Milk Stout question

[FedoraDave]

I've got a recipe for sweet stout that is quite good, and I've been working off and on over the last couple of years on modifying it to create a smooth and sweet milk stout with vanilla highlights.

I haven't been able to get it where I want it, so I'm asking for a little input. I make it in 3 gallon batches, so keep that volume in mind.

So far, I've added 4 ounces of lactose 15 minutes before flame out. And I add two split vanilla beans to the secondary any time between 7 and 14 days before bottling. But I'm not happy with the results yet.

What would you recommend to bump the creaminess of the lactose and the flavor of the vanilla, without making either one overwhelming and cancelling out the nice properties of the base sweet stout recipe?

 

[Iliff Avenue Brewhouse]

Where is your FG landing? Most milk stout recipes I have seen use about a pound of lactose and are designed to finish in the 1.020s.

Forgot about your volume but you would probably still want 8-12 oz of lactose in my opinion.

 

[FedoraDave]

According to the Recipe Builder here, my FG is coming in at 1.018. I'll try using 8 oz. of lactose next time I brew it, and see where that gets me. That's twice what I was using, so the creaminess should really come through. I'll try doubling the vanilla beans, too. Experimental batches sometimes come out right, but if they don't, well, that's why they're experiments.

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Hawkbox]

Nosy has made a good point about using Vanilla extract to taste instead as it's cheaper and easier to do, so unless you are doing beans just for the sake of doing beans you could dose it more than once.

 

[thehaze]

I used 1.1 lb Lactose in 6 gallons of 8% Imperial Brown Ale and it was not enough. Vanilla beans are great, but you need to use much more than just 2. You also want to scrape them, cut them in bits and soak them in a gentle whiskey/vodka/rum for a week. If beans are not an option, a more expensive Vanilla extract can work. But upping the lactose to 10-12 oz should help, along with 4 vanilla beans and maybe adding some cocoa nibs/crushed beans.

Creaminess can be added by including Malted Oats, Flaked Oats and / or some Flaked Barley.

 

[Hogarthe]

Maybe add some oats for mouthfeel. Should help bring out the creamyness

 

[Iliff Avenue Brewhouse]

As noted before vanilla extract is a much simpler solution. Worked great for my imperial porter.