Homebrew Recipe
Ska Vernal Minthe Stout
- Method:
- All Grain
- Style:
- Sweet Stout
- Boil Time:
- 90 min.
- Batch Size:
- 5 gal.
- Boil Size:
- 7 gal.
- Efficiency:
- 72
- Rating:
- Source:
- Craft Beer and Brewing
- Source Notes:
- Ska Brewing Cofounder Dave Thibodeau generously shared this recipe for one of Ska’s rotating, seasonal stouts. When you give this brew a shot, send a bottle or two Ska’s way for “research purposes†(a.k.a. “drinkingâ€).
- Notes:
- Mash at 150–152°F (66–67°C) for 60 minutes. Boil for 90 minutes. We add the lactose with 20 minutes remaining in the boil to ensure pasteurization. Soak the herbs and spices into secondary fermentation for at least 3 days. Be sure to expose the inner layer of the vanilla bean to the beer. We suggest using a Whitbread Ale yeast because it is a versatile strain that you can use for many different styles. It’s slightly fruity, but works well with darker English ales such as porters, oatmeal stouts, and sweet stouts.
Brew Numbers
| OG | FG | ABV | SRM | IBU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.064 | 1.024 | 5.8 | 0 | 15 |
Fermentables
| Name | Amount | % Grain Bill |
|---|---|---|
| Pale Malt - 2-Row | 9 lbs. | 69.23 |
| Roasted Barley | 1 lbs. | 7.69 |
| Dextrin Malt | 0.75 lbs. | 5.77 |
| Notes: Calls for Carapils | ||
| Wheat Malt | 0.5 lbs. | 3.85 |
| Caramel Malt 80 | 0.5 lbs. | 3.85 |
| Chocolate Malt | 0.5 lbs. | 3.85 |
| Brown Malt | 0.25 lbs. | 1.92 |
| Notes: Calls for Briess Special Roast. Could also substitute with Amber malt. | ||
| Flaked Barley | 0.25 lbs. | 1.92 |
| Flaked Oats | 0.25 lbs. | 1.92 |
| Total: | 13.00 lbs. | |
Hops
| Name | Amount | Boil Time | Use | AA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willamette | 0.5 oz. | 80 | Boil | 0 |
| Northern Brewer (US) | 0.25 oz. | 30 | Boil | 0 |
| Notes: 0.25–0.5 oz Northern Brewer or Cluster at 30 minutes | ||||
| Name | Amount |
|---|---|
| Northern Brewer (US) | 0.25 oz. |
| Willamette | 0.5 oz. |
Yeast
| Name | Lab | Product |
|---|---|---|
| Whitbread Ale | Wyeast | 1099 |
| Whitbread II Ale | White Labs | WLP017 |
Other Ingredients
| Name | Amount | Time | Use | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lactose | 8 oz | 20 min. | Boil | Flavor |
| Notes: We add the lactose with 20 minutes remaining in the boil to ensure pasteurization. | ||||
| Cacao Nibs | 1.16 oz | 60 min. | Mash | Flavor |
| Notes: Add with grains in the mash. | ||||
| Dried Peppermint | 0.25 oz | 3 days | Secondary | Flavor |
| Notes: Soak the herbs and spices into secondary fermentation for at least 3 days. | ||||
| Dried Spearmint | 0.2 oz | 3 days | Secondary | Flavor |
| Notes: Soak the herbs and spices into secondary fermentation for at least 3 days. | ||||
| Vanilla Bean | 0.4 oz | 3 days | Secondary | Flavor |
| Notes: Soak the herbs and spices into secondary fermentation for at least 3 days. Be sure to expose the inner layer of the vanilla bean to the beer. | ||||
Mash Steps
| Step | Name | Temp | Time | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Single Infusion Mash | 151 | 60 | All Grain |
| Notes: Mash at 150–152°F (66–67°C) for 60 minutes. | ||||