Irish Stout

Also known as "dry stouts," Irish stouts have an initial malt and light caramel flavor profile with a distinctive dry-roasted bitterness in the finish. Dry stouts achieve a dry-roasted character through the use of roasted barley. Coffee-like roasted barley and roasted malt aromas are prominent. Some slight acidity may be perceived but is not necessary. Hop aroma and flavor should not be perceived. Dry stouts have medium-light to medium body. Fruity esters are minimal and overshadowed by malt, high hop bitterness, and roasted barley character. Diacetyl (butterscotch) should be very low or not perceived. Head retention and rich character should be part of its visual character.

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces British crystal malt

• 4 ounces roasted barley

• 4 ounces chocolate malt

• 4 ounces black patent malt

• 4 ounces flaked barley

• 4 ounces acid malt (optional: this will give the beer a slightly sour taste typical of Guinness)

• 7 pounds dark malt extract

• 1 ounce Target hops

• 1 ounce East Kent Goldings hops

• 1 teaspoon Irish moss

• Wyeast 1084 Irish ale yeast

• 1-1/4 cup corn sugar

Instructions:

1. Place the crushed specialty grains in a nylon hop bag and steep them in 1 gallon of preheated 150º water for 30 minutes.

2. Drain and discard the spent grains.

3. Bring at least 3 gallons of liquor to a boil, remove the brew kettle from the heat source then stir in the extract and the Target hops and half of the EKG hops.

4. Return the brew kettle to the heat source and boil for 45 minutes, then add the Irish moss and the rest of the EKG hops.

5. Boil for an additional 15 minutes, then remove the brew kettle from the heat source, cover it and drop the temperature of the wort as quickly as possible to 77º F.

6. Once the wort has cooled to below 77º F, take an original gravity reading, pour the wort into a primary fermenter through a funnel with a strainer and add enough cool water to create 5 gallons.

7. Once the wort has been transferred to the primary fermenter, pitch the yeast, stir the wort vigorously, seal the fermenter with an airlock and ferment at approximately 68-72º F for 2 weeks.

8. Rack the beer to a secondary fermenter and allow the beer to finish fermentation.

9. Once fermentation is complete, rack the beer to a bottling bucket, prime with the corn sugar and bottle and condition as usual.