Kershner_Ale
Well-Known Member
Wondering if folks can help me out. I've been researching various recipes for a russian imperial stout and it appears the mash temps and fermentation temps I'm finding are all over the board. I want to brew a RIS that has lots of residual malty sweetness so I was planning on mashing in the 155 F range. I've also read you want some diacetyl in a RIS to help balance with the other flavors, so I was thinking of fermenting on the warm side (68 F or so). Am I off on my thinking here? I noticed the Tricentennial Stout recipe in Brewing Classic Styles suggests a 149 F mash temp for 90 min and a fermentation temp of 70 F for Irish Ale yeast. But this same recipe lists FG at 1.037. How do they get such a high FG with a long mash temp? I realize Irish Ale does not attenuate like US-05 or similar yeasts but doesn't 1.037 seem especially high? Jamil's Czar's Revenge recipe calls for a 154 F mash temp and a 67 F ferm temp with a high attenuating yeast (California Ale, US-05) but still lists FG at 1.030. What other variables am I missing that contribute to a good malty residual sweetness?