Double Choc Stout help

Brewing Processes
1

Back when I first started brewing I had a Double Choc Stout recipe that was one of my favorites. Now I am an AG brewer and would like to convert my old extract recipe into a tastey AG batch. Surely it can’t be too difficult since I know the DME that I used was a blend of base, Munich, 60L crystal, and black malt. Here is my old extract recipe, can someone help me convert this into AG? Thanks for the help!
Double Choc Stout
6lbs Dark DME
1/2lb Malto-Dextrine
1/2lb brown sugar
1/2lb cocoa powder

Steeped:
1/2lb Roasted Barley
1/2lb Dark Crystal
1/2lb Choc. malt
1/2lb Blk Patent

2

It looks like the only ingredient to convert is the 6#'s DME.  Keep all other ingredients the same.
I got these figures from BYO so I hope they are correct.
To convert DME to Grain:  Amount DME X 1.454 = Amount of Grain
So, 6 x 1.454 = 8.7, round up to 9 Lbs of Grain as a start…I would probably use 9 #'s pale malt as your base and add your steeped grains as the specialty malts…You would need to know the percentages of the grains in the DME to be exact…
Hope this helps…anybody else please correct me if I’m way off

3

that’s more or less right, the OP says though that he knows the base DME he was using is a blend of 2 row, munich and crystal 60 and black so I would say go with like 7 lbs 2 row, 1.25 munich and .25 black and .5 crystal but that’s totally coming out of thin air.

4

Thanks for the replys I was starting to get worried. :wink:
So how does this sound for a starting point in comparison?

7lbs 2 Row
1lb Munich
.75lbs Choc. Malt
.5lb Black Patent
.5lb Roasted Barley
.5lb Crystal 60

5

If I were doing it, I’d probably have the black and roast barley add up to a half pound rather than a half pound of each.  But that’s just me :slight_smile:

6

me too, those can be quite overpowering

7

I also agree with using no more than 4 oz each of black patent and roasted barley.
I also would not mash the black patent or roasted barley–just top mash prior to sparging or steep the grains separately (could also do this with the crystal and chocolate malt).

8

Let’s remember he is trying to match a recipe he has brewed in the past and liked. all the steeping grains are from his extract recipe. We may not like as much roast as this recipe might create but the OP does so I think the modified recipe is fine. in fact, unless he INCREASES the black malt a little he might not get the expected level of roasty bite.

I say go for it as you have it written out above. Maybe it will be too roasty and then next time you can dial it back. maybe it will be just like you remember and you will be happy.

9

Thanks guys. Yep, I just want to try to match my old recipe as close as possible. Its definitely a roasty recipe and you can pick up super dark choc. after a good aging. I think I’ll try to give this new recipe a try and will keep the malto, brown sugar, and cocoa the same as before.

10

The only thing that seems to be missing is the dark crystal from the original. That, and you may want to up the maltodextrin and/or mash really high to get the same fermentability as the dark extract.