Caramel Oak Cinammon RIS

[rafaelpinto]

So, there is a recipe of a quite intense and complex imperial stout. It should be intense on the caramel/chocolate notes, fairly sweet, show evident signs of oak and a touch of cinnamon. Abv around 10%, IBUs around 50.

For that 5 gal recipe, I soaked 2oz of medium roasted french oak in whisky, which I plan to let there for 3 weeks. Should I add two or three cinammon sticks on the whisky too?

The recipe is quite confusing, I know. Too much different malts, but a lot of them are little variations of the same thing (the dark malts are similar, so are the caramel).

Do you think it is a good Russian Imperial Stout Recipe? I will mash it around 158-160 to keep it fairly sweet (Im thinking about and OG around 1035-1040).

___________

45% 2row
10% Munich
5% Oats
5% Brown Sugar

10% Carafa III
5% Chocolate
2.5% Black Malt
2.5% Torrified Barley

5% Crystal 60
5% Aromatic Malt
5% Special B​

 

[rafaelpinto]

Forgot to mention I plan on using 1 pack of s04 and another of Windsor. Is it a good ideia to blend two different yeasts like that?

They are both english yeasts, but windsor has a very low attenuation. Maybe combining both will bring the best of each one.

 

[rafaelpinto]

Do you guys think it is too much aromatic malt? In a big beer like this, 5% of aromatic malt means 1.65 pounds (which is a lot in a 5 gal recipe).

Maybe the amounts of darker grains will balance it out... Right?

 

[rafaelpinto]

bump

 

[m00ps]

I think you are doing your math wrong with the aromatic malt. There's no way 5% could make 1.65lbs. That would make the total grain bill 33lbs.....whats the OG of this?

Also, I blend yeasts all the time. I have a blend of saison yeasts and 2 other belgians I use for most of my Belgian beers. That being said, those 2 yeasts you mentioned are my two least favorite yeasts I've ever used. Personally I have very mixed results with s04 and I am certain that it caused some weird off flavors in 4 or 5 of my earlier batches. Some people use it just fine, but I stay away from it. Windsor, for me, is just way to under performing of a yeast. It usualyl leaves beers in the high 20s so if you are going to use it, I would pair it with something more like US-05 to combat the attenuation. But this looks like a spiced Imperial Stout, right? I wouldnt think youd be looking for yeasty character in something like this. Its all about the malts, body roasty flavors, and your spices. I would just use US-05 so your other flavors will shine.

Im nto sure you want to mash that high. I've never mashed above 155 myself, even for my imperial maple breakfast stout and that was plenty sweet. Anythign with an OG close to 1.040 will be gross. Think about it, starter wort is 1.040, would you want to be drinking carbonated starter wort? Even the highest gravity imperial stouts I;ve seen have OGs below 1.030

 

[rafaelpinto]

I think you are doing your math wrong with the aromatic malt. There's no way 5% could make 1.65lbs. That would make the total grain bill 33lbs.....whats the OG of this?

I guess its right. OG 1.115!

 

[BierGut]

I guess its right. OG 1.115!

You'll need a big mash tun, for 33lbs of grain

 

[mblanks2]

I guess its right. OG 1.115!

Whatever yeast you choose with a beer that big you're gonna need more yeast. Figure the grain bill at 60% to 65% and check Mr malty for yeast quantity.

 

[rafaelpinto]

Whatever yeast you choose with a beer that big you're gonna need more yeast. Figure the grain bill at 60% to 65% and check Mr malty for yeast quantity.

I know, Im planning on using 2 packs of US04 and another pack of Windsor. It should do it, right?

The original gravity may scare you, but that beer will not cross 10% abv (not that high)... The final gravity will be around 1035-1040.

 

[mblanks2]

Double post

 

[mblanks2]

So, there is a recipe of a quite intense and complex imperial stout. It should be intense on the caramel/chocolate notes, fairly sweet, show evident signs of oak and a touch of cinnamon. Abv around 10%, IBUs around 50.

For that 5 gal recipe, I soaked 2oz of medium roasted french oak in whisky, which I plan to let there for 3 weeks. Should I add two or three cinammon sticks on the whisky too?

The recipe is quite confusing, I know. Too much different malts, but a lot of them are little variations of the same thing (the dark malts are similar, so are the caramel).

Do you think it is a good Russian Imperial Stout Recipe? I will mash it around 158-160 to keep it fairly sweet (Im thinking about and OG around 1035-1040).

___________

45% 2row
10% Munich
5% Oats
5% Brown Sugar

10% Carafa III
5% Chocolate
2.5% Black Malt
2.5% Torrified Barley

5% Crystal 60
5% Aromatic Malt
5% Special B​

With the above grain bill at 60% efficiency on a 5.5 gallon batch, mashing at 156*F for 60 minutes and boiling for 60 minutes, Beersmith puts you at 12.4% with 2 packs of S-04 with a final gravity range of 1.018 - 1.030. S-04 will likely blow the top off whatever you put that beer into, so a large blow off tube will be in order.
As stated above I would mash lower at 149*F - 151*F and use 2 packs of US-05.

 

[rafaelpinto]

With the above grain bill at 60% efficiency on a 5.5 gallon batch, mashing at 156*F for 60 minutes and boiling for 60 minutes, Beersmith puts you at 12.4% with 2 packs of S-04 with a final gravity range of 1.018 - 1.030. S-04 will likely blow the top off whatever you put that beer into, so a large blow off tube will be in order.
As stated above I would mash lower at 149*F - 151*F and use 2 packs of US-05.

You are right, it is actually a 12% ABV beer. I will surely work on a blow off tube. The lower mash temperature is a good tip, as well as using two packs of US05. But since I am going for a fruity yeast profile, maybe one pack of US05 and another of S04 is a good plan too, right?

 

[rafaelpinto]

I really dont think my mash tun will handle this brew. A good option would be using two mash tuns instead of only one, right? I mean, just split grains in half and go on...

Any downside?

 

[rafaelpinto]

Yeah, I really wont mash too high. Just finished up a Smoked Porter with a good amount of special malts. Mashed around 152 and gravity went from 1075 to 1030.

If my initial gravity will be above 1100, of course FG will already be high. If there is so much specialty malts as I intend to use, it will be even higher.

For what I want, maybe 1.035 is a good aim. What mash temperature do you advise for stopping fermentation to go further than that?

 

[mblanks2]

149*F could get you to 1.025 +/- depending on the attenuation of the yeast.

 

[rafaelpinto]

149*F could get you to 1.025 +/- depending on the attenuation of the yeast.

I am using a mix of US05, S04 and Windsor. Only US05 is highly attenuative.

 

[mblanks2]

I am using a mix of US05, S04 and Windsor. Only US05 is highly attenuative.

Never worked with a mix of yeast so I can't respond to what you can expect. Let us know how it turns out.