Batch 5
For my next "new" beer, I think I want to keep exploring styles. I think I'm going to go for a dark ale, along the lines of an english stout or porter. Something dark, creamy, and less bitter, and hopefully not as smoky as some dark beers I've had. Here's the basic idea:
- 6.6 lbs. (2 cans) dark lme
- Wyeast 1098 British Ale "smack pack"
- 1 oz. spalt hops pellets
- 1 oz. kent golding hops pellets
- 1 lbs. roasted barley malt
- 1/2 lbs. coffee malt
- 1/2 tsp irish moss
- 5 oz. priming sugar
Brought ~3.5 gallons of water to 160F. Removed from heat and added grains. Soaked grains for 45 minutes, then returned the wort to heat. Brought to 180F, removed from heat again and added LME. Returned to heat, brought to 190F, added spalt hops pellets, and started the 1 hour timer. At 30 minutes, added the irish moss. At 15 minutes remaining, added the golding hops pellets. Cooled the wort in a sink full of cold water, changing twice, until the wort was at 95F. Poured from the kettle into the primary fermenter and added cold water to bring the volume up to 5 gallons. Pitched the yeast at 74F. -Morrigu 18:13, 7 February 2010 (EST)
IG: 1.054 @ 74F = 1.055 @ 68F
Racked to secondary. Wow! This is the most drinkable beer on racking that I've made so far. Dead on with the flavor. Coffee, not bitter, ale. Not as dark as I'd hoped, but even looks like coffee. -Morrigu 10:49, 14 February 2010 (EST)
Added the priming sugar and bottled. Still has a great coffee flavor, but added a malty and molasses flavor as well. Very dark, and not at all bitter. -Morrigu 16:58, 28 February 2010 (EST)
FSG: 1.020 @ 61F = 1.020 @ 68F = 4.65% ABV
Smooth, sweet, not at all bitter, with a coffee undertone. Pretty much spot on for what I was going for. Not as carbonated as I'd hoped, but still very drinkable. A little heavy for when the weather turns warmer, but that's why I also have the redhead. This'll be a good one to repeat in the fall, possibly with the addition of something for more carbonation, head formation, and head retention. -Morrigu 17:00, 21 March 2010 (EST)
