archthered
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- Aug 7, 2013
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I want to make a massive Russian Imperial Stout. I have an idea for the recipe but I would like comments and general thoughts on what I have. None of this is set in stone but I do like what I have so far, I've included a few notes on some of the ingredients to highlight specific questions or thoughts I had.
Name: TBD
Batch size: 5 gallon
All Grain
Estimated OG- 1.121 (this may seem low for the amount of grain but I'm counting on poor mash efficiency with such a large grain bill)
Estimated FG- 1.018
Estimate ABV- 13.8%
14 lbs Pale Malt 2 Row
2 lbs Caramel Malt 120L
2 lbs Oats, flaked (may add rice hulls)
2 lbs Roasted Barley (this may be alot, I like it roasty tasting so I think this is a good amount but I'm not sure, I'm also not against black patent malt and at one point was thinking a pound of each)
2 lbs Rye Malt (I might add rice hulls but should have enough enzymes to mash these as is)
1 lbs Barley, Flaked (I think this is enough)
1 lbs Caramel Malt 60L
1 lbs Special B Malt
2 lbs table sugar at end of boil (or DME or 2ish lbs pale malt, I'm not sure it will all fit in my mash tun, hence the sugar just in case)
2.00 oz Warrior Hops- 60 min boil- 67 IBUs
1.00 oz Warrior Hops- 15 min boil- 17 IBUs
Scottish Ale Yeast- Wyeast 1728- with massive starter
French Oak Infusion Spiral
Yeast nutrient- lots
I'm thinking I'll mash at 149 for 90 minutes (maybe less, but I should still get a lot of good mouth feel from the crystal and rye malts), boil for at least 90 but that may require more to drop the volume to what I need. I don't have a fermentation schedule since I'm not completely wedded to the Scottish ale yeast and temps may change depending on strain, though I've had good results with 1728 in the past with other beers. I would of course oxygenate with O2 and was considering waiting about 12 hours after pitching to re-oxygenate, something I've heard of others doing to help with attenuation in a high gravity beer. I'm also considering splitting the batch for the first part of fermentation to avoid loss to blow off but I'm not sure when is the best time to recombine, part of me thinks just as primary fermentation is winding down to keep fermentation going but I need to look more into this.
I'd rack to a secondary after primary fermentation, I imagine at least two weeks, and add the oak spiral. I'm not sure if I'm going to add any booze to it, though I was thinking about it. I like alot of bourbon stouts but there is already alot going on here, I was toying with the idea of adding Scotch or even Brandy if I do add something just to try something different but I was also thinking about not adding any booze and just adding small amounts to a glass now and then to play with how other liquors work, or don't. I imagine it will me close to 3 months before I keg it and the oak probably will not be in there for that whole time but I will play that by ear. I'm planning on bottling 1 gallon and ageing it for a year before opening it back up.
Anyway that's the plan. I'm open to all kinds of suggestions, especially ways to ensure I get good fermentation. Undoubtedly I've left something important out so sorry about that, when you find out what just ask.
Name: TBD
Batch size: 5 gallon
All Grain
Estimated OG- 1.121 (this may seem low for the amount of grain but I'm counting on poor mash efficiency with such a large grain bill)
Estimated FG- 1.018
Estimate ABV- 13.8%
14 lbs Pale Malt 2 Row
2 lbs Caramel Malt 120L
2 lbs Oats, flaked (may add rice hulls)
2 lbs Roasted Barley (this may be alot, I like it roasty tasting so I think this is a good amount but I'm not sure, I'm also not against black patent malt and at one point was thinking a pound of each)
2 lbs Rye Malt (I might add rice hulls but should have enough enzymes to mash these as is)
1 lbs Barley, Flaked (I think this is enough)
1 lbs Caramel Malt 60L
1 lbs Special B Malt
2 lbs table sugar at end of boil (or DME or 2ish lbs pale malt, I'm not sure it will all fit in my mash tun, hence the sugar just in case)
2.00 oz Warrior Hops- 60 min boil- 67 IBUs
1.00 oz Warrior Hops- 15 min boil- 17 IBUs
Scottish Ale Yeast- Wyeast 1728- with massive starter
French Oak Infusion Spiral
Yeast nutrient- lots
I'm thinking I'll mash at 149 for 90 minutes (maybe less, but I should still get a lot of good mouth feel from the crystal and rye malts), boil for at least 90 but that may require more to drop the volume to what I need. I don't have a fermentation schedule since I'm not completely wedded to the Scottish ale yeast and temps may change depending on strain, though I've had good results with 1728 in the past with other beers. I would of course oxygenate with O2 and was considering waiting about 12 hours after pitching to re-oxygenate, something I've heard of others doing to help with attenuation in a high gravity beer. I'm also considering splitting the batch for the first part of fermentation to avoid loss to blow off but I'm not sure when is the best time to recombine, part of me thinks just as primary fermentation is winding down to keep fermentation going but I need to look more into this.
I'd rack to a secondary after primary fermentation, I imagine at least two weeks, and add the oak spiral. I'm not sure if I'm going to add any booze to it, though I was thinking about it. I like alot of bourbon stouts but there is already alot going on here, I was toying with the idea of adding Scotch or even Brandy if I do add something just to try something different but I was also thinking about not adding any booze and just adding small amounts to a glass now and then to play with how other liquors work, or don't. I imagine it will me close to 3 months before I keg it and the oak probably will not be in there for that whole time but I will play that by ear. I'm planning on bottling 1 gallon and ageing it for a year before opening it back up.
Anyway that's the plan. I'm open to all kinds of suggestions, especially ways to ensure I get good fermentation. Undoubtedly I've left something important out so sorry about that, when you find out what just ask.