Feedback on Recipe

[Furious_D]

Hello fellow brewers! Looking for some feedback on an Imperial Stout Recipe I'm looking at brewing soon.

Style: Imperial Stout
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 7.23 gal
Post Boil Volume: 5.98 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.00 gal
Bottling Volume: 4.50 gal
Estimated OG: 1.086 SG
Estimated Color: 30.2 SRM
Estimated IBU: 66.3 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 80.5 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name
14 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM)
1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 30L (30.0 SRM)
1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM)
8.0 oz Brown Malt (65.0 SRM)
8.0 oz Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM)
4.0 oz Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM)
3.00 oz Cluster [7.00 %] - Boil 90.0 min
0.90 oz Northern Brewer [8.50 %] - Boil 2.0 min
0.70 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 2.0 min
1.0 pkg California Ale (White Labs #WLP001)


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 17 lbs 4.0 oz
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash In Add 22.56 qt of water at 163.1 F 152.0 F 60 min

Sparge: Batch sparge with 5 steps (Drain mash tun , 0.98gal, 0.98gal, 0.98gal, 0.98gal) of 168.0 F water

 

[mrdail87]

Is there a reason for the 3 oz of Cluster? If it's boiled for 90 minutes it will lose all of it's aroma/flavor contribution. Seems like you could sub for a higher alpha hop, and use less.

I've also recently heard Cluster can be a little "coarse" or "sharp" as a bittering addition. I've only added it 30 minutes, so I can't say with 100% certainty how true that is.

 

[chickypad]

Looks to me like you're light on the dark roasted grains at only 0.75 lb total (4%) and heavy on the crystal (11.5%). I'd reverse those ratios, something like cutting the crystal in half and bumping the roasted barley up to a full lb.

 

[fantomlord]

Looks to me like you're light on the dark roasted grains at only 0.75 lb total (4%) and heavy on the crystal (11.5%). I'd reverse those ratios, something like cutting the crystal in half and bumping the roasted barley up to a full lb.

I would agree with that. I typically don't use any crystal malts in my RIS, but use a combination of roasted, black, and chocolate, along with a lengthy boil. I also like a combination of MO and Munich for the base

 

[JKaranka]

Up the brown to at least a pound (maybe 2-3) and reduce crystal accordingly. You can easily use 20-30% of brown malt in your grist.

 

[kombat]

I'd drop the Crystal and just go with the darker malts. Are you really going to sparge 5 times? I'd be concerned about tannin extraction during those last couple of sparges. Regarding the yeast, I hope you plan to make an adequately-sized starter?

 

[fantomlord]

I'd drop the Crystal and just go with the darker malts. Are you really going to sparge 5 times? I'd be concerned about tannin extraction during those last couple of sparges. Regarding the yeast, I hope you plan to make an adequately-sized starter?

I didn't even notice that the first time. I would either do a single batch sparge, or fly sparge.

You're going to lose a little efficiency on a big beer like this, but it should only be a few points. I think you're better off just using more water and doing a longer boil to get down to target volume.

 

[Furious_D]

I'd drop the Crystal and just go with the darker malts. Are you really going to sparge 5 times? I'd be concerned about tannin extraction during those last couple of sparges. Regarding the yeast, I hope you plan to make an adequately-sized starter?

I will not be sparging 5 times. That was the default in BS2. I will be taking the first runnings only. This is a small batch so I can get an absorption rate for the grains so I know when I scale up.

I will be making an appropriate yeast starter.

 

[Furious_D]

Alright. Changed the recipe based on suggestions.

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 5.78 gal
Post Boil Volume: 3.90 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 3.00 gal
Bottling Volume: 2.50 gal
Estimated OG: 1.092 SG
Estimated Color: 59.4 SRM
Estimated IBU: 73.0 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 87.5 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name
8 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM)
1 lbs Brown Malt (65.0 SRM)
1 lbs Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM)
8.0 oz Black Barley (Stout) (500.0 SRM)
8.0 oz Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM)
2.00 oz Cluster [7.00 %] - Boil 90.0 min
0.50 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 2.0 min
0.50 oz Northern Brewer [8.50 %] - Boil 2.0 min
California Ale (White Labs #WLP001)

 

[JKaranka]

I'd move the late hop additions to 15m and up the IBUs. It will mellow and fade with age. Looms good. Chance to up the brown to 1.5lb and lower the roast barley below a pound.