I need some critique on my first stout recipe please!

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RotorHead6

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This is my first high gravity stout recipe and I would like some input in what you guys think. Is there anything that you would change/add? I would really like to do a single infusion mash but at what temp. and how long? Thanks in advance for your input!


Bella's Blackstrap Stout
October 17, 2007

Category Stout
Subcategory Russian Imperial Stout
Recipe Type Partial Mash
Batch Size 5.5 gal.
Volume Boiled 6 gal.
Mash Efficiency 72 %
Total Grain/Extract 14.55 lbs.
Total Hops 2.4 oz.
Calories (12 fl. oz.) 342.2
Cost to Brew $40.76 (USD)
Cost per Bottle (12 fl. oz.) $0.69 (USD)

2.68 lbs. English 2-row Pale info
2.69 lbs. American 2-row info
0.77 lbs. Crystal Malt 120°L info
1.39 lbs. Roasted Barley info
0.76 lbs. Chocolate Wheat Malt info
5.82 lbs. Muntons Dry Light info
0.21 lbs. Dark Brown Sugar info
0.22 lbs. Molasses info
1.9 oz. Centennial (Pellets, 10.00 %AA) boiled 60 min. info
0.55 oz. Cascade (Pellets, 5.50 %AA) boiled 1 min. info
Yeast : White Labs Irish Ale WLP004

Predicted Russian Imperial Stout Compliance
Original Gravity 1.086 1.075 - 1.095 100 %
Terminal Gravity 1.023 1.018 - 1.030 100 %
Color 34.22 °SRM 30.00 - 40.00 °SRM 100 %
Bitterness 70.0 IBU 50.00 - 90.00 IBU 100 %
Alcohol (%volume) 8.3 % 8.00 - 12.00 % 100 %
100 % overall


Apparent Real
Original Extract 20.55 °Plato 20.55 °Plato

Attenuation 71.8 % 57.8 %

Extract 5.80 °Plato 8.66 °Plato

% Weight % Volume
Alcohol 6.4 % 8.3 %
 
I'd dump the extract and up the pale malt otherwise it looks good and big. My preference is at least 9 lbs total pale malt (preferably more) but thats obviously my biased opinion. Also, the molasses addition may be redundant with the brown sugar since brown sugar is pretty much molasses in sugar. Another opinionated comment would be to not use the brown sugar at all since you may get some by-product taste from that sugar unless you have a high quality source. I don't have alot of experience using sugar "straight up" though. The possibility of getting an "off" taste scares me too much. Especially after all that work. :D
 
i think he's using extract because it's a partial mash...maybe he can't do all-grain. i could be wrong.

That seems like a lot of Roasted Barley for a 5.5 gallon batch. i'd take it down a notch...

chocolate wheat malt, eh? I've never seen that stuff. looked it up, tho...sound interesting...let me know how this turns out.
 
the roasted barley amount you are planning on using for this batch is fine. you won't get the harshness from patent malt; i like using roasted barley over patent, which you are doing. for the molasses/brown sugar, i have used both. i prefer the brown sugar over molasses as it results in a much more pleasing flavor in the end, kinda like a rum taste-good. for the mash, there is no reason to do a multi-step mash for this beer. if you like drier beers, mash around 148, but this really isn't a dry stout. therefore, i'd mash this batch (compensating the dme for grain-do an all-grain, probably around 20# total), for 90 min at 155-158, to result in a good, malty profile. make a BIG starter!

good luck!
 
I like the idea of making a BIG starter. How long do you think I should start the starter prior to brew day? Is 24 hrs. long enough or should I go with a 48 hour starter?
 
For a stout, centennial and cascade could be a little too strong for the style. I dunno about imperial stouts though. I would stick with kent goldings or fuggles or similar, imo.
 
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