oxfordshire, UK
ABV: 4.8%
Grainbill: 31% Mild Malt, 31% Maris Otter, 20% Brown Malt, 8% Black Malt, 10% Invert Syrup (mash at 156°F/69°C for 2 hrs)
Hops: Challenger (60 min), Fuggles and Goldings (15 min), Goldings (dry hops)
IBU: only 28!
Colour: black
Yeast: derived from Whitbread-B, available as S-04, primary brewery strain available in bottles of Flagship and Double Stout

Noakes Double Stout (1915)
Noakes (historical) - London, England, UK
OG: 1075
Grainbill: 47% Pale, 9% Black Malt, 8% Crystal Malt, 7% American Six-Row Pale, 7% Amber Malt, 4% Brown Malt, 12% #3 Invert Syrup, 5% #2 Invert Syrup
Hops: Goldings (90 min and 30 min)
IBU: 30-45?
Colour: black
Yeast: unknown, but presumably very similar to other London ale brewery strains, quite possibly "anonymized" in the NCYC archives

Rogue Double Chocolate Stout
Rogue Ales - Newport, Oregon, USA
OG: 1082
ABV: 8.7%
Grainbill: Two Pale Malts, Dark Crystal 120L Malt, Dark Crystal 135-165L Malt, Chocolate Malt, Rolled Oats, Roasted Barley, Dutch Bittersweet Chocolate
Hops: Cascade, Revolution (a proprietary "American noble" hop similar to Tettnanger)
IBU: 72
Colour: black
Yeast: Rogue Pac Man ale strain, available as Wyeast 1764

Seymour American Stout (2013)
St. Louis, Missouri, USA
OG: 1064
ABV: 6.7%
Grainbill: 59.7% Pale, 7% Victory Malt, 7% Black Barley, 7% Steel-Cut Oats, 5.7% Pale Chocolate Malt, 5% Beechwood Smoked Malt, 2.8% Brown Malt, 2.8% Toasted Buckwheat, 1.5% Dark Crystal Malt, 1.5% Aciduated Malt
Hops: Chinook (FWH, then 60 min), Hallertau (30 min), Strisselspalt (10 min), Ahtanum (at flame-out, steep until chilled), Chinook (dry hops)
IBU: 65
Colour: black
Yeast: house English ale blend

Truman SS (Double Stout, 1905)
Truman (Historic) - Brick Lane and Burton upon Trent, UK
OG: 1075
Grainbill: 75.8% Pale, 6.5% Brown Malt, 4.3% Black Malt, 1.8% Caramel, 11.6% Sugar
Hops: Goldings (early and late)
Colour: black
Yeast: the NCYC archive has two Truman ale strains

Whitbread SS (Double Stout, 1915)
Whitbread - London, England, UK
OG: 1075
Grainbill: 65.76% Pale, 13.29% Brown Malt, 5.59% Black Malt, 2.8% Amber Malt, 12.59% #3 Invert Syrup
Hops: most likely Goldings
Colour: black
Yeast: unsure which ale strain, but much of the Whitbread yeast library is archived in NCYC

[Clobber]

Blimey Seymour, that's a chunk of info! Many thanks for sharing (again!)

I understand that the heritage they are claiming for this maybe a load of old claptrap but in this case, I don't want that to get in the way of enjoying a really tasty brew!

[Clobber]

Did you like it runwell-steve?

[Clobber]

Where did you have it?

Forgot to say that it's the bottled 5.2% variety not the 4% cask variety, I have never tried that.

So... oddly enough, it is available in our local village shop which I would guess means it's now in the hands of cash and carry's nationwide.

[Monkeybrew]

Does no one else like this stuff????

I've tried it and like it.

It's actually got some interesting flavours for a bottled stout, but is quite pricey at £2.58 a bottle!

Saying that, it's in Tesco's 4 for £5 deals atm, making it £1.25 a bottle

MB