Stiff Upper Lip Stout

[Richard]

8lbs Vienna
2lbs Munich
1lbs Melanoidin Malt
1lbs Crystal 150
0.5lbs Carafoam
0.5lbs Chocolate Malt
0.5lbs Roast Barley
0.5lbs Carafa Special III

1oz Northern Brewer @ 60

6 shots espresso added to keg.

Mash 4.5US Gallons at 154F, Sparge 4US Gallons at 168F.

S-04

[Dean]

your label, Sir!

[Richard]

[Gil Breau]

Not sure I've ever tasted a stout with vienna....wonder what the difference in base malt does to the taste of the darker beer?

[Richard]

Just going for a maltier base, hence the munich and vienna.

[Gil Breau]

Right, but I know I've used vienna sparingly in a light beer and could immediately tell the difference. Same when I went to beerfest, vienna's the one malt I can distinctly notice for some odd reason....

But I've never tried it in a darker beer, that I know of. Adding RB's dryness would make it different, at least in my head...not in a bad way mind you. I'm definately interested in trying it out

[Richard]

Drinking this now (yeah I know - blame S04 - it's been static-SG for 3 days despite only pitching it 6 days ago - I roused the yeast for the last three days straight and warmed it up for a DR).

Slightly drier than intended, but I didn't quite hit my numbers on brew day - the colder weather threw my mash down a few degrees. Still very nice; with a few tweaks I think this will become my "house stout".

Appearance: Near-black, with a coffee-crema-colored head. About one-two fingers of head which fades to  half a finger after a few minutes; does retain this faded head throughout drinking.
Smell: chocolatey, with a coffee background. Slight roastiness with a very small amount of estery character. No alcohol or diacetyl. Hops aroma is negligible, largely forced out of the way by the roastiness and esters.
Taste: much like the smell suggests; less acrid than many stouts - likely due to the Special III in place of the chocolate malt. Slight roastiness, but very smooth. Semi-sweet at the start, but dry at the finish. Malty throughout, but not excessively so - the chocolate and carafa special hold center stage. No alcohol hotness or diacetyl apparent. Hops are almost undetectable, woven around the darker, roasted flavours.
Mouthfeel: very silky, but not slick. Slightly thinner than desired, but to be expected given the mashing issues.
Drinkability: I've had two and if it wasn't a school night I'd have a whole bunch more; definitely a quaffable beer. Not nearly as heavy as many other stouts of the same alcohol level.

[Richard]

Gil: I really think the vienna/munich combo are very much at home in this beer, but I'll let you decide when you try some on Saturday