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For more from Randy Mosher on the flavors, misperceptions, and vocabulary of stout, see Beyond Roasty: The Surprising Psychology of Stout.
ALL-GRAIN
Batch size: 5 gallons (19 liters)
Brewhouse efficiency: 75%
OG: 1.060
FG: 1.015
IBUs: 30
ABV: 5.2%
MALT/GRAIN BILL
8.7 lb (3.9 kg) pale ale
15 oz (425 g) Vienna
13 oz (368 g) Weyermann Carafa III
11 oz (312 g) dark Munich, melanoidin, or aromatic
7.5 oz (213 g) Special B (or similar dark crystal)
HOPS SCHEDULE
0.5 oz (14 g) Sabro [14% AA] at 60 minutes
0.5 oz (14 g) Sabro [14% AA] at flame-out/whirlpool
YEAST
English- or American-type ale, your choice
DIRECTIONS
In about 1.5 quarts/liters of room-temperature brewing water, cold mash the milled Carafa and Special B malts overnight, then strain and reserve the liquid. Mill the remaining grains and mash at 154°F (68°C) for 45 minutes. Add the cold-steep malt liquid and raise the temperature to 160°F (71°C), via direct heat or hot-water infusion. Vorlauf until your runnings are clear, then run off into the kettle. Sparge and top up as necessary to obtain about 6.5 gallons (25 liters) of wort—or more, depending on your evaporation rate. Boil for 60 minutes following the hops schedule. After the boil, add flame-out hops and whirlpool for 20 minutes. Chill to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 65°F (18°C). Aerate well and pitch the yeast. Ferment at 66–70°F (19–21°C).
BREWER’S NOTES
This is lovely with an ounce (28 g) or so of dark-toasted oak chips added at the beginning of fermentation. It’s especially lovely with the zest of one medium-sized orange added at flame-out. Or, double the ingredients and make it a monster.