AHS Chocolate Raspberry Stout

8/28/10

I purchased the Chocolate Raspberry Stout from AHS for a nice holiday stout this year.

Here is the recipe as follows:
Crushed Grains: (Added to 2.5 gallons of water to 155 then off heat and steeped for 25 minutes)
12 Oz Chocolate Malt
8 Oz Pale Malt
4 Oz Crystal 40L Malt
2 Oz Black Patent Malt
2 Oz Black Roasted Barley

Fermentables:
(Added after boil after the steep)
8 Oz Malto Dextrin
7 Lbs Amber Extract

Hops:

1 Oz Nugget (60 minutes after return to boil from frementable add)

Yeast:

White Labs London Ale (Liquid Yeast)

Extras:

1 Oz Belgian Coca Powder (Last 5 minutes of boil)
2 Oz Raspberry Flavoring (To be used at bottling)
BrewVint yeast Fuel (last 15 minutes of boil)

8/29/10

I pitched the yeast the night before and I had a OG of 1.060 ( I should have a FG of 1.0198 - 1.015.. The yeast is 67-75%)....  The next day not a bubble in my airlock or a bit of pressure at all..

8/30/10

I let it go till Monday, which by my instructions sent by AHS said that if no activity by now to stir.  I stirred and shook the fermentor like crazy at 7 AM (there were no signs of fermentation at all).  I also sent an email to AHS stating what has happended.  The spectacular customer service by AHS sent me a replacement yeast that afternoon.  I got home at around 7 PM and was delighted to see that the airlock was bubbling like crazy. I guess I will save the replacement yeast in the fridge and also when I order kits now I will order some dry yeast for the fridge for emergencies....

9/10/10

I racked to a secondary today the reading was 1.020 (seemed a little high to me but will have to check next week whe I bottle....

9/19/10

Getting ready to bottle the smell is great.  I will test the reading as soon as my bottles are out of the dishwasher.. Beer bottled FG is at 1.018...  For a Alcohol % of  5.24% Lets try it in three weeks

10/2/10

I tried after 2 weeks... Very harsh very green .... Maybe why they say to wait at least three weeks.....

10/9/10

I tried at three weeks a bottle half filled...  Which by the way let out alot more gas than a regular filled bottle.. It tasted alot better, but I think that if I leave for another week or two it is going to be great....  I have been noticing that in the bottle if you shine a light you can see like sugar/something floating on the top and with age this goes away.....

10/21/10

Ok I officially call this done now...  I tried last weekend and it was ok....  Tried today and it was outta site...  You gotta give this time to condition in the bottles...  I thought that I ruined this batch due to the long lag on the fermentation start....  looking good though...