Imperial Stout Russian Imperial Stout (2011 HBT Competition Category Winner)

Marubozo, just wanted to say thank you for sharing this recipe. I pulled out a bottle of it that I made in August of 2012 and it tastes fantastic!

I fermented at a bit high of a temp, my notes from the batch indicate that the porter I made from second runnings as in the mid-70s. The stout was in a water bath, and I think maintained in the low 70s. There's plenty of body to stand up to the extra esters, and 3+ years later I did not notice anything out of balance. This is definitely a recipe to make again.

I continue to make this brew every year or so. It's a favorite!

doubled the recipe and made 9 gallons last June. APV10 percent. I am a cooler brewer. Since I'm cheap, I have 2 black canning kettles. a 30 quart and a 20 quart for boiling. Which means, I always am doing a second running. I doubled this recipe to just do 9 gallons instead of 5,
I could have done the recipe straight and did a true party-quile(second running. I would add 2lbs sugar to get the OG up to 1.060 appx. Without the sugar, I would expect around 1.040. I will be making this again in June, I did not record the split kettle OG last time. I would suggest adding 2 lbs of sugar rack it into carboy and add a couple handfuls of your favorite coffee bean(DO NOT GRIND). Will make a nice coffee porter. I already have a pint jar with dark toasted French Oak and Cheap brandy soaking drain brandy off and add the oak with the beans. I did this to the recipe last year, Better than KBS. So I know it will make nice second running.

I brewed this last year and aged it for about 4 months before starting to drink it. It came out about 10% ABV and it's quite mild for being that high of an ABV. Don't get me wrong, it is delicious, but it seems kind of mild. There's not a lot of roasted malt or coffee flavors I noticed in a lot of RIS. That just simply the way the recipe is designed or did I possibly do something wrong? My FG was 1.020.

I used this recipe as a base for my Gentleman's Coffee Stout. As hinted at in my last in my last post, I added a 1/2 a cup of Starbucks Verona Coffee and a halve a pint dark toasted French Oak that was soaked for 6 months in cheap brandy and drained brandy back into bottle. I bottled early November and started drinking in December. For me, I loved it but I never tasted it as a RIS. Looking at my notes, the judges quote said:"some coffee and alcohol notes". That would lead me to think your in the ballpark. You could try increasing the roasted or adding some black barley. Either would increase the coffee. The Black Barley changes color. Or throw some coffee beans in it. You could open a bottle of beer put some coffee beans in the bottle then reseal and let sit for a while and see how it changes the flavor.

I made this recipe on new years day, with the addition of some flaked oats and barley I forgot to use on a previous batch of milk stout. My final volume was higher than planned resulting in lower OG of 1.088. After 25 days fermenting it's at 1.044. Yesterday I took it out of the fermentation chamber to let it warm up to 70 and roused the yeast.
I'm considering adding some sugar at this point to boost the abv, after all it is supposed to be a RIS. Has anyone done this? My concerns are, it would be too dry, or drastically alter the flavor. Or the yeast (1450) won't restart and I'm stuck with a sweeter beer.

Thank you I was just measuring a brew and it was stuck at 1.043. I moved the Car boy to my sink area in the cave and measured the area where my CB was sitting. 58 degrees below where it should be. I wrapped the CB in a heating pad and am monitoring the temp.

As for the 1.088, if your final Gravity gets down to 1.020 that still 9 % APPX.

again THANKS FOR THE POST

I miss spoke. It was 1.041. But that's only 6%abv😕 so I did add 2lbs of sugar and it's actively fermenting. Let's see how it finishes out.

My OG was 1.113. I'm stuck at 1.040appx. I'm trying to force it down to 1.020. I don't need more alcohol. So I am using a heating pad to activate the yeast. It is bubbling slowly. I have time on my side. I do not plan to bottle until August or when I need a carboy. Drink December. The yeasts low temp tolerance was 60 and I was at 58 so I am hoping it works down.

you added 2 lbs that should add 20 to 30 points to your OG and make it a big one

After a week at 70 deg. Its now at 1.036 tastes like its every bit of the 9% ABV right now. This one will age nicely.

