I ordered the kit for the Irish Stout today. I haven’t brewed in a few years so I wanted something good that I love to drink. I plan on being this adding some lactose into it for a milk stout.
My questions are:
How is the coffee flavor in this kit? I love heavy coffee flavored brews. Should I amp it up any and if so, recommendations on how?
When should I throw in the lactose and how much?
Any other suggestions as how I should be this, let me know!
I do not think there is actual coffee in this kit. The coffee-like quality comes from the roasted grains and is much more subtle than actual coffee. This is not a big beer so adding lactose or additional coffee will skew the balance. So I would be careful adding anything. I typically and 16 oz of lactose for a 5 gallons of big stout. I would dial it back for this
Ahh, ok. That’s a bummer but all good. Thanks for the info. After this one is brewed, I’m going to find what it will take to brew a left hand nitro clone. NOM!
Left Hand Nitro like Guinness cans with a “widget” that releases nitrogen when opened make for the creamy head. Without N it can be a great clone but not the same.
I love Stouts so it’s hard to brew a bad one in my book.
I hear you there. I pretty much only drink stouts anymore. Every place I go, I always try any stout they have or stout blends. I haven’t met a stout that I do not like!
I haven’t seen them for craft brewing. Apparently if you can harvest the widget from cans you could reuse them…
quote of a quote
“Bottled widget beers require extra-heavy glass since the headspace has a higher pressure than carbonated beers. To start the process, an empty widget is inserted into the can. Next, they fill the bottle or can with beer and a small drop of liquid nitrogen is added immediately before it is sealed. Since liquid nitrogen has a very low boiling point, it boils in the container and creates enough pressure to partially fill the widget with beer. When the beer is opened and the headspace pressure is released, the gas in the widget rapidly expands and forces the beer in the widget through the holes or check valves and then the magic happens. Nitrogen bubbles lead to more nitrogen bubbles and, after several seconds, the beer has a head you can cut with a knife.”
Don’t forget to get a Stout faucet. You can find them on Ebay. When you look into getting gas, ask for nitrogen mix or they might just call it “beer gas”. I believe if you push with pure N it will make you beer go flat.