Klingon Stout

Classification: stout, extract, prune juice

Source: Paul Busman (brewerpaul@aol.com), r.c.b., 2/28/96

OK I'll admit that I'm a Star Trek fan, especially the Next Generation. One of my favorite moments on that show came when someone offered Worf, the fierce Klingon, a taste of prune juice. He tasted it and then with surprise and enthusiasm, declared it to be "a warriors drink". In that moment, a recipe was concieved.
Before all the prune juice jokes start, let me point out two things. Number one, the laxative effect of prune juice is due to it's fiber content, most of which settles out following fermentation. Number two(sorry, I couldn't help myself) , this recipe contains only 2 qt prune juice out of a 5 gal (20 qt ) batch, or 10%. Thus a 12 oz bottle contains 1.2 oz of prune juice; not enough to trouble most GI systems.

I originally intended this as a sort of novelty brew, but it came out excellent. The prune juice adds a velvety smoothness sort of like oatmeal stout. Next time I might dry hop. Let me know what you think. You will be a merry man! (That's not sexist--another Trek reference).

Ingredients:

6.6 lb dark malt extract syrup
1 lb crushed crystal malt
1/2 lb black patent malt
1/3 lb roasted barley
1.5 oz Northern Brewers hops--boil 60 min.
1 oz Tettnanger hops --finishing last 2 min.
2 quarts prune juice WITH NO PRESERVATIVES!!!!
ale yeast
3/4 c. corn sugar to prime

Procedure:

Steep grains 30 min at 150F. Strain into brew pot and rinse with one gal hot water. Add extract, boiling hops and additional gal. water and boil 1 hr. Add finishing hops last 2 min. Turn off heat and add prune juice to pasteurize for 10 min(probably not necessary since the juice is already pasteurized ). Pour into primary fermenter and top with cold water up to 5 gal. Pitch yeast when cool. Rack to secondary a week later. Bottle when ready. Age at least 4 wk.