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Recipe: Forager Chicatana Barrel-Aged Stout
With thanks to Forager’s cofounder and head brewer Austin Jevne, this homebrew-scale recipe combines the Forager approach to barrel-aged stout with the earthy, nutty, toasty flavor contribution of Mexican flying ants.
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For more about sourcing and brewing with this highly unusual ingredient, see Special Ingredient: Flying Ants.
ALL-GRAIN
Batch size: 5 gallons (19 liters)
Brewhouse efficiency: 72 %
OG: 1.156
FG: 1.048
IBUs: 18
ABV: 14%
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For more about sourcing and brewing with this highly unusual ingredient, see Special Ingredient: Flying Ants.
ALL-GRAIN
Batch size: 5 gallons (19 liters)
Brewhouse efficiency: 72 %
OG: 1.156
FG: 1.048
IBUs: 18
ABV: 14%
[PAYWALL]
MALT/GRAIN BILL
22.6 lb (10.3 kg) two-row pale
2.1 lb (953 g) chocolate malt
2.1 lb (953 g) flaked oats
1.8 lb (816 g) caramel/crystal 60L
1.2 lb (544 g) pale chocolate malt
5 oz (142 g) brown malt
HOPS & ADDITIONS SCHEDULE
0.7 oz (20 g) Nugget at 60 minutes [15 IBUs]
0.7 oz (20 g) Galaxy at 5 minutes [3 IBUs]
8 oz (227 g) chicatanas, 3 days before packaging
YEAST
Fermentis SafAle US-05 or similar
DIRECTIONS
Mill the grains and, unless you have an especially large mash tun, divide in half. Mash the first half at 152°F (67°C) for 60 minutes. Recirculate until the runnings are clear, then run off into the kettle—but only the first runnings; do not sparge or top up. Then repeat the mash for the second half of the grains, again collecting only the first runnings. Boil until you estimate you are about 1 hour away from hitting your target OG, then add hops according to the schedule. After the boil, chill the wort to about 66°F (19°C), aerate thoroughly, and pitch a large, healthy yeast starter. Ferment at 68°F (20°C). When fermentation is complete, cool to 35°F (2°C) and rack into a whiskey barrel or onto whiskey-soaked oak cubes. Age patiently, until the flavor is where you want it. Then grind the chicatanas into a fine powder and add to fermentor. After 3 days, package and carbonate to 2.3 volumes.
BREWER’S NOTES
Choose a water profile that suits a maltier beer. Note that the mash is bound to be inefficient, because of the size of the grist—so just see what you get, prepare for a long boil, and roll with it.
