American Stout
Inspired by the stouts of Ireland and the UK, the American Stout delivers much of the same delicious roastiness. The addition of a healthy portion of chocolate malt, along with some darker crystal malt, compliment the roast quite nicely. This, coupled with some firm bitterness and classic American hop flavor/aroma, puts the American stout in a class of it’s own. To purchase this kit, click here.
Statistics
Original Gravity 1.057
Final Gravity 1.017
Alcohol Content 5.2%
Ingredients
6.6 lb. Briess Golden Light Malt Extract
1 lb Briess Golden Light Dry Malt Extract
3/4 lb. Briess Roasted Barley
1/2 lb. Briess Crystal Malt 80° L
1/2 lb Briess Chocolate Malt
1 oz. Centennial Hop Pellets (Bittering)
1oz Chinook Hop Pellets (Flavoring)
1oz Nugget Hop Pellets (Finishing)
White Labs WLP023 Burton Ale Yeast
Procedure
A few hours before you begin to brew, prepare your liquid yeast according to the package instructions. We assume that you are familiar with basic homebrewing techniques, so these procedures are abbreviated.
1. Divide the cracked grains among 4 muslin bags (no more than ½ pound per bag and add them to your brew kettle along with 1½ gallons of cold water. Heat slowly.
2. Steep the grains in hot water (about 145° – 160°F) to extract flavor and color – do not allow to boil. After about 30 minutes, remove the grain bags and then bring the water to a boil.
3. Remove the pot from the heat and add the cans of malt extract and lactose. Keep the kettle off the burner and stir until the malt extract and lactose is completely dissolved.
4. Put the pot back on the burner and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, place the bittering hops in a muslin bag, add them to the pot, and set your timer to boil for 60 minutes. Keep an eye on the pot to avoid boil-overs.
5. After 45 minutes of boiling, add ½ teaspoon of Irish moss, or 1 Whirlfloc tablet, to help clarify beer (optional).
6. After 50 minutes of boiling, add the flavoring hops (in a muslin bag).
7. After 58 minutes of boiling, add the finishing hops.
8. After 60 minutes of boiling, turn off the heat. Put a lid on your pot and cool it in an ice bath (use your sink) for about 30 minutes. Remove the hop bags from the kettle.
9. Pour 2 gallons of cold water into your sanitized fermenter, add the cooled wort (the stuff in your pot), and top up with additional water to 5 gallons. Aerate the wort with vigorous stirring, rocking the fermenter, etc.
10. Make sure the wort is below 80°F before adding yeast. Take a hydrometer reading if desired. Add the yeast to the wort.
11. Store the fermenter where the temperature will be a fairly constant 65° – 70°F. Active fermentation may take only a few days, or it can last up to 2 weeks. A hydrometer reading is a great way to determine when the fermentation is done. Keep the beer in the primary fermenter for two weeks until active fermentation is done (no signs of active fermentation for the last 2-3 days).
12. When ready to bottle, siphon beer into your sanitized bottling bucket, leaving sediment behind. Boil the priming sugar in 1-2 cups of water for a few minutes, gently stir into the beer, and bottle as usual.