This beer started out as a part of my 7 gallon, low gravity, "Stout Study" batch, and ended up highly hopped with a variety of pellets and buds I had ziplocked in the fridge, and before I was done (just before I was done because I added the Kelp on bottling really), there was the potassium rich hint of the sea, the result of a pinch of seaweed.
According to my Beersmith notes, apparently, "I added enough hops to make this a celebration type ale than a typical dry or sweet stout. Hops include Cenntenial for bittering, Chinook for both and Cascade for dry hopping-aroma".
It was converted using Nottingham yeast, the voracious monster I favor in missions such as these. At first, I though I a pinch of powered cacao to the boil, intending to accent the roasty flavors, but Beersmith notes tell me it was a shot of coffee. Go fig-- Beersmith does.
Apparetnly I also added unusual elements to the boil: Cayenne pepper, flacked oats (4.7%), honey, Northern Brewer's wheat extract, and Briess "Caracrystal Wheat (16%), which is way beyond suggested ratios of 13%, I know, but I think we were way off the reservation by then. I used 3lbs of Black Barley, which is 45% of the sugaz, so it's hard to tell if the coffee gives it the chocolate notes, or the roasted barley. I used 1lb of caramel malt (11.7%). I used 5.3 oz of Wisconsin wildflower honey, or just 3.9%, mostly to bring the alcohol level up a bit.
Original gravity was 1.031, and it ended up 1.010, or 4% by weight. The IBUs are estimated to be.... 57.7 (hehehe).
I'll have you know, I also added a good half cup of roasted American oak chips (and a bit of juice from boiling them).
The result-- get my nut hugging flight suit because it's truly "mission accomplished," right down to the small hint of kelp after taste. The stout is really very good. I mean, if I were to make something the mad flavors I like most, this would be the beer: chocolate, sprucy nose, well balanced roasted malt taste with the kind of thickness you've come to expect from the world's leading Stout, which shall remain unnamed, in Dublin.
A nice big bubbled frothy head, which is still in effect after 30 minutes drinking this flavor delivery devise. And the after taste of kelp, so you know you'd getting the potassium a body needs. I love this beer
