It’s time for another Jar of Destiny beer. This round, we brewed a classic Irish stout. We followed the 2015 BJCP guidelines for 15B Irish Stout, focusing on a balanced roasted flavor with a dry finish. I tried a couple of new things with this batch, including a step mash and grinding the roasted barley to a fine powder. Here’s how it went.
Irish Stout JoD Recipe
Batch Size – 5 US Gallons
Water:
Half Distilled / Half Filtered Tap with a half Campden tablet for good measure
Grains:
7 Pounds of Crisp British 2-Row Malt
2 Pounds of Flaked Barley
1 Pound of Roasted Barley, ground to a fine powder (quite hydrophobic)
Hops:
2 Ounces of Kent Goldings hops (5.2% AA), 60 minute boil
Yeast:
1 packet of Wyeast 1084 Irish Ale (1 liter starter)
Instructions:
Mashed at 120°F (49°C) for 15 minutes
Mashed at 150°F (66C) for 75 minutes
Mashed Out at 170°F (77°C)
Boiled for 75 minutes
Chilled to 62°F (17°C) and pitched starter.
Fermented for two weeks, slowly rising the temperature. Kegged and slowly carbonated for two weeks
Outcome:
Original Gravity: 1.044
Final Gravity 1.010
ABV: 4.46%
Here’s a photo of the ground up roasted barley.

It looks like cocoa powder.
Final Thoughts
This Irish stout turned out exactly how I hoped. It’s simple, dry, and easy to drink. It has enough depth to keep things interesting. The grain bill didn’t need adjustments. The classic 70-20-10 blend provided a perfect foundation. Fermentation was clean, producing a smooth mouthfeel. It offered subtle roast and chocolate notes without harsh bitterness. Grinding the roasted barley into a fine powder didn’t create excessive roast character. Instead, it introduced pleasant chocolate hints and a nuanced coffee aroma. I also tried a step mash. Paired with a healthy yeast starter, fermentation was quick and effective. Overall, this stout embodies exactly what I enjoy about the style. It’s balanced, flavorful, and sessionable for everyday drinking in any season. I’d confidently brew this recipe again. The simplicity is what makes Irish stout so enjoyable.
Links To The Jar of Destiny Series Results
Check out the British Strong Ale post
Check out the Black IPA post
Check out the International Amber Lager post
Check out the Belgian Tripel post
Check out the Double IPA post
Check out the Kölsch post
Check out the English IPA post
Check out the Wood-Aged Beer post
Check out the Belgian Golden Strong Ale post
Check out the American Amber Ale post
Check out the German Pils post
Check out the Brett Beer post
Check out the Munich Helles post
Check out the Imperial Stout post
Check out the Foreign Extra Stout post
Check out the Belgian IPA post
Check out the Eisbock post
Check out the Czech Dark Lager post
Check out the California Common post
Check out the American Light Lager post
Check out the Pale Kellerbier post
Check out the Belgian Pale Ale post
Check out the Trappist Single post
Check out the Classic Style Smoked Beer post
Check out the Czech Amber Lager post
Check out the Gueuze post