Voodu Magic Tropical Stout (Batch 379)

I brewed this past Sunday.

It was another beer to check off a new style in my BCJP Goal.

If I'm counting correctly, I've now brewed 87 of the 108 2021 BCJP Guidelines.

As I mentioned in Cuttlefish Czech Amber Lager (Batch 378), I recently killed a couple of kegs, bringing me down to two kegs on tap, one of which (Halfway to Helles Leichtbier) is very close to being empty.

Since then, I packaged Gob Stopper Grape Ale and Cuttlefish Czech Amber Lager, so my beer inventory is looking pretty good.

But, I wanted to get this beer brewed ....

Voodu Magic Tropical Stout

As I mentioned in Roll-a-Style 15: 16C. Tropical Stout, I feel like there is quite a lot of overlap between "different" stout styles.

Voodu Magic Tropical Stout. Bigger and more "fruity" than Pack o' Hooligans Stout; less hoppy and sweeter than Stouticus American Stout; bigger and less dry than Oisin Owl Irish Stout.

I had some Voss Kveik yeast in my fridge that I decided to use. I figure that would add to the "fruitiness" and would also allow me to ferment warmer in the hot summer days we are in.

It also will speed up the fermentation and I will be able to drink this a little sooner.

I honestly have no idea how this would do if BJCP judges were to evaluate it as a 16C. Tropical Stout. It would be interesting to get feedback, but I'm too lazy to submit this to competition. 

So, I'll just assume I nailed it if I think it tastes about how I think it should.

Brew day Sunday started fairly late for me.

I was heating water at 6am and didn't mash in until around 6:40. 

The basket / bag was very full. Had I realized how full it was, I probably would have removed the grain bag. But, I just went with it.

The mash was draining around 7:40, and I set the Foundry to heat to 195 while my wife and I left for church.

After returning, I got the wort to boil, starting the timer at 9:50. I did have to add some table sugar to get my pre-boil gravity up. Luckily the style guidelines say that sugar is often used in Tropical Stouts.

The boil went fine. I added the hops and whirlflock at the right times.

I was "chilling" just after 10:50, and I only chilled the wort into the 80's since I was using the Voss yeast.

I ended up with a 1.066 OG, which is a bit higher than planned, but certainly won't hurt anything. 

After pitching the yeast, I put the fermenter in the garage and went out for a bike ride.

Sometime in the afternoon the yeast took off. By the morning, the Tilt said I was down to 1.025 SG at 89 degrees. The tilt recorded a temp as high as 91.

Now, this beer is basically done fermenting, but I'll let it sit for a couple days. I'll probably keg by the end of the week.

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