Viscous imperial stout - help with recipe please

General Homebrew Discussion
1

Trying to create an imperial stout, on par with B.O.R.I.S. or Ten Fidy. Haven’t made an imperial stout in awhile. Please take a look. Thanks!

Recipe: A Double S Kicker
Brewer: Craigweiser
Asst Brewer:
Style: Imperial Stout
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (35.0)

Recipe Specifications

Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 7.74 gal
Estimated OG: 1.115 SG
Estimated Color: 60.2 SRM
Estimated IBU: 111.3 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:

Amount Item Type % or IBU
12.00 lb Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) Grain 51.06 %
4.00 lb Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 17.02 %
2.00 lb Carafoam (2.0 SRM) Grain 8.51 %
2.00 lb Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM) Grain 8.51 %
1.50 lb Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 6.38 %
1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) Grain 4.26 %
1.00 lb Chocolate Malt (450.0 SRM) Grain 4.26 %
1.00 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (Dry Hop) Hops -
2.00 oz Magnum [14.00 %] (60 min) Hops 61.7 IBU
1.50 oz Warrior [15.00 %] (60 min) Hops 49.6 IBU

Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Full Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 23.50 lb

Single Infusion, Full Body, Batch Sparge
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 29.38 qt of water at 170.5 F 158.0 F

2

I don’t think I’d mash that high  using that much Carafoam, as I think it would finish pretty high. Otherwise looks quite tasty.

3

i like it but i think i would spread the hops out a bit or if you just want such high ibu i would use only one or the other., as they are both such high ibu for 60 minutes

4

I don’t think you will get 75% efficiency on a 1.115 beer.  You might have some DME available.

Otherwise it looks yummy.

I usually do a 158degF mash for big chewy beers too.

5

I don’t understand “You might have some DME available.”

6

he was recommending that you have some Dry Malt Extract on hand in case you miss your gravity.

7

I think you will have plenty of body and mouthfeel in the beer without the Carafoam. I would just sub 2 more lbs of Pale Malt. I like to include some Special B malt (.5 - 1lb) on my RIS to help with the plum / raisin flavors. I also agree with the mash temp suggestion. 154F max.

8

Thanks for the clarification morticaixavier - I figured that was what poster was referring to.

Snowtiger - do you feel that the Special B comes through the roast barley?

9

to save you a few bucks. Imperial stouts I’ve found dont really benefit from the flavor advantages of Maris Otter, 2 row works fine. All the roasted malt covers the flavors of MO up a bit.

10

On the other hand, he very well might.  My last three “big” beers came in at 1.082 @ 75.51% BHE, 1.096 @ 74.55% BHE, and 1.102 @ 75.80% BHE.

11

Thank you for your input.  I seriously doubt he will get a 75% efficiency on a 1.115 beer.  I am just trying to help prevent a dissapointing outcome based on my experience.

Have you brewed a 1.115 beer with 75% efficiency (without boiling for 8 hours)?  Has anyone?  If he has done it before I honor him.  If you have, please tell us how you did it.

Cheers

12

[quote]Snowtiger - do you feel that the Special B comes through the roast barley?
[/quote]

Yes, I think it comes through. Adds to the complexity (with those plum/raisin flavors I mentioned).

13

I’ve come aweful close, and I only had to boil for 3 hours.  ;D

Did a partigyle and if I calculated the whole batch efficiency it was right around 75%. The first runnings were a 1.115 and the second runnings 1.034. There were a lot of second runnings. I think I might even have squeezed out a couple quarts of starter wort out of that mash.

14

Of course, only first runnings or boiling the bejeebus out of it will get to 1.115.  (Or a doble-doble mash ala Randy Mosher.)  Although the total efficiency for both of your beers was 75%, the efficiency for the big beer was probably only about 50%.

15

What do you all think I will get for efficiency so I can scale up to accommodate for this big A beer?

16

What sort of efficiency do you get for your smaller beers on your system?

17

I would highly recommend a parti-gyle like what Mort did.  Plan on 50% efficiency and use only the first runnings.  Then you can batch sparge again for a 2nd runnings beer.  If you have 2 boil kettles you can have the 2nd runnings boiling within 15 minutes of the first runnings, or just wait until the RIS is done.  Kai has good info on his website:  Batch Sparge and Party Gyle Simulator - German brewing and more

One problem is the mash will be bigger.  How big is your mashtun (or tuns)?

Or just add some DME to get up to the gravity you want.

And if you haven’t fermented a big beer like this, you will need lots of yeast (I like to use a 5 gallon “starter”), lots of oxygen (you can re-oxygenate up to 24 hours later), and lots of temperature control.  Lots of yeast with lots of sugar like to make lots of heat.