Cow-Coa Chocolate Milk Stout (BT)

Haven't made a milk stout in a while. This should be fairly sessionable.

Brewed 5.0 gallons on 2020-04-15

Preboil gravity: 1.073

Original gravity: 1.085

Final gravity: 1.039

ABV: 6.0%

Apparent Attenuation: 54.1%

Link about this beverage Tilt

Inspired by Imperial Milk Stout w/ Vanilla and Cocoa Nibs (AI)

Process notes

2020-05-02

Kegged. Blow off jug dried up (or was sucked in); not sure why. Sharp, bitter, earthy aroma. Some chocolate comes through in the nose. Bitter-sweet chocolate flavor. Should be OK, but a bit sharp. Nice chocolate finish.

Boil for 90 minutes

At 90 minutes

2 grams of Baking Soda (I'm hoping the bump in pH will help round out this stout.)

At 90 minutes

1 pound of Lactose

At 90 minutes

2 grams of Baking Soda (Added two more grams after measuring the wort's pH and finding it to be a bit low.)

At 60 minutes

1 ounce of 12.1% Alpha Acid Magnum pellets (American Magnum.)

At 15 minutes

8 ounces of Cocoa Nibs (Navitas Organics brand.)

Mash

[72.47%] 13 pounds of Maris Otter (CrispMalt)

[5.57%] 1 pound of Chocolate Malt (Briess)

[5.57%] 1 pound of Flaked Oats (Briess)

[5.57%] 1 pound of Black Roasted Barley (Briess)

[5.57%] 1 pound of British Crystal 70/80L Malt (BairdsMalt)

[1.39%] 4 ounces of CaraMunich Type I (Weyermann)

[1.39%] 4 ounces of Honey Malt (GambrinusMalting)

[1.39%] 4 ounces of Blonde RoastOat (Briess)

[1.05%] 3 ounces of Special Roasted Malt (Briess)

Single infusion mash. Mashed with 6.5 gallons (1.45 quarts per pound) of reverse osmosis water for 60 minutes. 17lb 15oz of grain was used in the mash.

Strike water temp: (0.2/1.45) * (155 - 68) + 155 = 167.0

2.60g calcium chloride, 1.30g gypsum, 1.00g baking soda, and 2.60g chalk added to water

After 0 mins

mash is 156°

After 30 mins

mash is 155°; pH is 5.13

After 60 mins

mash is 154°; pH is 5.13

Sparge

Sparged for 45 minutes with 3.5 gallons of 170° reverse osmosis water.

1.40g calcium chloride and 0.70g gypsum added to water

After 0 mins

pH is 4.91; specific gravity is 1.083

After 22 mins

pH is 4.98; specific gravity is 1.080

After 45 mins

pH is 5.10; specific gravity is 1.034; Preboil; wort after lactose + 2g of baking soda were added: 5.08 pH, 1.073 SG. I decided to add two more grams of baking soda.

Yeast

2020-04-15

Pitch starter (started on 2020-04-13 with 2000mL water, StirPlate, 200 grams DME, 1.00 tsp FermaidK) made from 2 packs of 1056 American Ale (Wyeast) at 67°. (Yeast was shipped from Philly and arrived warm. Decanted before pitching.)

Tasting notes (7.00/10; 1 rating)

2021-01-20

[7/10] This has been drinking well, and I'm surprised it lasted this long. Tan/brownish creamy head. Good retention. Full body, but not thick. Definitely getting a lot of chocolate, some mocha. Light on the roast. A bit of a chalky(?) mouthfeel, which is really the only negative aspect. Maybe from nibs, maybe from lactose?