October Competition- Dark Beers

[RichardM]

Well done all, thanks to @Hopsteep

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

Well pleased with my score. My first ever Black IPA so even more chuffed. Well done to everyone, particularly @phildo79 on his great score and @Hopsteep for judging

 

[Broken Toe]

Amazing score. Well done!! I'll add that into the new year brew list!

 

[phildo79]

Amazing score. Well done!! I'll add that into the new year brew list!

You won't be disappointed. Only snag is having to wait about 3 or 4 months to drink it.

 

[stripeyjoe]

Hi @phildo79, I have the ingredients for the KBS clone siting in my shopping basket at Malt Miller and had a couple of questions for you if you don't mind...

1. Water profile, did you just go for a 'stout' the profile? The Brewfather one seems little light on sulphates and chloride:

I've upped it a little but tried to keep a similar ratio:

Did you go with a sulphate or chloride forward balance?

2. Secondary and conditioning...
Did you rack into a keg for the secondary and then bottle from there after a few months on the oak chips and bottle condition or did you just leave it in the keg on the oak, force carbonate, and drew a few bottles off under pressure when needed?

Thanks!

 

[phildo79]

Hi @phildo79, I have the ingredients for the KBS clone siting in my shopping basket at Malt Miller and had a couple of questions for you if you don't mind...

1. Water profile, did you just go for a 'stout' the profile? The Brewfather one seems little light on sulphates and chloride:
View attachment 57833

I've upped it a little but tried to keep a similar ratio:

View attachment 57834

Did you go with a sulphate or chloride forward balance?

2. Secondary and conditioning...
Did you rack into a keg for the secondary and then bottle from there after a few months on the oak chips and bottle condition or did you just leave it in the keg on the oak, force carbonate, and drew a few bottles off under pressure when needed?

Thanks!

Joe, my water profile is CA 51, MG 8, Na 18, cl 24, s04 76. With an alkalinity of 96 ppm (not sure what that is in HC03. Think maybe the ratio is 1:1.2) I didn't do anything except ramp up the sulphate to somewhere between 200 to 250.

I kegged straight from the fv on top of the oak chips. I placed the keg under the stairs for 6 to 8 weeks. Then moved to a larder fridge at around 10 degrees C and hooked up the gas at serving psi. I would try it every so often and was starting to worry that it was over oaked so I close transferred to another keg and let it rest in the fridge. This was probably around the 10 week period. In total I would say it was 3 to 4 months before it finally came good. I am glad I took it off the oak chips when I did. It is still in the keg and I only run a bottle off when needed. Under pressure, of course. Hope this helps.

 

[EsterBanana]

Oh my.. that sounds absolutely glorious!!

Congratulations on your score/win :)

 

[phildo79]

Oh and the bourbon I used was buffalo trace.

 

[stripeyjoe]

Thanks for that @phildo79!

 

[RichardM]

Has anyone had their feedback yet? I haven't seen anything.

 

[user 18729]

Has anyone had their feedback yet? I haven't seen anything.

I’m having a complete nightmare this week, sorry for the delay I will try and get some feedback sent out over the next couple of nights

 

[RichardM]

I’m having a complete nightmare this week, sorry for the delay I will try and get some feedback sent out over the next couple of nights

Thank you. No rush, just wanted to know I hadn't been missed out or anything.

 

[user 18729]

Again, sorry for the delay but that’s all the feedback sent out now We’re getting married in a few days time and needless to say with all the madness leading up to it I’ve barely had the chance to type it all up.

The feedback is very honest and is hopefully useful! Some lovely beers sent in, thank you all.

Cheers,

Sam

 

[pilgrimhudd]

Cheers for the feedback! Good luck with the wedding too!

 

[Dads_Ale]

Many thanks for the feedback and the best of luck with your wedding

Anyway I thought I would post the feedback and recipe for my Bourbon Aged Stout as it is a good user-up of old dark malt that we all have kicking around.

This is a hefty stout and should ideally be aged for at least 6 months so am well happy with the feedback and score as the bottle you had was only a couple of weeks old.

I have noted that a degree of long term secondary fermentation has been going on even at 8c and it is much more carbonated now (probably over carbonated now).

Feedback:
Appearance- thick, dark and poured with a lovely tan coloured head 3/3

Aroma- fascinating. Earthy, umumami, truffle initially, then leathery cigar smoke. Superb 10/12

Mouthfeel- perhaps a touch over carbed (that’s just my preference, it’s absolutely spot on for style) thick, with a lacing on the glass 4/5

Flavour- bitter coffee, sharp plum fruit, with a long finish that’s slightly sour (it makes your mouth water in a good way). Delicious. 14/20

Overall- absolutely delicious, loved this and would like to see the recipe. 7/10

Total 38/50

Anyway here is the recipe:

32 litres into FV (this recipe was originally for a 19 litre volume but I brewed it long to drop the ABV.

Pale Maris Otter - 6.8kg
Chocolate - 1.1kg (this was 2 years past BB date)
Flaked Oats - 500g
Golden naked Oats - 800g
Crystal (85EBC) - 300g
Crystal (175EBC) - 145g
Cara Aroma - 500g
Roast Barley - 425g

mash 90mins at 67c

Boil for 2hrs

Columbus - 40g - 60mins
Lactose - 200g - 10 mins

1tsp yeast nutrient when cooled

Yeast US05

Og - 1082
FG - 1034
ABV - 9% ish

This is supposed to be put into bourbon oak barrel but as I didn't have one handy I added some oak barrel chunks that hat had been soaking in JD, and about 300ml of the liqueur, to the keg (19l) that your bottle came from.

I must say the flavour is changing as time goes on. It is definitely a late evening supper ale.

I will do this one again as is is so flavorsome. I hade hoped to buy another bag of bourbon oak chunks from the MM but they don't seem to do them anymore. Instead they will sell you a third of a stave for £18. That seemed a bit excessive so I found somewhere that sold old oak stave for whisky barrels and got six for about £20. Okay the had dried and didn't smell of whisky anymore but I cut some chunks and now have then soaking in bourbon ready for next time, and still have 5 1/2 staves left, and I can reuse the bourbon. Result

 

[RichardM]

Thanks for the feedback and best wishes for the wedding.

 

[Stu's Brews]

Again, sorry for the delay but that’s all the feedback sent out now We’re getting married in a few days time and needless to say with all the madness leading up to it I’ve barely had the chance to type it all up.

The feedback is very honest and is hopefully useful! Some lovely beers sent in, thank you all.

Cheers,

Sam

Thanks for the feedback and all the best for the wedding!

 

[Broken Toe]

Congratulations. Best of luck with the wedding!

 

[user 42983]

Many thanks for the feedback and best wishes for your wedding.

 

[phildo79]

Good luck on the big day, mate.