Imperial Stout almost without hops

[rafaelpinto]

Hey guys,

I have been thinking about dark beers and have decided to try to achieve a beer that has no hop bitterness at all. I mean: no IBUs! Before you start to ask "and how will you achieve balance?". Damn, are hops the only way? I dont think so.

Have any of you tried Evil Twins Biscotti Break? It is pretty bitter. However, it is a roasted flavor - not the plain (and sometimes unidimensional) bitterness of hops. And there are several ingredients available to achieve this: different kinds of dark malts; coccoa; coffee; wood aging - anything else?

With all those ingredients complexity must not be a issue, IMO. What do u think?

What Final Gravity should I be targeting? Is 1020 too sweet? It is supposed to be a much softer/gentle, yet damn strong type of imperial stout. It must go down like ice-cream. Even children should like this brew. Imagine? It sounds pretty tasty to me

Now, one last question (actually, the most important thing on the entire thread): do you think I am drunk?

 

[Wolfbayte]

Search Gruit on this forum and elsewhere on the interwebz to learn more about alternatives to hops.

 

[JKaranka]

Grains of paradise is a classic too.

 

[Brann_mac_Finnchad]

The real question is, do you like sweet drinks (cocktails, wines, etc.)? If so, go for it. Careful of going overboard on the roasted things, though.


And to answer your most important question: I would do so (perfectly sober).

 

[didinho]

What Final Gravity should I be targeting? Is 1020 too sweet?

with this FG you can feel sweet taste even with 50 IBU.
did you ever try the same experiment in a dry stout (no hop and bitternes from roasted malts)?
it could be interesting and you coud taste the results in few weeks instead of waiting monts required to age the imperial stout...