Russian Imperial Stout Critique (post brew)

[armenianbrewer]

So I know it sounds strange to ask for a critique AFTER already brewing, but I unfortunately didnt have enough time before this past weekend to get this out here but still looking to see what people think of what I just brewed up this weekend. Here's the recipe:

10 lbs -- American - Pale 2-Row -- 80%

0.75 lbs -- Carafa II -- 6%

0.75 lbs -- Roasted Barley (weyermann) -- 6%

0.375 lbs -- Special B -- 3%

0.25 lbs -- Carapils (Dextrine Malt) -- 2%

0.25 lbs -- Chocolate Wheat -- 2%

0.125 lbs -- Caramel / Crystal 60L -- 1%

-- Mash-in-a-bag in a cooler: 152/153 mash temp

-- 90 minute boil with 1 oz nugget hops (13.3%AA) for entire boil

-- Fermenter final volume 3 gal (3.5 gallon stainless fermenter, only about 15% headspace which I probably should have given this vigorous fermentation more space to work with since 1.5 days into the fermentation it blew the stopper off, and since then I taped it down but it's doing fine now with 3 piece airlock)

-- Decanted 1 liter WLP007 starter (dry english ale)

-- Brew-house efficiency about ~67%, with a starting gravity 1.100

Thoughts on my first all-grain stout recipe? I brewed the above on Sunday and had a very nice powerful fermentation for the first 2-3 days then it slowed itself down but still plenty of activity in the airlock after taking the blow off tube out. I don't have any way of oxygenating outside of a vigorous shake for 1-2 minutes before I get too tired. Also if it matters, I pitched the decanted yeast slurry at about 68 degrees F, and it's fermenting in my basement that ranges from 66-68 degrees this time of year.

I planned to let it sit in the fermenter for about 30 days before transfering into a glass carboy to let it bulk age since it's going to be a pretty big boozy beer with lots of I'm hoping chocolate, roasty, caramel/molasses flavors with maybe even some coffee notes.... pure guess.

Any ideas when I should open it up for my 1st gravity reading? At 1 week, at 2 weeks? I dont want to have to take *too* many readings since my hydrometer is a good 6-8 ounces, prefer not to eat into too much of my final eventual bottling volume

 

[jjeffers09]

I would have gone with Special Roast vs Special B also I like flaked oats or wheat for body ~1lbs

 

[armenianbrewer]

Update:

I just checked my gravity last evening, and it's currently sitting at 1.024.

Does anyone from any experience with this yeast have any idea if this is likely where my final gravity will be? I'm still letting this sit in primary for a full 4 weeks before transferring for 3 months of aging prior to bottling.

I have had this fermenting since the first day in my basement which sits at a very consistent 66-68 degrees, all day long. The lowest my basement has seen in the last 2.5 weeks is 64 but primarily I'm fermenting in a somewhat stable temperature environment.

Also, I tasted the hydrometer sample and it is a very delicious, kind of sweet, chocolatey flavor, with some subtle coffee bitterness, and lots of roasty, chocolate, coffee aroma... with definite distinct roasty finish... as well as boozy (but the booze bite is not as strong as I suspected it was going to be since it's almost 10-11% depending on which ABV calculator you use). And even though it was flat fermenter sample, it definitely had a full bodied mouthfeel and pours very thick.

It's also PITCH DARK BLACK. I shined my bright iphone camera light through it and it is essentially opaque. Any reason why it would come out sooo dark? Maybe I didnt pay attention to the SRM close enough. The consistency when I poured it into the fermenter was somewhat syrupy thick.