Imperial Stout recipe feedback?

[Joe1980]

Hi everyone,
I plan to brew my first imperial stout! ..here is what I have come up with using ingredients I have to hand. Any feedback on proportions welcomed. Also is my choice of yeast ok? I noticed it will return quite a high final gravity so expect the final result to be on the sweeter side. Is this too high? would US-05 be a better choice? Thanks for the feedback, Joe.

 

[kevin58]

The best Imperial Stout I've ever made was just 75% - 80% Pale malt, 20% - 25% Brown malt and just a pinch of Black malt... 1% or less. I have added a bit of Amber malt which turns out very nice too. I only use EKG hops in my IBSt at 90 and 60 and a crap ton of it too... with a total IBU of 90+. If you can pair down your ingredient list to mimic that grist and up your EKG you won't be disappointed.

 

[Sam_92]

My favorite stouts have that combo of roasted barley, chocolate, and crystal 150. I think it will be a solid beer!

 

[NTBeer]

I wouldn't bother with the late hop additions. Imperial stouts need some age and any non bittering hop will mostly fade away.

 

[Joe1980]

Thanks for the feedback.. Any comments on the yeast choice? will this end up too sweet?

 

[Broken Crow]

A question: I notice rolled oats in your recipe. I'm still learning my way around grain and want to do an oatmeal stout sometime but fear the stuck parge, so I'd like to do the beta-glucan rest but I lack experience. Does such a rest imply mashing in at 110° or so? (I know that might sound a naive question, but owing to shorn axons, I often miss things that should be obvious) All the recipes I can find for oatmeal stout that mention a beta-glucan rest, only mention it as a footnote then proceed to mash in @ 154° or somesuch.

 

[AlexKay]

My experience with London in an ESB is that it took off like a rocket and went 8 F over ambient overnight. I’m assuming it’ll do something similar in your case. Be careful with temperature control.

That said, I really like it for English ales!

 

[Joe1980]

A question: I notice rolled oats in your recipe. I'm still learning my way around grain and want to do an oatmeal stout sometime but fear the stuck parge, so I'd like to do the beta-glucan rest but I lack experience. Does such a rest imply mashing in at 110° or so? (I know that might sound a naive question, but owing to shorn axons, I often miss things that should be obvious) All the recipes I can find for oatmeal stout that mention a beta-glucan rest, only mention it as a footnote then proceed to mash in @ 154° or somesuch.

I had planned to just put some rice hulls in to stop any risk of getting stuck. I am sure someone else can give some better guidance on a step mash with a beta-glucan rest. My understanding is that you mash in at a lower temp and hold it there for 20 mins or so in order to break up the beta-glucans and prevent them gumming up the mash. This article explains it more clearly.
http://howtobrew.com/book/section-3/how-the-mash-works/the-protein-rest-and-modification

 

[DBhomebrew]

If you want the ESB flavor with more attenuation, consider co-pitching with something more attenuative. Pitch together or hold the attenuative strain for day 3 or so. Windsor/Notty are a common pair for this technique.

 

[Dgallo]

I’d up my roasted grains to 10-12% personally. You’re only at 7.5%. You could up your chocolate or use some Carafa or Midnight Wheat

 

[Joe1980]

I’d up my roasted grains to 10-12% personally. You’re only at 7.5%. You could up your chocolate or use some Carafa or Midnight Wheat

Yeah good call, I did a guiness clone not too long ago and it had combined roasted barley and chocolate malt around 15%. It was a bit too much roastiness but I agree I have cut these too much so they won't come through enough. I will take your advice, cheers.

 

[Cloud Surfer]

Looks good. I do a lot of Imperial Stouts along similar lines and they’ve done well in comps. With 10% roast/chocolate it does take a year or more to really intergrate. But it’s a good result. I’ve switched from using flaked barley to flaked wheat. I use 4 packs of Mangrove Jack M42 yeast in my 12% RIS.