My problem was not with this recipe but another. I'm atn1.038 from 1.113. I'm going to let it sit until I need the Car boy and then bottle, probably mid summer. Last summer I had one stuck at this level and tried to use
wine yeast to bring it down. I bottled it 2 months later and the yeast kicked in in the bottle. I ended open a bottle in a pitcher. It would shoot out of the bottle under pressure and put halve the bottle in the pitcher.
I was 1.010 and great taste but what a pain. So this time I just bottle and wait until December.

This summer when I make this recipe I will make a parti-gyle add 2 lbs of corn sugar in boil and 1/2cup of beans in secondary. I wont double the recipe like I did last year. I'll gain 8 gallons of coffee porter.

My OG was 1.104 and after 1 year in the secondary I decided to rack to a keg. FG came in at 1.012 so hit around 12% abv. a vanilla bean and oak chunks were added for the last 4 months in secondary.

This is my 2nd year making this beer. Will brew again

I brewed a 5.5 gallon extract version of this using 12# light DME. I can only do a partial boil so I added 1/3 of the DME at the beginning and then added the remaining 2/3 in the last 10 minutes. Pitched two rehydrated packs of US-05. The OG should be somewhere around 1.098 but this was a partial boil so the final volume wasn't mixed perfectly and my measurement was off.

I'm at 21 days in the primary fermenter and I'm at 1.040. I've never brewed a beer this big so any suggestions on how to get down to at least 1.030?

For the first two weeks the temperature was around 66F - 68F and then 70F for another week. I'm adding a heating pad this week to bring the fermentation temperature up to approximately 75F and then probably racking to a secondary next weekend. Any thoughts?

The sample I pulled for the hydrometer tasted fantastic. Excellent full body and amazing aroma. If this drops down to 1.030 and ages I think it will be perfect.

ameadrat said:

My problem was not with this recipe but another. I'm atn1.038 from 1.113. I'm going to let it sit until I need the Car boy and then bottle, probably mid summer. Last summer I had one stuck at this level and tried to use
wine yeast to bring it down. I bottled it 2 months later and the yeast kicked in in the bottle. I ended open a bottle in a pitcher. It would shoot out of the bottle under pressure and put halve the bottle in the pitcher.
I was 1.010 and great taste but what a pain. So this time I just bottle and wait until December.

This summer when I make this recipe I will make a parti-gyle add 2 lbs of corn sugar in boil and 1/2cup of beans in secondary. I wont double the recipe like I did last year. I'll gain 8 gallons of coffee porter.

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You will need to add more than just corn sugar and beans. I partigyles this recipe before and added a few pounds of 2 row and honey malt and ended up with a 4.5% honey brown ale.

Last summer, I did a study of the effects of sugar on a recipe. I always do my playing with my allday ipa recipe. 13.5 lbs of maris otter and 2 lbs of cara pils.

I boil in 2 kettles. LK is 30qts and SK is 20 quarts. The one without the sugar add the LK OG was 1071 the SK was 1021. the combined 9 gals the og was 1049. The 2 weeks later 13 lbs of MO the LK OG was 1061 and the SK was 1040 with 2 lbs of sugar. I also did an IPA with 18 lbs Mo and 3lbs Carapils.

I check the gravity of the SK at the start of boil it was 1033 after the add of 2 lbs of sugar The OG was 1061.

Since I use Maris Otter in this recipe because the grain seems to be coarser when ground. The LK OG before adding honey was 1.090. I expect the parti-gyle from the RIP recipe to be between 1.045 and 1.060. I am going to do 2 RIS batches with parti-gyle. I will do one with cane sugar and one with corn sugar.to see if there are any differences.

I have a Scottish ale recipe with 21 lns in it and I get some interesting porters out of that in those I put chocolate and/or black in the water I heat up to run through mash works okay.

Almost looking for a little pep talk here. A few years ago, I made this beer for my best friend when he and his wife announced they were pregnant, at about 3 months. I took the grain and ran a second mash through it and got enough sugar (combined with a pound or two of DME, I think) to make another stout base, and turned it into a chocolate milk stout. Both beers turned out amazing, probably my best beers yet. (My friend actually preferred my RIS to a bottle of BA Old Rasputin, which was quite a compliment).

