Improving mouthfeel of stout

[dennisdk2000]

Hi,

Just tried the first bottle of stout, my latest brew, and it was okay, but only okay. It lacked that velvety smoothness that I associate with stouts. So I was wondering, how could I adjust the recipe to remedy this? In other words, what grains could I include to make it thicker, richer, smoother?

Dennis

 

[Muddydisco]

What was your recipe in the first place? Velvet I would associate with Guinness, I think that is more the Nitrogen and co2 mix used to carbonate it.

 

[zgoda]

Flakes: oats or rye. They both add that silky feeling due to high beta glucan content. 400 gms should be enough for standard brew length.

 

[graysalchemy]

Definitely +1 for oats. If you use oats try toasting them. You will also have to a do a glucan rest which is just a mini mash of the oats with and addition of pale malt at a rate of 10% the weight of the oats. Mashed for 20 mins at 35-40c then you just add it all back into the start of your mash. Remember to either to put it on the stove to get it up to mash temp or use a higher strike temp to compensate.

 

[dennisdk2000]

Cheers, guys! Alistair, might just go with your recipe full stop - it was very nice! :thumb:

Dennis

 

[graysalchemy]

Credit to Aleman not me I just borrowed it :thumb:

This is the recipe for that batch here

 

[dennisdk2000]

Well done to Aleman then! :clap:

Dennis

 

[dennisdk2000]

What was your recipe in the first place? Velvet I would associate with Guinness, I think that is more the Nitrogen and co2 mix used to carbonate it.

I've finally managed to add the recipe:
recipeview.php?recipe_id=1645

Dennis

 

[graysalchemy]

May I add that it was a nice pint too :thumb: :thumb:

 

[dennisdk2000]

May I add that it was a nice pint too :thumb: :thumb:

Cheers!

Dennis

 

[mabrungard]

Raw barley has about 10 times more beta glucans than when its malted. Flaked barley is also unmalted. Either of these grains have the highest beta glucan content of the cereal grains. Oats have slightly less beta glucan, but include a bit of oil for that silkiness. Rye also has a modest beta glucan content, but it also has that spiciness that may or may not be welcome in the finished beer. Wheat has a modest beta glucan content that is higher than malted barley, so it is also effective in body building. Wheat does add a crispness and graininess that I find pleasant in many beers. Wheat's reduced beta glucan content makes it less likely that you will overdose the wort and beer with adverse flavor effect.

I find that its easy to overdo beta glucans in beers when using flaked barley. I find that the content needs to be less than 1% or you can definitely taste it in the finished beer in lighter styles. We all know its welcome in a stout and its added at much higher percentage in those beers without significant taste effect. I can only assume that the roast flavors help mask those flavors or they are complimentary to each other.