Why do dark styles foam more during fermentation?

I have found that my stouts produce much more foam during fermentation than other beers do. On the Mr. Beer website it says: Plenty of foam, although messy, is not a bad thing as it indicates healthy yeast and a strong fermentation. Excess foaming is more likely to occur when using ale yeast with darker brews and higher fermentation temperatures." (Emphasis mine.) This confirms my own experience. Question: why is it that ale yeasts fermenting dark styles are so prone …
Category: Mac

Pouring stout without stout faucet

My stout facuet has gotten lost in the post and I have a keg of Guinness, I have mixed gas (70/30)(N/Co2) and i was wondering what would happen if i didnt use the correct nozzel, using a beer tap? I've tried to find answers online but can't seem to find out anything.
Topic: stout homebrew
Category: Mac

Chocolate stout stuck at 1021

I'm brewing a bulldog chocolate stout 'Easter brew' as per the instructions. 4.2kg of malt extract alone, 23L, one packet of dried yeast. OG 1058, the generic bulldog instructions just say get it to 1014 or below. Everything started fine just like my previous two brews, then after day 7, I can no longer hear bubbling (although I know fermentation can still continue and air can escape elsewhere). On day 10 I take a reading and it's at 1021. I …
Category: Mac

specific gravity too high to bottle?

I recently brewed the Brewer's Best Milk Stout, which uses LME plus lactose and maltodextrin. The original gravity was 1.060, which is within the specs for offered in the instructions. Now after about 1 month in secondary, the beer is is holding steady at 1.030, which is apparently too high (specs indicate 1.020 - 1.024). I'm nervous to bottle in case they will explode. I tried adding some dry ale yeast (Safale US-05) to try and kick the fermentation on, …
Category: Mac

Under OG, and only 3 days fermentation

So, I'm brewing an all-grain batch of the Rogue Chocolate Stout Clone based on this recipe (https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/homebrew-recipe/rogue-chocolate-stout-clone/). I divided the recipe by 5 to get proper amounts for a smaller, 1 Gal batch, as this is my second brew, and I figure there's less to throw out if it's bad. My OG reading was 1.022, which way undershot the expected OG of 1.069. For the first three days, it was going like gangbusters, lots of airlock activity and happy yeast, …
Category: Mac

Having doubts about my first stout

I just had an issue with an oatmeal stout. I'm just starting to brew beer at home (BIAB) and I think I made some mistakes. I had my water at 80°C hoping for the decrease of temperature to 72°C when adding my grains. So I just kept at it not knowing this was a problem. So my OG was at 1.070, recipe indicated it should be at 1.068. Then I put the beer in the fermenter and after 7 days …
Category: Mac

In search of white foam

I'm developing a stout recipe, but the foams have turned brown and not white. What is the best way to achieve 100% white foam, for example a guinness? Maybe add the toast only for cold brew? thank you.
Category: Mac

Style Question: How does a stout become a porter?

Have never made a porter, but may have done so by accident. Was trying to make an American coffee stout, but haven't done much extract brewing in awhile, and probably didn't have enough water volume to properly dissolve all the extract or properly steep(pre-dilution it was very viscous). I missed my target OG by about 20 points (1.065 as opposed to estimated 1.086), and my SRM by a few degrees as well (instead of opaque black, it is brown-ish) after …
Category: Mac

Low FG due to cacao nibs?

I recently brewed an oatmeal cream stout from the Mashmaker book (recipe here https://growlermag.com/homebrew-recipe-oatmeal-cream-double-stout/) with the intention of adding some chocolate & hazelnut flavours. Main difference initially is that I added some cacao nibs to the mash. I hit the OG, however the FG has come out at 1.032, rather than the expected ~1.015... I had read the yeast I was using is highly flocculant, so I pitched some more after 2 weeks, to no avail. Fermentation schedule looked like …
Category: Mac

When to bottle high ABV beer?

