Looking for input of specialty malts for higher gravity stouts

msa8967

I am looking to brew four 3 gallon stouts (around SG of 1080) using Maris Otter as a base and I have these specialty malts to use. Can anyone pick out several some possible combinations of the specialty malts listed below? I will use either magnum or northern brewer for bitter additions. Safle S-04 will be the yeast.
I might use EK Goldings for aroma addition if anyone thinks this might be a good addition. (Thoughts?)
Thanks for any input you might have.
Cara malts: Carabrown, carafoam, caramunich 40L, caramunich 120L, caravienna
British crystal: crystal 10L, 45L, 120L, DRC, brown malt
American crystal: 40L, 80L
Rye malts: regular rye, crystal rye, chocolate rye
Dark malts: chocolate 450L, roasted barley, black patent, carafa 2, carafa 3
Misc malts: Special roast, amber, special B, aromatic malt, oat malt, golden naked oats

DBhomebrew

Make one of them a classic English stout. Pale, Amber, brown, black.

msa8967

Just for clarification by pale malt you mean using a pale malt base like Maris Otter or do I add another base malt to the Maris Otter?

DBhomebrew

UK pale base malt. Maris Otter is a variety of barley and usually kilned as a pale ale malt. Not my preference, but a very popular one.

msa8967

Thanks for the clarification. I am going to be bottling this to give away. After developing type 2 diabetes and having covid twice my ability to enjoy the taste of beer has been compromised.

AlexKay

That's a great selection of malt! DRC and chocolate rye are my favorites.
I'd go with MO, one crystal (45L or rye or DRC), and one dark malt (roasted barley, Carafa, black patent). You could add chocolate rye to anything ... I put it in all my stouts (and even a Black IPA once.) Ditto brown malt. Or unmalted oats.
MO, English 45 L, roasted barley
MO, DRC, Carafa 3 Special (is it regular or special?)
MO, crystal rye, chocolate rye, roasted barley
MO, brown malt, 45 L, black patent
Northern Brewer is a great flavor addition for dark beers.

AlexKay

As it happens, I just kegged a Pre-Prohibition Porter today. The green beer tasted great, and I have high hopes. Recipe (2.5 gallons):
2.1 lbs. English pale
2.1 lbs. 2-row
0.2 lbs. Fawcett Medium 45L Crystal
0.2 lb. carafa special III
0.4 lb. chocolate rye
3.5 g Magnum (15.1% AA) @ 60 min.
14 g Northern Brewer (10.2% AA) @ 10 min
Lallemand Köln

day_trippr

Resist the urge to use a lot of crystal or dextrin malts to avoid attenuation issues with high gravity wort...
Cheers!

AlexKay

Yep. Throw out the American crystal and the Carafoam. They're not good for stouts or anything else.