Deschutes Brewery’s Obsidian Stout clone

Deschutes Obsidian Stout clone

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.067  FG = 1.019
IBU = 73  SRM = 50  ABV = 6.4%

Ingredients
10.69 lb. (4.85 kg) Great Western domestic pale malt 2 °L (or similar)
1.28 lb. (580 g) Baird black malt 530 °L (or similar)
0.99 lb. (450 g) Great Western crystal malt 80 °L (or similar)
9.52 oz. (270 g) Briess Carapils 2 °L (or similar)
9.52 oz. (270 g) Great Western Munich malt 10 °L (or similar)
9.52 oz. (270 g) Great Western wheat malt 2 °L (or similar)
1.41 oz. (40 g) Baird roasted barley 575 °L (or similar)
11.4 AAU Galena pellet hops (0.88 oz./25 of 13% alpha acids) (90 min.)
4.4 AAU Willamette pellet hops (0.88 oz./25 g of 5% alpha acids) (30 min.)
7.92 AAU Northern Brewer pellet hops (0.88 oz./25 g of  9% alpha acids) (5 min.)
White Labs WLP002 English Ale or Wyeast 1968 London ESB yeast
3/4 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step
Mill the grains and dough-in targeting a mash thickness that will enable your system to achieve the necessary pre-boil volume and gravity. Hold the mash at 150 °F (66 °C) until enzymatic conversion is complete. Infuse the mash with near boiling water while stirring or with a recirculating mash system raise the temperature to mash out at 168 °F (76 °C). Sparge slowly with 170 °F (77 °C) water, collecting wort until the pre-boil kettle volume is around 6.5 gallons (25 L) and the gravity is 1.052 (12.9 °P).

The total wort boil time is 90 minutes. Add the bittering hops as soon as the wort starts boiling. With 30 minutes remaining in the boil, add the second hop additon. Add Irish moss or other kettle finings with15 minutes left in the boil. Add the remaining hop addition at 5 minutes. Chill the wort to 65 °F (18 °C) and aerate thoroughly. The proper pitch rate is 16 grams of properly rehydrated dry yeast, 2.3 packages of liquid yeast or 1 package of liquid yeast in a 2.7-liter starter.

Ferment at 65 °F (18 °C) until the yeast drops clear. Allow the lees to settle and the brew to mature without pressure for another two days after fermentation appears finished. Rack to a keg and force carbonate or rack to a bottling bucket, add priming sugar, and bottle. Target a carbonation level of 2.5 volumes.

Deschutes Obsidian Stout clone

(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.067 FG = 1.019
IBU = 73  SRM = 50  ABV = 6.4%

Ingredients
6.76 lb. (3.07 kg) Alexander’s light liquid malt extract (LME) 2 °L
1.28 lb. (580 g) Baird black malt 530 °L (or similar)
0.99 lb. (450 g) Great Western crystal malt 80 °L (or similar)
9.52 oz. (270 g) Briess Carapils 2 °L (or similar)
9.52 oz. (270 g) Great Western Munich malt 10 °L (or similar)
9.52 oz. (270 g) Great Western wheat malt 2 °L (or similar)
1.41 oz. (40 g) Baird roasted barley 575 °L (or similar)
11.4 AAU Galena pellet hops (0.88 oz./25 of 13% alpha acids) (90 min.)
4.4 AAU Willamette pellet hops (0.88 oz./25 g of 5% alpha acids) (30 min.)
7.92 AAU Northern Brewer pellet hops (0.88 oz./25 g of  9% alpha acids) (5 min.)
White Labs WLP002 English Ale or Wyeast 1968 London ESB yeast
3/4 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by step
I use an ultra-light extract made by Alexander’s (California Concentrate Company), but any fresh, high quality light color extract will work well. Always choose the freshest extract that fits the beer style instead of focusing on the brand name. If you cannot get fresh liquid malt extract, it is better to use an appropriate amount of dried malt extract (DME) instead.

Mill or coarsely crack the specialty malt and place loosely in a grain bag. Avoid packing the grains too tightly in the bag, using more bags if needed. Steep the bag in about 1.5 gallon (~6 liters) of water at roughly 170 °F (77 °C) for about 30 minutes. Lift the grain bag out of the steeping liquid and rinse with warm water. Allow the bags to drip into the kettle for a few minutes while you add the malt extract. Do not squeeze the bags. Add enough water to the steeping liquor and malt extract to make a pre-boil volume of 6.5 gallons (25 L) and the gravity is 1.052 (12.9 °P). Stir thoroughly to help dissolve the extract and bring to a boil.

The total wort boil time is 90 minutes. Add the bittering hops as soon as the wort starts boiling. With 30 minutes remaining in the boil, add the second hop additon. Add Irish moss or other kettle finings with15 minutes left in the boil. Add the remaining hop addition at 5 minutes. Chill the wort to 65 °F (18 °C) and aerate thoroughly. The proper pitch rate is 16 grams of properly rehydrated dry yeast, 2.3 packages of liquid yeast or 1 package of liquid yeast in a 2.7-liter starter.

Ferment at 65 °F (18 °C) until the yeast drops clear. Allow the lees to settle and the brew to mature without pressure for another two days after fermentation appears finished. Rack to a keg and force carbonate or rack to a bottling bucket, add priming sugar, and bottle. Target a carbonation level of 2.5 volumes.