My first attempt at using the recipe template, it's for one I've brewed a few times now without much thought to accuracy of water quantities. I've plugged it into the BIABacus (also first time to use that with intent) to see what the water quantities really should be and my next brew day will follow the BIABacus, not the seat of my pants as all previous batches I've done of it. This kind of marks my transition from pissing about into taking things more seriously.

This brew managed a first place in the dark ale section at a local agricultural show this month, and also received good comments from friends that tasted it. I'm now trying different hops with each batch to see what I like best, but it's on point as it is for me.
If I'm off the mark with anything, there's suggestions, or I've caused anyone to say WTF did you/have you done/not done that for, please speak freely.

So just over a year into my BIAB and all-grain education, here goes -


Style: Dry Stout
Name: Basic Stout
Yeast: Wyeast Irish Ale 1084
Fermentation Temperature: 18C
Original Gravity: 1.050
Total IBU's: 39.5
Colour (EBC): 77.3
Efficiency at End of Boil: 81.8%
Mash Length (mins): 90mins
Boil Length (mins): 90mins
Your Vessel Type (Pot/Keggle/Urn): 40L Crown Urn
Source/Credits: Me
Notes/Instructions/Comments: No chill into cube. F.V @ 18C for 5-7 days, temp raise to 21C for 14 days.
The original of this I used a full Wyeast smackpak, but I've recently started splitting my smackpaks into 4, and building 1.5L starters and achieving the same result over 4 batches now.


Your Vessel Volume (L or gal): 41.1
Your Vessel Diameter (cm or in): 33cm
Water Required (L or gal): 31.48L
Mash Temperature (C or F): 64C
Volume at End of Boil (L or gal): 22.2L
Volume into Fermenter (L or gal): 20L
Brew Length (L or gal): 18.52
Total Grain Bill (g or oz): 4940g

Grains - Colours - Percentages and/or Weight (g or oz)

Grain 1: Maris Otter - ECB 6 - 4400g
Grain 2: Roasted Barley - ECB 1300 - 340g
Grain 3: Chocolate Malt - ECB 900 - 150g
Grain 4: Carafa Special 3 - ECB 1200 - 50g

Hops - AA% - IBUs - Weight (g or oz) at Minutes

Hop 1: Fuggles - 6.5% - 35g @60mins
- 30g @20mins

Adjuncts/Minerals/Finings etc

- 1/2 tablet Whirlflock @10mins.

Hey Muggy,

Congrats on the award!

As far as the recipe, I most often use the BCS book for those I use, and then adjust from there if wanted. Not much in the way of flavor hops for stouts, normally. You have some at 20 minutes. So perhaps more flavor than most... (?) I haven't reviewed this, have brewed a few dry Irish stouts over the past 3 years. Looks like you - at a minimum - are within range... If you and your friends like it, and you won an award with it, sounds like you have a winner! And by using the BIABacus helps a lot with repeatability, and tends to focus our minds on doing a good job with brewing...

Thanks Scott. While I've repeated this a few times now I haven't put enough focus on water amounts, something BIABcus helped to pin down. Now I'll start playing with different hops and timings.