Stout inspiration required!

Hello, this is my first post to the forum and it certainly won't be my last. Plenty of interesting discussions on here.

I am looking to brew a stout in time for christmas, but I am lacking inspiration for what style or flavours to go for.

For the style I am thinking possibly an Oatmeal or Milk stout. The possible flavours I have in mind are: Chocolate, Coffee, Caramel, Pecan, Vanilla, Hazelnut.

Does anybody have any alternative flavour ideas that would go well in an Oatmeal or Milk stout?

I appreciate any of your advice and help!

You get good chocolate and coffee notes from a normal oatmeal stout brew imo. If you wanted more obvious flavours, you could add Cacau nibs and coffee beans in the secondary.

I made this a few months back. It's at its best now and smooth and amazingly tasty. You won't need to add anything else:

For 10 Gallons (37.85 L)

17.375 lb (7.88 kg) pale malt
2.0 lb (0.9 kg) flaked oats
1.5 lb (0.68 kg) Victory malt
1.0 lb (0.45 kg) 80° L caramel malt
1.0 lb (0.45 kg) black malt
0.75 lb (340 g) chocolate malt
0.75 lb (340 g) pale chocolate malt
4.0 oz Golding pellet hops, 18.5% a.a. (60 min)
WLP002 English ale yeast (2 vials)

Specifications
Original Gravity: 1.062
Final Gravity: 1.016
ABV: 6.04%

Looks good. Do you know how many IBU's that works out at?


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Chipotle chill stout?

Oatmeal with the dark malts cold steeped overnight is my ideal beer. I'm a big fan of adding oak chips soaked in whisky too. Around 2g/L

I've just done a coffee milk stout. Made a reliable milk stout then added cold steeped coffee after 5 days.

stouts take quite a while to become good i think, id have been planning to do one a fair few months ago for christmas

On the contrary it can be a good style to drink young Imo depending on whether you want it to mellow or if you'd rather drink fresh with more esters, hop aroma and rawer malt flavours. Both are good, just put those strong ones away!

I made a 5.5% oatmeal stout recently and it was great to drink young. In fact, I've only got about ten bottles left.