Well, after a year, I finally get to re-brew my cherry stout! The first time I brewed it last year was pretty much a shot in the dark with it being my second all-grain brew. I got lucky because it turned out pretty good, and it took first in the regional and made it to the final round of the NHC. I’m brewing it with a few modification to the original recipe in response to judges comments (which were consistent and what I thought too).
I’ll be brewing a 10 gallon batch this year. I picked up 20 lbs of tart cherries (two 10 lb tubs). I’m going to gear down the cherry to 1.5 lbs per gallon instead of 2 lbs per gallon. I’m also going to add a pound of 60L crystal to go with the 2 row pale and flaked barley in the mash. I currently have the roasted barley and chocolate malt cold steeping. I did two 1/2 gallon starters with White Labs 007 Dry English Ale, which are now cold crashing in the fridge. Everything is looking towards a good brew day tomorrow. I’m pretty psyched!
Any ideas of what to use the left over 5 lbs of tart cherries?
It was really good. Our problem was that we drank most of it before it was in its prime. I won’t be drinking any of this batch until the annual Mader Christmas Party… Ok, I may try one lol.
Cherry wheat would be good, but I don’t know about it with tart cherries.
Nah I can’t do a 15 gallon batch. I got 10 in thought. All in all it was a pretty good brew day. Well, until right after I finished cleaning up the tornado sirens were going off. It was a pretty epic storm. Maybe I’ll call the beer “Cherry Stout Storm”. … I may look into a tart cherry wheat beer. That Sam Adams cherry stout is about the sweetest thing I’ve ever drank…garbage!
