Black Ale

The brewery made a killer RIS, and with the second runnings had an awesome black ale. RIS is OK, but I really like the black ale, but the question is:

When you have a first runnings, what portion of the sweet wort comes off first, and what remains to be sparged?

I sense that just writing some sort of black ale will not give me what the second runnings of the RIS will.

It seems that the RIS second runnings will have a different flavor than just trying to write a thin RIS, or diluting to 10g's a 5g RIS.

Anyone offer any ideas?

I batch sparge and my numbers run 50%, 33% and 16%. My gut answer is any steeping grain will yield the majority of its flavor/color to the first runnings. Compare Schwartzbier recipes to your RIS grain bill for ideas on what to cut back.

Are the percentages the part of the total water that is used for each runnings step?

I, too, thought that color and most sugar was lost at first running, and I would just make this a 10g brew based on a 5g RIS and then a 5g Black, but the thing is, I don't think I need or want 5g of RIS, but I could see wanting 10g of Black.

The Brew Crew SUCKED THIS DOWN IN NO TIME, and they don't have a clue how to do this as just the Black, without the RIS as the first step. Patrons had little chance to drink this; it was that good!

Oh good question. Founders had a black IPA on tap the last time I was there. I would love to make one but also don't have a clue as to how to make it that way.

I think that making a black ale would be easy-just darken an APA, but I doubt that it would be like what I am aiming for.

A RIS would last me a long time, as my 8% stout has pretty long legs as it is.