goodgreener

Recipes 

What do you think? Do you think this is worth trying?

Imperial Brown Sugar Oatmeal Stout
Recipe Imperial Brown Sugar Oatmeal Stout Style Imperial Stout
Brewer Batch 5.00 gal
Extract
Recipe Characteristics
Recipe Gravity 1.106 OG Estimated FG 1.026 FG
Recipe Bitterness 68 IBU Alcohol by Volume 10.3%
Recipe Color 57° SRM Alcohol by Weight 8.1%
Ingredients
Quantity Grain Type Use
0.25 lb American black patent Grain Steeped
2.00 lb American chocolate malt Grain Steeped
2.00 lb Flaked oats Adjunct Steeped
2.00 lb Crystal 90L Grain Steeped
3.00 lb American two-row Grain Steeped
1.00 lb Amber D.M.E. Extract Extract
2.50 lb Brown sugar, dark Sugar Other
6.00 lb Amber malt extract Extract Extract
Quantity Hop Type Time
1.00 oz Centennial Pellet 55
minutes
1.00 oz Chinook Pellet 55
minutes
1.50 oz Cascade Pellet 5 minutes
Quantity Misc Notes
1.00 unit American Ale yeast Yeast
1.00 unit English Ale yeast Yeast

BrianP

Recipes 

The 2# of crystal seems to be a lot. I'd bump up the black patent for color and roasty bitterness. I think the large amount of crystal will make it pretty sweet.

I don't think steeping the 2-row is doing much since it needs to be mashed to convert. You didn't describe the process you're following, so I'm not sure if you're steeping or mashing. You get conversion if you are doing a mini-mash (mashing in the 150's, holding it at this temp for 45-60 minutes, and rinsing). I'm an all-grain brewer who's never tried PM or steeping, so hopefully somebody else can chime in regarding steeping/mini-mashing.

A few other notes:
Your hop choices will give it an American flair, which is fine. If you want a more English character, I'd suggest English hops like Goldings, Challenger, etc.

I wouldn't use the two different yeast strains. If you want a drier, cleaner finish, use 2 vials of American ale yeast (or 1 with an adequate starter); If you want less attenuation, more esters, etc., go with two English ale vials (or use 1 and make a starter).

Make sure to aerate the wort well. Also, verify that you're pitching the correct amount of yeast. The pitching rate calculator at Mr Malty is a good place to start. You'll need a pretty good pitch of yest for high-gravity wort like this.

Last bit of advice: maybe check out some Russian Imperial Stout recipes to see how they match up.

__________________
Cheers,

BP

-------------------------------
Fermenter 1: Best bitter (1)
Fermenter 2: Best bitter (2)
Fermenter 3: APA
Fermenter 4: APA

goodgreener

Recipes 

Right on, just the type of reply I wanted. I am very new to this. I thought steeping was when you soaked grain in the 150-155f water, is this not correct? Is this actually mashed? I want to add all the grain at 150-155 then the rest of the stuff to the boil. If you say it needs more black, I can dig it. I thought it might come out too sharp with more. would you say split the difference? What do you mean rinsing? The only reason I put in the two yeasts is I am afraid the American ale wont hold up in the higher alcohol but I want it to extract some nice flavour from the hops like an Am stout.

here is the process I want. Tell me if I have confused steeping and mashing please, I am new to this. I used the Qbrew program.

Imperial Brown Sugar Oatmeal Stout
Recipe Imperial Brown Sugar Oatmeal Stout Style Imperial Stout
Brewer Batch 5.00 gal
Extract
Recipe Characteristics
Recipe Gravity 1.106 OG Estimated FG 1.026 FG
Recipe Bitterness 68 IBU Alcohol by Volume 10.3%
Recipe Color 57° SRM Alcohol by Weight 8.1%
Ingredients
Quantity Grain Type Use
0.25 lb American black patent Grain Steeped
2.00 lb American chocolate malt Grain Steeped
2.00 lb Flaked oats Adjunct Steeped
2.00 lb Crystal 90L Grain Steeped
3.00 lb American two-row Grain Steeped
1.00 lb Amber D.M.E. Extract Extract
2.50 lb Brown sugar, dark Sugar Other
6.00 lb Amber malt extract Extract Extract
Quantity Hop Type Time
1.00 oz Centennial Pellet 55 minutes
1.00 oz Chinook Pellet 55 minutes
1.50 oz Cascade Pellet 5 minutes
Quantity Misc Notes
1.00 unit American Ale yeast Yeast
1.00 unit English Ale yeast Yeast
Recipe Notes
Prepare yeast(s) in 1 500 ml beaker, with a vapor lock, with some brown sugar and water 24 hours in advance. Steep all grains in 5 gallons of water in a 10 gallon pot at 150-155f for 30 min.Bring wort to a boil and add malt extracts and dark brown sugar. Add 1 oz Chinook and 1 oz
Centennial 5 min. into the boil. After 50 min. add Cascade hops. Turn off flame and quickly cool wort to 70 f. Siphon wort into fermenter and check the specific gravity. Pitch yeast and seal fermenter with vapor lock. After one week, check the SG. When it reaches target FG transfer beer into secondary to age.