Need help on an Imperial Stout Recipe

[funkstrman]

So I've had this idea for a few weeks to brew a big beer for "the end of the world" on December 21st, 2012. I am calling it TEOTWAWKI (acronym for The End Of The World As We Know It) Imperial Stout. I have never made my own recipe before, and I know I should start with something simpler (read: cheaper!), but I really want to get a home crafted imperial stout going.

I was wondering if anyone can take a look at this recipe and give me some input as to how it might turn out. The idea will be to get this thing brewed soon in order to allow for a 6-8 month bottle conditioning before cracking on midnight 12-21-12. Thanks!

(and yes this is also a half hearted attempt at an Abyss clone)


TEOTWAWKI Imperial Stout
Type: All Grain
Date: 1/26/2012
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 7.50 gal
Boil Time: 90 min
End of Boil Volume 5.72 gal Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Final Bottling Volume: 5.50 gal Est Mash Efficiency 75.0 %
Fermentation: Ale, Single Stage Taste Rating(out of 50): 30.0
Taste Notes:
Ingredients


Ingredients
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
18 lbs 10.6 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 80.0 %
1 lbs 2.7 oz Black Barley (Stout) (500.0 SRM) Grain 5.0 %
14.9 oz Black (Patent) Malt (500.0 SRM) Grain 4.0 %
11.2 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM) Grain 3.0 %
11.2 oz Wheat Malt, Dark (9.0 SRM) Grain 3.0 %
7.5 oz Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM) Grain 2.0 %
7.5 oz Victory Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 2.0 %
3.7 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 1.0 %
2.00 oz Millenium [14.25 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 65.7 IBUs
1.20 oz Chinook [13.00 %] - Boil 20.0 min Hop 21.8 IBUs
0.95 oz Chinook [13.00 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 5.7 IBUs
2.0 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) [50.28 ml] Yeast

Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.111 SG Measured Original Gravity: 1.046 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.027 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.010 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 11.2 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 4.7 %
Bitterness: 93.1 IBUs Calories: 151.6 kcal/12oz
Est Color: 64.8 SRM
Mash Profile

Mash Steps
Name Description Step Temperature Step Time
Mash In Add 29.16 qt of water at 168.2 F 156.0 F 45 min
Mash Out Add 11.66 qt of water at 202.4 F 168.0 F 10 min

 

[greatschmaltez]

Overall looks good except I think your grain bill is too complicated. For stouts you really just need roasted barley and 2-row as a base, then build on that with one specialty malt (like victory or chocolate) and one dark crystal for sweetness. Right now with all the specialty you have I think you'll have too many nonfermentables and too much roast. I'd target about 1-1.5 ponds roast barley 500srm and maybe1.5-2 lbs of 2 other malts to get your flavor and sweetness right.

Also, of this is your first time doing a big beer, have some extra DME on hand and measure your preboil SG, effiiency is tougher with that many grains.

Oh and I'd avoid black patent except for maybe .25-.5 lbs.

 

[funkstrman]

Ok thanks, so this is what I have after some adjustments. Basically bumped up the 2 Row, lowered the Black Patent, and took out the 60L and Victory. Maybe I'll add a little Chocolate?

19 lbs 2.1 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 83.6 %
1 lbs 10.1 oz Black Barley (Stout) (500.0 SRM) Grain 7.1 %
15.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM) Grain 4.1 %
12.0 oz Wheat Malt, Dark (9.0 SRM) Grain 3.3 %
7.0 oz Black (Patent) Malt (500.0 SRM) Grain 1.9 %

 

[greatschmaltez]

Yeah, I'd probably add .75 of either victory or chocolate depending on what you want... I'd consider doing chocolate... But I'm a big Brooklyn Brewery fan and I like their chocolate stout. It's up to you on which one, but you'll be good either way at this point. Don't forget that preboil gravity measurement!

 

[GuldTuborg]

I usually beat the drum of simplicity, but for some reason my stout recipes always turn out much more complex (grain wise) than my other recipes. I actually like the original recipe better. It clocks in at 11% roasted malt, which is a good number to start with, and has 3 different roast levels for interest. There's a touch of crystal of 2 medium to dark levels, which is good, but not enough to add much more than a subtle background note (which is good if that's what you're going for). The wheat will probably not do much, but may aid in head retention with such a big beer. I have a feeling the victory malt, at that level, will be covered up by everything else, so it may not do much, but certainly won't do harm, either.

To me, it looks like a good, middle of the road RIS, which will sit more on the roasty side than the stewed fruits & raisins side of the fence. Bittering levels are good, and will compliment the roast well. I don't see a problem with it. Do whatever you like best, OP, but I still think the first recipe is better.

 

[funkstrman]

I usually beat the drum of simplicity, but for some reason my stout recipes always turn out much more complex (grain wise) than my other recipes. I actually like the original recipe better. It clocks in at 11% roasted malt, which is a good number to start with, and has 3 different roast levels for interest. There's a touch of crystal of 2 medium to dark levels, which is good, but not enough to add much more than a subtle background note (which is good if that's what you're going for). The wheat will probably not do much, but may aid in head retention with such a big beer. I have a feeling the victory malt, at that level, will be covered up by everything else, so it may not do much, but certainly won't do harm, either.

To me, it looks like a good, middle of the road RIS, which will sit more on the roasty side than the stewed fruits & raisins side of the fence. Bittering levels are good, and will compliment the roast well. I don't see a problem with it. Do whatever you like best, OP, but I still think the first recipe is better.

Sweet! Thanks for the opinion! Like I said, it is a half hearted attempt at a Deschutes Abyss clone, and those are the grains and hops they listed on their website, and they say, "Temps, times and weights are the challenge." So I plugged everything into BeerSmith, set the 90 minute boil time like they suggest, and tried to get the OG to be about 1.100. So I may just go with that first one and see how it turns out.

Thanks for the opinions everyone, once again HBT members rule!

 

[funkstrman]

Don't forget that preboil gravity measurement!

Oh and I won't forget to check that and add accordingly. Thanks for the input!