Irish Stout Recipe (All-Grain): A Light, Guinness-Style Dry Stout
A light, dry Irish stout in the Guinness style you can brew at 5 to 30 gallons: 4.0% ABV and 34 IBU, best poured on nitrogen, with the grain bill, hops, yeast and step-by-step process.
In this post
Irish Stout at a glance: 4.0% ABV, 34 IBU, OG 1.041. A dry Irish stout: black, roasty and light-bodied, with a creamy head and a short, dry finish. Roasted barley does the heavy lifting, and flaked barley gives the body and foam. At 4.0% it sits in the same light, sessionable range as Guinness Draught, and it’s at its best poured on nitrogen. For a slightly bigger, roastier version, try our dry stout.
Bräu Supply recipe · All-grain
Irish Stout
Grain · for 5 gal into the fermenter
| 7 lb (3.18 kg) | Maris Otter | 80% |
| 1 lb (0.45 kg) | Flaked barley | 11% |
| 0.75 lb (0.34 kg) | Roasted barley | 9% |
Hops
| 2 oz (57 g) | East Kent Goldings · 5% AA | 60 min |
Yeast and water
| 1 pkg | Irish or English ale yeast (WLP004, Wyeast 1084 or S-04) | |
| Water | Moderately alkaline water balances the acidity of the roasted barley. | |
Process
- Mash: 150°F (66°C) for 60 minutes
- Boil: 60 minutes
- Ferment: 66°F (19°C) for 10 to 14 days
- Condition: Package when stable; ready in 2 to 3 weeks
- Carbonate: 2.0 volumes of CO₂, or serve on nitrogen
Brew it on
Based on 72% brewhouse efficiency and about 5.5 gal after the boil for a 5 gal batch. Adjust the base malt if your system runs higher or lower. Hops scale in a straight line; larger kettles extract a little more bitterness.
How to brew it
- Mash at 150°F (66°C) for 60 minutes.
- Boil 60 minutes with one bittering addition of East Kent Goldings.
- Chill to 64°F (18°C) and pitch.
- Ferment at 66°F (19°C) until the gravity is stable.
- Package at a low 2.0 volumes, or on beer gas through a stout faucet for the classic creamy pour.
Tips
- Don’t overdo the roasted barley: 8 to 10% of the grist is plenty.
- Flaked barley is what makes the dense, lasting head.
- It’s a low-alcohol beer, so it’s ready to drink quickly.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference between porter and stout?
Stouts usually get a sharper roast from roasted barley; porters lean on chocolate malt. See porter vs stout.
Can I make it sweeter?
Add 0.5 to 1 lb of lactose per 5 gallons in the boil for a milk stout.
Related guides
Types of stout, how roasted malts change flavour, beer foam.