Colour issues with stout

[Chris]

Brewed this last week, really happy with flavour and body but the colour has come out milk chocolate I was expecting much darker.

Partial Mash 60mins at 64deg
100g Dextrine
200g Chocolate
200g black patent
300g Roasted Barley
200g Torrified Wheat
300g rolled oats (pre boiled for 5mins in 3 litres)

1.5kg LME
500g LIGHT DME
300g brown sugar

Boil 60mins 22litres
40g magnum at 60mins
30g EKG at 5mins

Safale US-05

Colour is like a dairymilk.

[Rossa]

I would have thought that would be black. What were the EBC's of the dark grains?

[Bubbles]

All that roasted malt should make your beer as black as soot.

Did you sparge (rinse) your grains after mashing?

[Chris]

I did sparge, the EBCs were all high ill have to check the exact values later. The FG is quite high at 1.020 I was expecting this because if the oats and torrified wheat. I wonder would the high oat content have anything to do with it. The taste profile is exactly what I was aiming for. Good bitterness strong roast flavour with a silky mouthfeel and strong body.

[Chris]

This is the colour

[Padraic]

That's very strange, was the partial mash that colour before you added the extra water and lme/dme...

It looks to me like that recipe should have a perfectly black pint as a result!

[Bubbles]

The only thing I can think of is, are you sure your grain amounts were correct? What were your target OG and FG?

[Bubbles]

Just thinking also, were your roasted grains crushed?   

[Chris]

I was hoping to make a session stout packed with flavour. My Estimated OG was 1.049 estimated FG was 1.016. Actual OG was 1.049  :Dand FG 1.020.  Grains were crushed. The Wort was jet black prior to fermentation. I'm stumped. What do I call it now?

[Bubbles]

The photo above... I presume this is the dregs in your carboy after you've bottled?

If so, you've probably stirred up a bit of yeast there, which is why it might look a bit cloudy/milky. I'd leave it a week or so to condition, then chill it in the fridge for a couple of days - then decide whether to panic or not. It might just need a chance to clear.

US-05 is quite a fluffy yeast and can be reluctant to drop. The yeast might be throwing off the colour of the beer.

After that, I don't know. Have you made stouts/porters before using the same types of grains?

[beerfly]

I was hoping to make a session stout packed with flavour. My Estimated OG was 1.049 estimated FG was 1.016. Actual OG was 1.049  :Dand FG 1.020.  Grains were crushed. The Wort was jet black prior to fermentation. I'm stumped. What do I call it now?

michael jackson stout 


but what bubbles say about the yeast, also if it only ferment for a week the yeast were probably not finished fermenting yet so would still be in suspension

[Chris]

I was hoping to make a session stout packed with flavour. My Estimated OG was 1.049 estimated FG was 1.016. Actual OG was 1.049  :Dand FG 1.020.  Grains were crushed. The Wort was jet black prior to fermentation. I'm stumped. What do I call it now?

michael jackson stout 


but what bubbles say about the yeast, also if it only ferment for a week the yeast were probably not finished fermenting yet so would still be in suspension

Very good

It's exactly 11days since I pitched the yeast. You may be right about the yeast still being in suspension. Ill give it another few days then cold crash it before bottling.

[Eoin]

I think your issue is boiling oats. You have extracted the milky oat starches but not converted them and hence you have a white powder in your brew turning it brown.
Oats need to be mashed, I'd imagine with a diastatic malt, not so sure about that point, but I'm certain they will not convert when boiled.

Try it, boil some porridge and then look at the water, it will be milky white.

[beerfly]

ah totally missed the oats, never used them in an extract.  the extra starch will also explain the higher OG.

Eoin your right about them needing to be mashed with a diastatic malt too. 

[Chris]

I deliberately boiled the oats as I was following an allegedly award winning American recipe. I can see what your saying about how this could be responsible for the colour change. I took a trial sample today and it has darkened considerably. The mouthfeel is excellent though. Silky and viscous.