My wife is about 5 months along now, and I'm finally trying to hype myself up to get around to doing this again, but a little gunshy about doing another giant mash and partigyle. Anyone have any tips for this beer (or other 1.1+ OG beers) to make the brewday a little easier? I'd been doing BIAB in a keggle for my normal beers, but I'd probably go back to my cooler for this one, so I don't have to figure a way to hoist a wet 20+ pounds of grain without a pulley.

In essence: remind me I can do this?

bfinleyui said:

Almost looking for a little pep talk here. A few years ago, I made this beer for my best friend when he and his wife announced they were pregnant, at about 3 months. I took the grain and ran a second mash through it and got enough sugar (combined with a pound or two of DME, I think) to make another stout base, and turned it into a chocolate milk stout. Both beers turned out amazing, probably my best beers yet. (My friend actually preferred my RIS to a bottle of BA Old Rasputin, which was quite a compliment).

My wife is about 5 months along now, and I'm finally trying to hype myself up to get around to doing this again, but a little gunshy about doing another giant mash and partigyle. Anyone have any tips for this beer (or other 1.1+ OG beers) to make the brewday a little easier? I'd been doing BIAB in a keggle for my normal beers, but I'd probably go back to my cooler for this one, so I don't have to figure a way to hoist a wet 20+ pounds of grain without a pulley.
You still have to empty the cooler if that's your only problem you have it
In essence: remind me I can do this?

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You should have no problem but you still have to empty the cooler -ameadrat

bfinleyui said:

Almost looking for a little pep talk here. A few years ago, I made this beer for my best friend when he and his wife announced they were pregnant, at about 3 months. I took the grain and ran a second mash through it and got enough sugar (combined with a pound or two of DME, I think) to make another stout base, and turned it into a chocolate milk stout. Both beers turned out amazing, probably my best beers yet. (My friend actually preferred my RIS to a bottle of BA Old Rasputin, which was quite a compliment).

My wife is about 5 months along now, and I'm finally trying to hype myself up to get around to doing this again, but a little gunshy about doing another giant mash and partigyle. Anyone have any tips for this beer (or other 1.1+ OG beers) to make the brewday a little easier? I'd been doing BIAB in a keggle for my normal beers, but I'd probably go back to my cooler for this one, so I don't have to figure a way to hoist a wet 20+ pounds of grain without a pulley.

In essence: remind me I can do this?

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Yeah, an RIS is a lot of work, especially with the partigyle. I brewed mine late last summer, and it really wasn't ready to drink yet this winter. Gonna brew this years batch very soon so it has time to age and condition properly.

Two suggestions: a) pick a day that you can dedicate to brewing and nothing else, if that's possible, and b) get a friend to brew with you in exchange for some of the finished product.

Another thing you can do is break the mash up into multiple bags for BIAB to make it a bit easier to handle. That is what I did when I brewed this recipe a while back. Unfortunately, I only got about 60% efficiency when I was planning for 65%.

Look I am the oldest brewer on this web site. I did my first batch before you were born(1973). I Do 22 carboys a year. 2 RIS 2 Scottish ale 1 Barley wine the rest all day IPA's. Also 3 Carboys of California grape juice. Do you need encouragement from an old fart. Just do it. Note I by Maris Otter in 55 lb bags. Of course you could feel sorry for me and come to Toledo. As a side note all 3 of my daughters have their Masters. Just do it. And LOVE your kid

I am so excited, I just have to update. I brewed a slightly modified version of this and it is amazing only 4 days into the primary. I wanted to see how the yeast was doing, so I grabbed a sample and it was wonderful. Started at 1.112, down to 1.024 now, but had a 2L starter to thin it out. It's sitting at about 10.4% right now as it winds down.

I replaced 2 pounds of the pale malt with Maris Otter, used Northern Brewer for the 30 minute hop, added 1 lb of molasses, and used Wyeast 1762 Abbey II. This will be entered in our club comp in November, can't wait!

Im going to brew this in March for consumption in November 2016.

