Stout question

Josh Hughes

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
Established Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2020
Messages
5,418
Reaction score
15,397
Points
113
Location
Kentucky
Alright so I am finally able to brew a batch with my buddy who I intended to do this hobby with. We have an extract stout kit to brew (it is about 6 month old). The ingredients included are 6 lbs of golden light LME, 1 pound of roasted barley, and 2 Oz of cluster hops. I’m good with where those will get us for OG and color. My issue is the hops. I’ve not used Cluster. I’ve used EKG and Fuggles in my Irish stouts. A 60 minute boil with cluster will get my upper 20’s in IBU when my batches I usually go to around 40. Will this still be a good stout? Should I Add some of my hops? Probably be challenger or EKG. Should I add some flaked barley to the steeping roasted barley? Oddly I’ve only done 1 kit and that was in February so I’m struggling with allowing this to go as planned lol.
 
Alright so I am finally able to brew a batch with my buddy who I intended to do this hobby with. We have an extract stout kit to brew (it is about 6 month old). The ingredients included are 6 lbs of golden light LME, 1 pound of roasted barley, and 2 Oz of cluster hops. I’m good with where those will get us for OG and color. My issue is the hops. I’ve not used Cluster. I’ve used EKG and Fuggles in my Irish stouts. A 60 minute boil with cluster will get my upper 20’s in IBU when my batches I usually go to around 40. Will this still be a good stout? Should I Add some of my hops? Probably be challenger or EKG. Should I add some flaked barley to the steeping roasted barley? Oddly I’ve only done 1 kit and that was in February so I’m struggling with allowing this to go as planned lol.
Cluster's fine, I use it in my Kentucky Common as the bittering hop and I get some fruity blueberry-currant flavor from it. For a Stout, I'd look for something a litte more British, the hops you mention are as good as any. One issue I'd have is the six-month old extract. If it's gotten dark and inky flavored, I wouldn't use it.
 
Yeah the extract worries me a little too. It’s been kept in the dar in upper 60’s temp. Date was from March. Not tasted straight extract so I’m not sure if I could tell unless it tasted nasty

we are planning to brew Friday. So if I needed something else that I would just have to postpone because we can’t do all grain for a 5 gallon batch. I don’t really have the equipment for that I probably have enough maris otter though
 
Last edited:
I can do two mashes I have enough maris otter and 2 row to do it. Just wish I knew about the LME beforehand. Just take a little taste?
 
Yeah the extract worries me a little too. It’s been kept in the dar in upper 60’s temp. Date was from March. Not tasted straight extract so I’m not sure if I could tell unless it tasted nasty

we are planning to brew Friday. So if I needed something else that I would just have to postpone because we can’t do Walgreen for a 5 gallon batch I don’t really have the equipment for that I probably have enough maris otter though
I wound up using old LME on my first batch because I wasn't paying attention at my LHBS and they apparently aren't super attentive to pulling outdated product. Both cans were expired, one was definitely darker than it should have been. The beer was very drinkable and pretty good but definitely wasn't to style in terms of flavor or color. I probably won't use LME again, I've started doing BIAB but if it were me I'd return/exchange it if you can, otherwise just roll the dice and try it, that's me though. I just went with it because my LHBS has a "no returns under any circumstances" policy due to Covid and I didn't feel like trying to argue with them since I plan on shopping there again
 
Same it's a stout in the end quite strong roasty flavours thatll cover up any weird flavours.
Your flaked barley wont have anything to convert it in an extract batch the roast malts will have near 0 diastic power.
I'd probably steep some crystal malt in with the roast malt for some depth of flavour and sweetness to ballance the roast but tis just me.
The malt tin come with some Yeast?
 
Same it's a stout in the end quite strong roasty flavours thatll cover up any weird flavours.
Your flaked barley wont have anything to convert it in an extract batch the roast malts will have near 0 diastic power.
I'd probably steep some crystal malt in with the roast malt for some depth of flavour and sweetness to ballance the roast but tis just me.
The malt tin come with some Yeast?
Counterpoint: You'll get some of the glucans out of the flaked barley, increasing the beer's viscosity. You won't, as Ben says, get any of the extract, there are no enzymes to convert it. Think of the "juice" that comes out of oatmeal....
 
Same it's a stout in the end quite strong roasty flavours thatll cover up any weird flavours.
Your flaked barley wont have anything to convert it in an extract batch the roast malts will have near 0 diastic power.
I'd probably steep some crystal malt in with the roast malt for some depth of flavour and sweetness to ballance the roast but tis just me.
The malt tin come with some Yeast?
No malt was packaged separately.
 

Back
Top