Hybrid Stout recipe critique, please

Looking for a higher grav Oatmeal Stout, but I'm trying to get a better grasp on designing my own recipes (I know, I know...read Daniel's...)

BeerSmith Recipe Printout - www.beersmith.com
Recipe: PseudoImperial Oatmeal Stout
Brewer:
Asst Brewer:
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
TYPE: Partial Mash
Taste: (35.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 6.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.074 SG
Estimated Color: 43.6 SRM
Estimated IBU: 43.2 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 80.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
3.00 lb Light Dry Extract (8.0 SRM) Dry Extract 23.08 %
6.50 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (3.0 SRM) Grain 50.00 %
1.00 lb Chocolate Malt (450.0 SRM) Grain 7.69 %
1.00 lb Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 7.69 %
0.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 3.85 %
0.50 lb Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM) Grain 3.85 %
0.50 lb Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) Grain 3.85 %
1.00 oz Nugget [13.00 %] (60 min) Hops 34.5 IBU
1.00 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (5 min) Hops 2.6 IBU
1 Pkgs SafAle English Ale (DCL Yeast #S-04) Yeast-Ale


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 10.00 lb
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 3.13 gal of water at 165.0 F 150.0 F

Contemplations:

The addition of crystal necessary...what does this malt really impart to the brew? I thought I had heard Jamil talk about if you had the Special B, a Crystal addition wouldn't really be necessary.

Aroma hops. I love hops as much as the next guy, but most of the imp stout recipes I've seen (in the 1.1 range, albeit) have aroma additions, but most of the Oatmeal recipes I've seen (~1.05x) don't. Wondering about this.

Mash temp. It's clear I mashed my Rye too high (154). It started at 1.073 and ended at 1.02. I know the Oatmeal Stout is gonna be a little on the sweet side, so I didn't know if lowering the mash temp would be beneficial or not.

Yeast: This will be my first time using dry. Should I go with the S-04 or S-05?

I'll be brewing tomorrow night.

Thanks for any input.

Revised, already:


BeerSmith Recipe Printout - www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Oatmeal Kinda Impy Stout
Brewer:
Asst Brewer:
Style: Oatmeal Stout
TYPE: Partial Mash
Taste: (35.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 6.57 gal
Estimated OG: 1.075 SG
Estimated Color: 35.9 SRM
Estimated IBU: 32.0 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 80.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
3.00 lb Light Dry Extract (8.0 SRM) Dry Extract 23.08 %
7.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (3.0 SRM) Grain 53.85 %
1.00 lb Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 7.69 %
0.75 lb Chocolate Malt (450.0 SRM) Grain 5.77 %
0.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 3.85 %
0.50 lb Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) Grain 3.85 %
0.25 lb Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM) Grain 1.92 %
2.00 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (60 min) Hops 27.9 IBU

Still curious about mash temps, though.

The bitterness should be quite higher, most RIS are around 1:1 GU:BU, I would go for at least 50-60IBU, but it kind of looks like you want it sweeter. The dark grains should come up to about 10%, so you could have %5 chocolate and 5% roasted, or any way you like. I feel the roasted flavors are very important in this type of beer, you will probably let this one age for a couple of months, the long conditioning period will allow the flavors to meld, making the beer very complex.
What yeast are you going with? The recipe seems to be calling for an English ale strain. If you use dry yeast pitch at least two packets to ensure proper fermentation, and make sure to aerate the wort very well.
Other than that, I would say your recipe looks really good!

I think you're right about there. I'm of the opinion that this style can't really have TOO much body (unlike say, an IPA), so I'd keep the mash temp around 154°-ish. I think you've got just about the right amount of crystal malt to give some more sweetness, and I'm thinking the IBUs are about right. You probably don't need the late hop addition, I'd probably cut it back to a half-ounce (you don't want much, if any, hop flavor/aroma).

Go with the S-04, a wee bit less attenuation.

I like chocolate malt, but a wee bit of roasted barley (between 3/4 and 1 pound total, maybe a half-pound of each) might give a wee bit more roasted sharpness to cut through the sweetness.

I'm actually doing a very similar recipe, hopefully tomorrow, that will be a little smaller but otherwise not too dissimilar to this. I'd go with it, just cutting back that late addition.

Iordz said:

The bitterness should be quite higher, most RIS are around 1:1 GU:BU, I would go for at least 50-60IBU, but it kind of looks like you want it sweeter. The dark grains should come up to about 10%, so you could have %5 chocolate and 5% roasted, or any way you like. I feel the roasted flavors are very important in this type of beer, you will probably let this one age for a couple of months, the long conditioning period will allow the flavors to meld, making the beer very complex.
What yeast are you going with? The recipe seems to be calling for an English ale strain. If you use dry yeast pitch at least two packets to ensure proper fermentation, and make sure to aerate the wort very well.
Other than that, I would say your recipe looks really good!

Click to expand...

I'm trying to make it more along the lines of an oatmeal rather than imperial. IBUs should be lower than 45 for this, citing Beersmith's BJCP guidelines.


I'll pitch two packs of S-04. Thanks for the help.

Ah, I see! I just read the style you posted and it seemed like an RIS, 1.074 is a little high for an oat stout. However, I really don't believe in restricting your brews by using guidelines, you just have to experiment, you have to be creative and maybe make your own style.

Iordz said:

Ah, I see! I just read the style you posted and it seemed like an RIS, 1.074 is a little high for an oat stout. However, I really don't believe in restricting your brews by using guidelines, you just have to experiment, you have to be creative and maybe make your own style.

Click to expand...

That's exactly what I'm doing...I just want it to be drinkable!

PseudoChef said:

Contemplations:

The addition of crystal necessary...what does this malt really impart to the brew? I thought I had heard Jamil talk about if you had the Special B, a Crystal addition wouldn't really be necessary.

Click to expand...

Well with Special B you really don't need crystal 40... However, when you mix and match different crystals it really adds some complexity... For instance i mixed Crystal 120 and Crystal 60 in a stout i did and it gave it that extra little something... So i'd leave both the B and the Crystal.