Captain’s Ration Export Stout All Grain Recipe Kit Northern Brewer

Captain’s Ration Export Stout is our take on a historical style that was originally brewed to export to foreign markets. Its substantial roast, bitterness, and alcohol content made this style a perfect candidate for surviving extended trips abroad and is an ideal sipping companion during those long travels. Pack away a few bottles of Captain’s Ration Export Stout to enjoy in the future, this one will only get better with age.

Brewing Notes:

• Style: Foreign Export Stout
• Fermentation Range: 62 – 72°F
• Original Gravity: 1.072
• SRM: 39
• IBU: 58
• ABV: 7.1%

Tasting Notes:

• Aroma: Slightly sweet malty aroma dominated by roast notes of coffee and faint chocolate. Low alcohol aroma with very low herbal and floral hop aroma.
• Appearance: Opaque black color with a dark tan and persistent foam head.
• Flavor: Medium-high roast flavors are prominent with medium to low notes of sweet caramel and raisin. Low floral and earthy hop flavor, no diacetyl. Long finish on the palate with lingering roastiness. Moderately dry.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-full body with moderate creaminess.

Behind the Brew:

Brad, our Head Development Brewer, discusses the Foreign Export style and our take on this historical brew.

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Notes from Brad, Northern Brewer Head Brewer:

“Stronger than a typical dry stout and not as strong as a big imperial stout, this recipe perfectly occupies the middle ground in the stout world. Foreign Export Stout was originally brewed to be a bit stronger and hoppier than “standard” stouts of the 18th and 19th centuries for the specific purpose of exporting to foreign markets. This style is popular around the world, generally in warmer climates, while it seems to have been nearly lost in the parlance of American brewing traditions. So, here is a recipe to help recreate this historical style at home. 

This recipe is actually pretty simple, but yields a stout of substantial strength with prominent roast flavors and moderate bitterness. To keep things as traditional as possible, all ingredients (where applicable) are sourced from the UK. Two types of crystal malt and two varieties of dark roasted malts create the characteristic stout character, while UK Challenger and UK Kent Golding hops create a firm bitterness to balance the large malt presence and add just a touch of floral and earthy aroma. The final ingredient is Irish ale yeast known for its properties of excelling in dark worts. Once fermentation is complete, expect a final gravity right around 1.016 – 1.020 to yield a finished product containing about 7.0 – 7.2% alcohol by volume. While not a massively big beer, this recipe will certainly benefit from some age.”