Big ol' Imperial Stout

[MaxSpang]

I've been tweaking this recipe around quite a bit for the past few months, and brew day is quickly approaching. I had a previous thread but it got buried, so I started another one.

I would greatly appreciate any feedback/input on this bad mammajamma.


Iron Brigade
13-F Russian Imperial Stout
Author: Max Spang

Size: 5.0 gal
Efficiency: 63.0%
Attenuation: 75.0%
Calories: 385.33 kcal per 12.0 fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.114 (1.075 - 1.115)
Terminal Gravity: 1.028 (1.018 - 1.030)
Color: 39.95 (30.0 - 40.0)
Alcohol: 11.43% (8.0% - 12.0%)
Bitterness: 79.5 (50.0 - 90.0)

Ingredients:
20.0 lb Pale Ale Malt
1.5 lb Special B Malt
1.5 lb Roasted Barley
1 lb American Chocolate Malt
0.5 lb Munich Malt
0.25 lb British Black Patent
.5 lb Oats Flaked
.5 lb Barley Flaked
.5 lb Carapils®/Carafoam®
1 oz Columbus (15.0%) - added during boil, boiled 60.0 m
1.0 oz Chinook (13.0%) - added during boil, boiled 15.0 m
0.25 lb Molasses - added during boil, boiled 10.0 m
1.0 ea Pacman 1764 Yeast (BIG starter)
3.0 oz Woodford Reserve Bourbon-Soaked American Oak Wood Cubes - added dry to secondary fermenter

Schedule:
Ambient Air: 70.0 °F
Source Water: 60.0 °F
Elevation: 0.0 m


Notes
Boiled oak cubes for 10 minutes, aged in Woodford Reserve Bourbon for months

Results generated by BeerTools Pro 1.5.18


I'm also going to age 2 gallons or so with Vanilla beans (split & soaked in vodka a few weeks prior)


Any feedback on the recipe would be appreciated!

Also, I've never brewed a beer quite this big so any tips on aeration/fermentation would also be appreciated. I plan on splitting it into 2 5-gal carboys for primary to try to prevent any blow-off issues.

Thanks for looking!

 

[scottatdrake]

Looks tasty. And huge. Are you sure it necessary to boil the wood cubes if they've been soaked in whiskey for some time? I'd think that would strip out the whiskey goodness that you're looking for.

 

[jester5120]

I just did a similar stout. Mine was only 9.5% and i aged it on cacao nibs instead of oak . It tastes great and i'm sure yours will too

Looks tasty. And huge. Are you sure it necessary to boil the wood cubes if they've been soaked in whiskey for some time? I'd think that would strip out the whiskey goodness that you're looking for.

if the whisky is over 40% you don't need to boil them. plus it'll kill some of the flavor.

 

[MaxSpang]

Looks tasty. And huge. Are you sure it necessary to boil the wood cubes if they've been soaked in whiskey for some time? I'd think that would strip out the whiskey goodness that you're looking for.

Sorry, I should have been more clear. I boiled them for 10 minutes in water, THEN put them into a jar with bourbon. They've been soaking for like 2-3 months.

I bioled them per the recommendation of the manager at my LHBS.

Thanks for the comment

 

[dcp27]

Also, I've never brewed a beer quite this big so any tips on aeration/fermentation would also be appreciated.

make sure to aerate alot, keep it cool to start, and give it plenty of time & nutrients. big beers give off alot of heat and can get out of hand, so controlling the fermentation temp is critical otherwise you'll have 5gals of black rocket fuel. you'll also want ot mash fairly low to make it easier on the yeast. heres some other tips: How to brew a big beer

as far as the recipe, id ditch the carafoam, its not needed with the flaked barley and all that special B. i don't think 0.5lb of munich will do much either, id prolly cut it or up it. looks tasty

 

[MaxSpang]

make sure to aerate alot, keep it cool to start, and give it plenty of time & nutrients. big beers give off alot of heat and can get out of hand, so controlling the fermentation temp is critical otherwise you'll have 5gals of black rocket fuel. you'll also want ot mash fairly low to make it easier on the yeast. heres some other tips: How to brew a big beer

as far as the recipe, id ditch the carafoam, its not needed with the flaked barley and all that special B. i don't think 0.5lb of munich will do much either, id prolly cut it or up it. looks tasty

Thanks for the link, and good call on the low fermentation temp. I'll wait til it gets nice and cold outside to brew this bad boy.

I might just ditch the cara and munich, I think this beer is plenty big/sweet/complex without it. Thanks for the feedback!

 

[permo]

that looks very, very good. You will need a huge starter. I would go with 1 gallon. Use plenty of yeast nutrient as well. i would also consider aerating again and adding more nutrient after 2-3 days as well.

More importantly, I CANNOT STAND thick, syrupy imperial stouts. So here is how I remedy this: Mash low and mash long. I would mash at 148-149 and mash for long time. 3-4 hours.

 

[MaxSpang]

that looks very, very good. You will need a huge starter. I would go with 1 gallon. Use plenty of yeast nutrient as well. i would also consider aerating again and adding more nutrient after 2-3 days as well.

More importantly, I CANNOT STAND thick, syrupy imperial stouts. So here is how I remedy this: Mash low and mash long. I would mash at 148-149 and mash for long time. 3-4 hours.

I'm gonna brew something like a little pale ale with the Pacman yeast then use the 2nd generation to brew this fella.

And yeah I planned on mashing this low. I can't imagine this guy getting much below 1.030 though