Oaked Chocolate Pumpkin Imperial Stout Recipe Critique

Hello everyone. I know there is a lot going on here. I don't usually brew recipes this complex, but ever since having Midnight Sun's oaked TREAT, I've wanted to try this. It is a balancing act and it will probably take a few tries. I'm also brewing now since aging is going to be a factor.

I want it to be big, and I want the flavors to play nice with each other. I know it can be done....I just need to start experimenting.

The recipe base is a combination of information from TREAT and Yeti:

5 Gallon Batch

16lb Pale 2-row
1lb Crystal 120
12oz Chocolate Malt
12oz Carafa I
10oz Roasted Barley
8oz Flaked Wheat
8oz Flaked Rye
3 Cans of pumpkin, Baked at 350*F for 60 minutes, cooled and added to mash
12oz rice hulls

1.25oz Chinook -- 60
.5oz Chinook -- 30
.5 Centennial -- 15
.5 Centennial -- 5
1 tsp, equal parts allspice, nutmeg and cinnamon - 1

For secondary, rack on to 6oz Cocoa Nibs, 1oz American Oak, 1oz of French Oak

age for a few months and then bottle (tasting occasionally)

I would really appreciate feedback. My biggest questions:

Hops. I love the American hops that punch through yeti oaked/chocolate, but perhaps it is too much for this recipe (especially late additions)?

Balancing between the cocoa, oak, and spices. Any suggestions?

My only question really would be the nibs in the secondary? I have a recipe for founders imperial stout that i was going to try that has me putting them in the last 15 of the boil. It also has IBUs of 50 so I think you are fine for your hops.

I've also read that some people prefer using cocoa powder and making a slurry and pitching on that instead. This is my first time brewing with cocoa, so I don't really have a preference yet.

That is alot of different flavors...I'm guessing it will be hard to get the pumpkin to come through...but I love the effort and excited to hear how it turns out

Ya, this sort of goes against my KISS method of brewing. I may add another can of pumpkin. A little bit of pumpkin flavor would be great, but I'd be happy if the spices at least pulled through.

pumpkin is very difficult to get thru to the final beer.

instead, maybe use pumpkin spices (such as cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice) combined with the canned and cooked pumpkin?

i did a Black Pumpkin Saison last year, and while no pumpkin flavor came thru, the spices did, and were very reminiscent tof pumpkin pie.

i am a moron, and did not see the spices under the hop additions.

sorry!

Hah, no worries. I appreciate you posting your thread. I noticed you had spices in your pumpkin, boil and fermentation. How was the balance? Was the spice subtle in the end, or pretty in your face?

honestly it was subtle to noticeable. i think with the crafa and saison yeast there was a lot to overcome. i also used way more spices than you are planning (1 tablespoon of each along with the spices in the pumpkin filling)

I would definitely suggest seasoning the pumpkin prior to the baking to give it a little extra.

I've never had TREAT or oak-aged treat, but I don't think the pumpkin or any of the spices will come through with that much dark malt and so little spice. You have over 2 pounds of dark malt and then a pound of one of the darkest crystal malts. Personally, I would drop the oak and reduce the roasted barley and chocolate malt. I've had Pumking vs. oaked Pumking and I have to go with the original. I may be biased because I'm not a fan of oaked beers, but I thought it didn't add anything and just muddled the good flavors in the base beer.

I've always liked oak, but I'm now starting to think I should get the chocolate and pumpkin to play well with each other and then add oak for a different brew (next year perhaps). I like the oak, but I don't want to have it overpower.

I'm trying to remember how well the chocolate came out with yeti chocolate. I've only had it a couple of times.