Big Stout timings

[Tom Parsons]

Hi all,
I am planning on brewing "I wanna be your dog" from DIY Dog. It's a 12% stout.

The recipe does not include any recommendations on timings. I'm guessing the usual 2 + 2 + 2 will not cut it with something this large?

It also has a wood chip addition

My current plan is 2 weeks in primary then rack into secondary for another 2 weeks with the oak chips added for the second week. Then bottle.

Usual 2 weeks to carb warm, then into cold storage. My guess is it will be drinkable after 2 weeks cold, but probably better after a couple of months.

Thoughts?


I hope this link will take you to the recipe

 

[Gulpitdarn]

Just looked at the recipe and it looks like a hell-of-a-beer! Keep us updated as to how you get on with it. (would love to make this)

 

[Clint]

There's some man size brewers on here...hang tight one should be along soon.

 

[Zephyr259]

Wow that's a lot of chocolate malt! Brewdog do seem to like their caramalt too don't they. Looks tasty and there's a note on timings saying don't rush to take it off the yeast at FG, leave it for 10 days, although it's a point of contention whether yeast do much after they've eaten all the sugar they're going to.

At this size of beer I'd check the gravity after 2 weeks, then again after 3 days then a third check at 3 weeks to make sure it's done, probably raising the temp a little to help the yeast along. As I use a refractometer for my checks I only need 1 - 2 ml to test though.

 

[Slid]

Hi all,
I am planning on brewing "I wanna be your dog" from DIY Dog. It's a 12% stout.

The recipe does not include any recommendations on timings. I'm guessing the usual 2 + 2 + 2 will not cut it with something this large?

My guess is it will be drinkable after 2 weeks cold, but probably better after a couple of months.

Thoughts?

To answer the questions - first answer is "No, it will not, as these guidelines are for kit beers made to around 4-5% ABV".

Second answer on "thoughts" - Have made few very strong brews, but these all needed many months to be worth the input. You can drink them any time and they are unlikely to cause any real harm, but they are a bit of a punt for a relatively inexperienced Homebrewer.

I would suggest using much less by way of over-complicated ingredients and doing a couple of simple stouts first - try an easy Irish sort of Dry Stout (the Greg Hughes recipe is fine) and one using 8% Crystal, 8% Black and the rest Pale Malt.
Then you can decide on whether these "standard" stouts suggest that something of this sort of extreme approach might actually appeal, given that it will clutter up space for a long time.

 

[MrRook]

Hi all,
I am planning on brewing "I wanna be your dog" from DIY Dog. It's a 12% stout.

The recipe does not include any recommendations on timings. I'm guessing the usual 2 + 2 + 2 will not cut it with something this large?

It also has a wood chip addition

My current plan is 2 weeks in primary then rack into secondary for another 2 weeks with the oak chips added for the second week. Then bottle.

Usual 2 weeks to carb warm, then into cold storage. My guess is it will be drinkable after 2 weeks cold, but probably better after a couple of months.

Thoughts?


I hope this link will take you to the recipe

Chuck that 2-2-2 business out the window with a beer this big. And save yourself the hassle of a secondary.
Give it three weeks in primary and check the gravity. If it's where you want toss in the oak chips for a fortnight and bottle.
Don't count on only two weeks to carb a 12% beer. Don't be surprised if it takes 2 months.