Question: Aside from confirming fermentation is complete via consistent hydrometer readings, is there another way to check that the beer is ready for bottling, particularly in higher abv beers? Background I have recently brewed my first Imperial Stout, which is expected to be between 10-11%. My fermentation is nearly complete, however I have seen several people claim to leave there higher abv bevs in the fermenter for 4-12 weeks.This is ostensibly to 'clean up unwanted flavour compounds', although I haven't …
Category: Mac

Can you add additions to the primary?

I am making a chocolate + oat stout on the weekend and would like to add some additions (cacao nibs predominantly - toying with adding some rum soaked raisins). I do not however have a suitable secondary fermenter. Will adding these to the primary cause any issues and is there anything else I should consider? Cheers!
Category: Mac

Should I worry about this smell?

I have stout fermenting and it has been in my carboy for a little over a week. Yesterday I opened the carboy to make a small intial addition of coffee beans and cacao nibs. Well when I opened it and smelled the brew, I got a strange almost plastic or rubber smell coming up from it. Is this due to how young it is? Should I worry about it? I did everything down to the last detail so I cannot …
Category: Mac

Kegging an 11% stout

Stupid question...but I am making an 11% stout with bourbon oak added. I have never kegged anything higher than a 7% so not sure what to expect. Will the higher abv allow it to last longer in the keg to drink all Winter? Should I add more bourbon so the taste doesn't dissipate? Anything else I should think about? Thanks for the help
Category: Mac

Wyeast yeast replacements: US-05?

it's my first question here. I've downloaded Brewdog recipe book, and they use yeasts like Wyeast 1056 - American Ale, Wyeast 1272 - American Ale II and WLP099 Super High Gravity Ale for Imperial Stouts. Recipes: #6, #7, #21, #29, #70. In my country I can't buy these yeasts, but I can buy Fermentis Safale and Mangrove Jacks. I found out that Safale US-05 is a replacement for Wyeast 1056 - American Ale. Is it correct? What is the replacement …
Category: Mac

Should I stir this (possibly stuck) batch or not?

First time brewing, made a lot of mistakes and now I'm concerned that my fermentation is stuck. Am I just being paranoid or impatient? Six days ago brewed this stout recipe: 6.6 lbs Briess "traditional dark" LME 0.25 lbs roast barley 1 oz cascade hops 0.5 oz willamette hops WYeast labs 1084 irish ale yeast Make a few mistakes: - Got impatient and pitched yeast around 78/79°F, wort had stratified temp wise, top was much cooler than bottom (where I …
Category: Mac

Secondary flavoring of a stout using chocolate and coffee, how much to use?

I am brewing an Imperial Stout (OG 1.081) and it is in primary now. I want to rack to secondary in one gallon jugs and want to flavor each differently. I have read through the coffee posts on here but cannot find good recommendations for exact measurements and methods. The question. For one gallon how much coffee should be used. I was going to lightly grind the beans (low acid light roast) and "dry hop" them in secondary. A range …
Category: Mac

Is this final gravity too high?

I brewed a Chocolate Oatmeal Milk Stout with an OG of 1.062. After 2.5 weeks of what seemed like active fermentation, it's only at 1.030. It's been at that for a week. It tastes like a it will be a good stout, but the FG seems high. There is 1 lbs. of lactose in there, which might be the reason the gravities are higher. Any ideas? Thanks.
Category: Mac

Splitting batch for secondary fermentation over Vanilla

I just got a 5 gallon batch of an LME Imperial Stout Recipe to start its magic. My plan is to split the batch for secondary fermentation. I plan to move one gallon into a separate jug to finish off over vanilla beans and champagne yeast. Any input on how to split the yeast between the two vessels? I was thinking about pumping it all into the 5 gallon carboy and pitch the yeast then pumping a gallon ut afte …
Category: Mac

Yeast Question For Imperial Stout Kit With LME

I just ordered the How To Disappear Completely Imperial Stout kit from Boomchugalug on Amazon. I am excited so start this one up. It takes a long time but the idea of making my own imperial stout is very exciting to me. This will only be my third brew, my others were much quicker. I have only done a Double IPA and a Coffee Porter, both were LME kits like this one. So I have read that many people try …
Category: Mac

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