Thank you!

KWright_VT said:

I am so excited, I just have to update. I brewed a slightly modified version of this and it is amazing only 4 days into the primary. I wanted to see how the yeast was doing, so I grabbed a sample and it was wonderful. Started at 1.112, down to 1.024 now, but had a 2L starter to thin it out. It's sitting at about 10.4% right now as it winds down.

I replaced 2 pounds of the pale malt with Maris Otter, used Northern Brewer for the 30 minute hop, added 1 lb of molasses, and used Wyeast 1762 Abbey II. This will be entered in our club comp in November, can't wait!

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How long are you going to let it be in secondary?

The OP recommended no less than a month in primary, and 3 in secondary. Since I'm in no hurry, and figure I will drink less of it in the carboy, I will probably follow that advice. Tastes were amazing already, but I can tell it needs plenty of time to age and let that alcohol mellow and yeast esters blend.

My only recommendation is Fermcap S in the fermenter. This thing took off like crazy, and blew a gallon of beer out of my blowoff tube while fermenting. Had about 5.2 gallons in a 6.5 gallon bucket with a 1" ID blowoff tube.

hopzicle said:

My OG was 1.104 and after 1 year in the secondary I decided to rack to a keg. FG came in at 1.012 so hit around 12% abv. a vanilla bean and oak chunks were added for the last 4 months in secondary.

This is my 2nd year making this beer. Will brew again

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I'm curious. I'm doing a modified batch of this myself. 5 gallons in primary right now. I'm going to split it and leave 2.5gal alone and do vanilla and oak in the other. How did this turn out for you and what ratios did you use? I am thinking 1 oz of bourbon soaked cubes (not adding the bourbon) and 1 bean for this 2.5 gal for 4 months in secondary.

Don't have time to search through this whole thread, and the search function doesn't let me search for "IBU" as it's too short, but plugging in 4oz of challenger and 2oz of EK Goldings, I get IBU of about 115, not what's listed in the above recipe...

If I drop down to 3oz and 1oz, respectively, it brings it back closer to the original recipe... Should I go ahead and do that? (Currently mashing)

bfinleyui said:

Don't have time to search through this whole thread, and the search function doesn't let me search for "IBU" as it's too short, but plugging in 4oz of challenger and 2oz of EK Goldings, I get IBU of about 115, not what's listed in the above recipe...

If I drop down to 3oz and 1oz, respectively, it brings it back closer to the original recipe... Should I go ahead and do that? (Currently mashing)

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Yes

Thanks. Accidentally put in a quarter pound of flaked wheat before realizing it wasn't oats... We'll see how that turns out too. Heh

Borked the efficiency somehow on this and ended up with a bit over 5 gallons at 1.085 into the fermenter. Pondering doing a small second boil, starting with a gallon of water and 2lb of dme, cooling, and adding to primary. This would lead to a better outcome than straight sugar yes? The idea of a 7.8% ris (assuming it finishes around 1.025) kinda bums me out

bfinleyui said:

Don't have time to search through this whole thread, and the search function doesn't let me search for "IBU" as it's too short, but plugging in 4oz of challenger and 2oz of EK Goldings, I get IBU of about 115, not what's listed in the above recipe...

If I drop down to 3oz and 1oz, respectively, it brings it back closer to the original recipe... Should I go ahead and do that? (Currently mashing)

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FWIW I wouldn't cut down on the bittering hops. This is a big beer. When I entered this into the Oregon State Fair comp, they suggested adding more bittering hops (placed 3rd in category).

bfinleyui said:

Thanks. Accidentally put in a quarter pound of flaked wheat before realizing it wasn't oats... We'll see how that turns out too. Heh

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That shouldn't be an issue. Both wheat and oats contribute some body and mouthfeel. I doubt you will even notice the difference.

super excited to try this. brewed about the first of the year but don't know how long I can wait......

mux11 said:

super excited to try this. brewed about the first of the year but don't know how long I can wait......

