“Make Your Best” Highlights
Going beyond the simple question of “what” and instead exploring the “why” will help you understand how to design and brew better beers.
American Stout
At first, I didn’t make much of a distinction between American Stout and what we’ve come to call Black IPA, but now that the styles have become at least somewhat distinct, I take some care to differentiate this beer from its Cascadian cousin. Style: The American Stout, like all stouts, is notably roasty, but it also allows for significant experimentation with hops. What, then, distinguishes it from a Black IPA? First, it has a bit more “bulk,” whereas the Black IPA usually presents as being a bit more “drinkable.” It also can be more obviously and significantly roast-driven. Hops contribute to the flavor, but they’re not the star of the show as they are in Black IPA. They’re more a co-equal partner with the roast. Recipe: This is a fairly high-abv version of American Stout, but I think that’s justifiable based on the style. We start with a base of Maris Otter, then add equal amounts of British Crystal 45 and 65—to add body and a noticeable caramel background flavor. We then add chocolate malt and roasted barley. If, in your finished product, you don’t get enough roast, next time try bumping up the weight on the roasted barley to lend it a sharper roast note to “trigger” a perception of higher roast.
Lots of bitterness is good here, even with the significant roast. I aim for 60 IBUS from a 60-minute hops addition, with the rest of the hops going in during the whirlpool. This is a bit of a “kitchensink” beer for me, so I use a range of hops, but I select for the more pine-driven hops rather than the “fruity” varieties of new American hops. Chinook and Waimea are great choices, but Cascade, Northern Brewer, and Simcoe are also good options. I shoot for a hops profile that’s obviously American but not overtly citrusy or tropical.
Finally, I like my go-to Wyeast 1007 (German Ale) yeast here. It keeps out of the way, provides a healthy level of attenuation, and adds just a slight bump of fermentation character/ester. Process: This beer is pretty much a no-brainer, process-wise. The mash schedule and boil have no hidden tricks (152°F/67°C, 60-minute boil), and most of the hopping is in the whirlpool. For that step, kill the heat and leave the kettle for a few minutes to let it start to come down from its boiling temperature. Both myrcene and pinene are pretty volatile, and even sub-boiling temperatures can blow them off. After a brief wait, give the wort a stir to get it spinning briskly, and add a total of about 1.5 ounces (42 g) of whatever hops you’ve got to add; if you’re bagging your late hops, increase that to 2 ounces (57 g). Wait 15–20 minutes for the beer to slow its spin and settle, then chill as usual and ferment at about 63°F (17°C).
Post-fermentation I usually add about a 1-ounce (28 g), 5-day dry hop of something consistent with the whirlpool hops. At 5 days, I cold crash and package, carbonating to a relatively high 2.5 volumes of CO2.