Conduct big Russian Imperial Stout fermentation

[dude1]

I just transferred a Stone Xocoveza clone to fermenter (trinkner recipe Aug 24, 2017 on this page)
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/stone-xocoveza-mocha-stout.492778/page-4#post-8198732

Now, regarding what comes next, I'm wondering: should I just go like:

1. Primary for about a week
2. Add tinctures
3. Secondary for another week
4. Bottle

or something more specific to big beers such as:

1. Primary for about a week
2. Add tinctures + ADD SOME FRESH YEAST TO SECONDARY
3. Secondary for a good MONTH
4. Bottle with a relatively LOW AMOUNT OF PRIMING SUGAR, given the fact that the fermentation of such a big beer might not be complete

I'm asking, because this seem to be the way to deal with Russian Imperial Stouts, Barley Wines and so on according to my current readings (Brew Classic Styles by Jamil Zainasheff, Radical Brewing by Randy Mosher, Joy of Homebrewing by Charlie Papazian)

Thanks

 

[AMessenger]

If it were me I would spend 3-4 weeks in primary, cold crash, and then move to secondary. I would then add the flavoring and age until it's where you want it.

I think 1 week in primary likey isn't enough time for fermentation to complete on a big beer so you'd be taking a lot of yeast with you to secondary which would make the rack from secondary at bottling a bit messier than need be.

 

[RM-MN]

You should leave the beer in primary until it is done fermenting. That may be a week, it may be longer. There is no good reason to rush it to secondary and there may be no reason to secondary at all. I've left my RIS in the fermenter for about 4 weeks, then bottled it. You could add your spice tincture to the bottling bucket at the same time you add the priming sugar.

Never bottle your beer until it has reached final gravity. You won't know how much more fermenting it will do and could lead to bottle bombs, regardless of how much priming sugar you use.

 

[radwizard]

I usually leave this stuff in primary for 3-4 weeks as well. I add o2 at about 12 hours into the fermentation, and just let it do its thing. I like to rack it into a secondary and add spices/tinctures there (for the most part) . I bulk age (usually on oak in some form), then taste it when I think it is ready, and possibly add more spice/tinctures at packaging if I want to add something more.

Lots of ways to skin a cat though. I've been pretty happy with that method, fwiw

 

[Comfort_Zone]

Don't rush the yeast. Just let it do its thing. It'll be finished when it's done. If you wanna rush it get some Hothead and crank the heat I guess.

 

[Tyler B]

If it was me, I wouldn't transfer out of primary until a few days after gravity bottoms out and Krausen drops out, at the very earliest. That might be 1 or 2 weeks depending on the fermentation. Most people here seem to have no issue with leaving it in primary for 3-4 weeks.

I have always added spices, tinctures, dry hops etc in secondary with good results. If possible, do it in such a way that you cad add spice to taste, instead of just randomly guessing what the end result is going to taste like. As you are probably aware, spices can vary a great deal in strength and flavor. Maybe transfer from primary, add spice, then leave it in secondary for a couple of weeks.

I had issues with carbonation on a couple of beers that I let sit too long. So, the RIS I just brewed I'm thinking I'll bottle about 3-4 weeks after I brewed it and then let it do the last of its aging/conditioning in the bottle.

I LOVE Stone Xocoveza so please let us know what you decide to do and how it turns out. I thought about attempting to turn this RIS I'm in the middle of into Xocoveza or Stone chai spiced stout...

 

[dude1]

Thanks for all your answers

I had a conversation with trinkner who made the recipe I followed.

He advised for roughly:

- 10 days primary
- Add tinctures to taste
- Another 2 weeks in secondary

I'll go this route without transferring and let you know what it gives in a couple of weeks (or months)

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

My bigger beers I plan on bulk aging anyway so I go a month in the primary, then transfer to a secondary. I secondary in a keg and use CO2 to purge the headspace. I can also add stuff like bourbon/oak cubes any time I want (if desired) and draw off samples to see how it's progressing without opening it up. Anything over 10% improves with at least some extra time IMO.

I just put a BCBS clone into the fermenter yesterday at 1.128 OG. That one got a huge dose of yeast (about 5x what I use in a 1.060 IPA) along with straight O2. I gave it another shot of O2 at 12 hours to give the yeast the best chance of success. This should end up at 11-12% so those little guys need all the help they can get. It was actively going less than two hours after pitch.