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I recognize how hard it is to wait for a beer like this. My recommendation... wait, wait some more, then forget about them in a closet or cellar for six months. I brewed a similar beer in June 2015, bottled in August. Started opening them within 4 weeks. Undercarbed, and not satisfying. I could see that it was GOING to be really good, but wasn't there yet. Popped one two nights ago, and FINALLY - THIS IS WHAT I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR! Wish I could have back all the bottles I opened in the last six months. So Just give them time. You'll be glad you did.

I'm a beginner and I'd like to try this recipe. Can anyone offer instructions for this recipe? thanks

Any recommendations on a good beer to blend with a bottle of this recipe that ended up without carbonation (i think the yeast was all worn out by the time I bottled) and too sweet (combo of higher mash temp than planned and yeast that just couldn't chew through the last bit).

The flavors in my failed attempt at this are good, but the syrupy mouthfeel, high sweetness, and flatness are not desirable.

Anyone know of a tasty, commercial, highly carbonated, dry stout out there that would work well for a blend? Other suggestions are welcome.

mcgovern570 said:

I'm a beginner and I'd like to try this recipe. Can anyone offer instructions for this recipe? thanks

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If by beginner, you mean that you have not yet brewed your first homebrew, I would highly suggest that you not start here. I was a beginner myself just two years ago. I had brewed a couple of times previously with a friend, and had been reading on Home Brew Talk for several years, so I thought myself an advanced beginner, and I too took on a big beer as my first to brew on my own. BIG MISTAKE. In spite of my supposed knowledge and experience, I made LOTS of errors and did not produce a beer as good as I had hoped. Yes, I made beer, and yes, it did not completely suck. But if I were doing it over again, I would have made my initial mistakes on a much smaller, simpler, and less costly first brew. And this beer is WAY more complicated than the one I started with.

Starting with a simpler beer will allow you to get familiar with your equipment and procedures, plus you will have beer to drink within a month, rather than having to wait several months for a complex beer like this one to ferment and condition. I promise you, waiting for that first brew is going to KILL you. Get a simple one out of the way first, learn a ton of lessons, then up the complexity until you are very comfortable brewing. Then take on something like this with your fourth or fifth beer. Here are a couple suggestions. I made Biermunchers Centenniel Blonde as my second brew. REALLY wish IT had been my first. In fact, it was actually ready to drink before the beer I made ahead of it!

Centenniel Blonde: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=42841

Bee Cave Haus Pale Ale: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=31793

Depending on your location and where you plan to buy your ingredients, you may want to start with a kit, or recipe that your LHBS can walk you through. You asked about instructions. I distinctly remember thinking the same thing when I first started reading these recipes on HBT. The fact is, you are not going to find the most basic beginner level instructions in most posted recipes. They are written with the understanding that you know the basics. You need to develop those skills through reading (books and here) and interacting with other brewers or a good LHBS owner/employee. Do you know if there is a local home brewers club close by? Use Google or call the LHBS where you plan to shop. Through a home brewing club you will meet other brewers who are happy to take beginners under their wing, and will have group brew days and events where you can brew with another person, or brew with them looking over your shoulder and instructing you.

Best of luck, and do come back and brew this beer once you have a little experience.

One year after Bottling, this stout is very complex and really tasty! It has alot of coffe and liqourice flavor. For the next batch i would like to add some vanilla, how would Organic bourbon vanilla extract work? http://www.nielsenmassey.com/culina...e-madagascar-bourbon-pure-vanilla-extract.php

They sell it in my grocery store and it would be cool to try it. Dont know how much to use thou.. but it says:
"One tablespoon of vanilla extract is equivalent to one vanilla bean."

im doing half batches, so maybe half a tablespoon two weeks Before Bottling?

Brewed this all grain recipe. Added some freshly roasted coffee beans and about 4oz. of 85% Cao cao. Finished it with 2 cups of raisin puree. It's been around 3 months and this is an extremely complex RIS with my on twist on it. Waiting another week before I bottle and cellar it until my birthday in July. Final gravity put this at about 14abv. It has some alcohol warmth to it, but it's amazing so far. Every month that I sample, another flavor and aroma comes through.

P.S. wait 6 months guys, i am. the payoff will be worth it.

Tried a sample again...soooo amazing