Doing my first stout today... any tips?

Getting together with some buddies today to do a stout. Going to do the Old Rasputin Imperial Stout clone from the Hop Lover's Guide for BYO mag. Wondering if any of you experienced folk could provide any tips for a stout (if there are any).

We will be doing the extract recipe, with grains:

Grains:
1 lb Carastan 35 lovibond
.5 lb brown 60 lovibond
.5 lb chocolate malt
1 lb crystal
.25 lb roasted black

Malt:
4 lbs light dme
6.6 lbs light lme (last 10 mins)

Hop Schedule
60 min - 3 oz. Cluster 7% AA
2 min - 1 oz. northern brewer 9% AA
- 1 oz. Centennial 12% AA

Yeast:
California Ale or American Ale

Thanks in advance - happy brewing!

By "roasted black" do you mean black malt or roasted barley? They are two different things. Stout can go without BP, but not without RB.

I am by no means experienced, only been brewing a year. The next beer I have to open up is a stout. I used Irish Ale Yeast. I think it gives beers just a slight creamyness especially the head of the beer. It worked out great for an Irish Red last year and I thought I'd use it for the stout as well. Cali will work out great too, just thought I'd pass on something that I used and I am excited about it.

Have a great brew day!!!

My advice is to drink a stout while you brew a stout. It comes out better this way not to mention there is a certain Zen character to it. Works for me anyways.

Haha nice, yeah I think we will be having a couple stouts! It is roasted barley in the recipe.

Cheers!