Imperial stout secondary/additions - what should i put in my stout?

Hi all,

Initially I planned on just adding vanilla beans to this stout while it continues to sit in my fermentation bucket, but wondering about what other interesting ingredients anyone might suggest. My previous porter was “bourbon barrel porter” with makers mark and wood chips, so wanted to play with something different this time. So far only have vanilla beans in mind, but is there anything else that might work? Bottling the beer maybe three weeks from now and plan to let it sit all year for holiday gifts next winter. What would be a age-friendly addition? Maybe should just stick with bourbon and wood again after all… but yah any ideas much appreciated.

Thanks, Greg
Oh and the recipe I went with this time is here:

https://bodobeers.wordpress.com/homebrew-recipes/3-imperial-vanilla-stout/

You could try coffee. Or there’s always the option to leave it be and not add anything.

Doing this today with an American stout. Lots of ways to do it too. Whole beans in the fermenter, course cracked beans, cold brewed.

I just made some cold brew last night. 1/2 pound of local espresso beans + 40 ounces of water = 25 ounces of very concentrated coffee perfect for 5 gallons IMO.

Oh… I guess I didn’t mention my method. When I do my breakfast stout, I add two ounces of ground coffee at flameout. Then I add another two ounces of ground coffee to the secondary. I use a dark roast of sorts. Usually it’s Sumatra.

Husband just bottled his American Wild Stout today. RIS with Pedio, Brett L, and Maker’s Mark soaked oak cubes.

How about nothing at all?  Beer flavored beer…

Coming from the ‘Experimental Beer’ coauthor… :wink:

I add 1.5 oz of coarse ground coffee beans to a 2.5 gallon keg of imperial stout. It’s awesome.

I added the beans on a Tuesday night and pulled them on a Friday.

My buddy who owns a roastery - and who enjoyed a couple pints yesterday - said that after about 18 hours you’ve extracted all you will extract.

You must put coffee in it. Nothing fires up my beer drinking motor like a good coffee stout. They help me find my second wind. Kind of the beer drinkers red bull n vodka, even if its only subliminal

I too like coffee in an Imp Stout.  I add 4oz of coarse beans in the fermenter.  I usually do about 3 days before I rack.  Usually a local dark roast.  I’m moving my 17.5 gallons of my Imp Stout to secondary tomorrow.  5 gallons get Tawny Port soaked oak spiral.  5 gallons get Old Forester soaked spiral, and 2 gallons get bottled straight up.  Going to secondary kegs for the first time.  Guess I’ll tie the oak and suspend it somehow.

My experiments generally take other directions.  Drew’s the weirdo!  :wink:

One of my favorites!

I vote Cocoa nibs and coffee. But that’s because I have a stout on tap right now that I did with Cocoa nibs and it’s freaking fantastic! It would be a great holiday gift as your planning. BTW, feel free to shoot me a PM when it’s ready so you can get me mailing address :smiley:

If you want to bring some of the dark fruit character forward try adding oak soaked in port wine.

Kopi luwak.

Imperial stout is already an expensive batch, throw some cat poop coffee in there and it may break the bank. :wink:

I prefer home made free range organic from the local fauna.

Edit:  seriously though I’ll quit being a smart arse.  1-2 vanilla pods or oak spirals.  But not both together.  I used to boil the pods in 500mL water but now I just split them and toss them in a day or two before packaging.

In addition to what has been mentioned:

-chocolate
-any tart fruit (e.g. cherries, raspberries, blackberries)
-other types of whisk(e)y with oak
-red wine with oak
-dry hop

What yeast are you using? If you were planning on using a neutral yeast like WLP001/1056/US-05, then using a flavorful English ale strain instead will add plenty of flavor. To me, that is a great way to get a more interesting flavor without having to make any extra additions.

My favorite stout/porter yeast is 1450