“Blackstrap” FES

ALL-GRAIN

Batch size: 5 gallons (19 liters) Brewhouse efficiency: 72% OG: 1.074 FG: 1.018 IBUS: 61 ABV: 7.7%

MALT/GRAIN BILL

10 lb (4.5 kg) Maris Otter 1 lb (454 g) Fawcett Crystal 45L 1 lb (454 g) Briess Extra Special Roast 0.5 lb (227 g) Pale chocolate malt 0.5 lb (227 g) Roasted barley 0.25 lb (113 g) Black patent malt 0.5 lb (227 g) Dark molasses

HOPS AND ADDITIONS SCHEDULE

0.75 oz (21 g) Polaris [20% AA] at 60 minutes 0.5 oz (14 g) Hallertau [4% AA] at 5 minutes

YEAST

Wyeast 1084 (Irish Ale) Yeast

DIRECTIONS

Mill the grains and mix with 4.1 gallons (15.6 l) of 163°F (73°C) strike water to reach a mash temperature of 152°F (67°C). Hold this temperature for 60 minutes. Vorlauf until your runnings are clear, then run off into the kettle. Sparge the grains with 3.1 gallons (11.8 l) and top up as necessary to obtain 6 gallons (23 l) of wort. Before bringing to a boil, add the molasses and stir until dissolved. Boil for 60 minutes, following the hops schedule.

After the boil, chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 60°F (16°C). Aerate the wort with pure oxygen or filtered air and pitch the yeast.

Ferment at 60°F (16°C) for the first 3 days, then let the temperature rise by a degree or two per day to 68°F (20°C). Hold at that temperature for at least a week, or until 2–3 days following the termination of fermentation. Cold crash, then bottle or keg the beer and carbonate to 2 volumes of CO2.

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

A fatal flaw, in my estimation, is a stout that has a significant fruity character, so if you’re getting a dose of esters, reduce your initial fermentation temperature and/or extend the initial cool start. As a fail-safe, if neither of those work, switch to a lager yeast.