Help with Russian Imperial Stout Recipe

[Dr_Mantis]

Hello,


I'm fairly new to the home brewing scene and wanted to try my hand at making my favorite style of beer - the Imperial Stout. My recipe is below and I've also attached it as an xml file. I used Brewtarget to make the recipe and I have two concerns.

Batch Size 18.927 L
Boil Size 11.356 L
Boil Time 60.000 min
Efficiency 70%
OG 1.126
FG 1.037
ABV 11.6%
Bitterness 49.3 IBU (Tinseth)
Color 156.5 ebc (Morey)

Fermentables

Total grain: 17.488 lb
Molasses 1.488 lb
Black (Patent) Malt 8.000 oz
Briess - Dark Chocolate Malt 16.000 oz
Simpsons - Coffee Malt 16.000 oz
Caramel/Crystal Malt - 120L 8.000 oz
Simpsons - Roasted Barley 16.000 oz

Hops
Magnum Pellet 6.000 oz Boil 60.000 min 49.3 IBU

Yeast
Wyeast - Scottish Ale Liquid 125.000 mL

First I'm worried that I've over hopped the brew. Brewtarget shows IBUs at 49.3, but some online calulators show IBUs at 150. I'd just like to have some idea so that I don't make the batch unbearable to drink. I chose to keep the hop addition as simple as possible since I'm new and son't want to get too compicated.

Second, I'm planning to use 125 ml Wyeast Scottish Ale. Is this enough if I use a basic starter or should I use additional yeast.

Thanks for all your help and if there are any other suggestions, I'm certainly open to any ideas.

View attachment RIS Recipe.xml

 

[techprof]

6oz of Magnum will make it too bitter, try 1 or 2oz @60min. Any flavor hop addition planned?

 

[Dr_Mantis]

Thanks for the suggestion, I don't plan to do any hop flavoring on this batch since I prefer malty beers. I will cut the batch down to one ounce of magnum.

 

[lilsparkee]

Hello,

I'm fairly new to the home brewing scene and wanted to try my hand at making my favorite style of beer - the Imperial Stout. My recipe is below and I've also attached it as an xml file. I used Brewtarget to make the recipe and I have two concerns.

Batch Size 18.927 L
Boil Size 11.356 L
Boil Time 60.000 min
Efficiency 70%
OG 1.126
FG 1.037
ABV 11.6%
Bitterness 49.3 IBU (Tinseth)
Color 156.5 ebc (Morey)

Fermentables

Total grain: 17.488 lb
Molasses 1.488 lb
Black (Patent) Malt 8.000 oz
Briess - Dark Chocolate Malt 16.000 oz
Simpsons - Coffee Malt 16.000 oz
Caramel/Crystal Malt - 120L 8.000 oz
Simpsons - Roasted Barley 16.000 oz

Hops
Magnum Pellet 6.000 oz Boil 60.000 min 49.3 IBU

Yeast
Wyeast - Scottish Ale Liquid 125.000 mL

First I'm worried that I've over hopped the brew. Brewtarget shows IBUs at 49.3, but some online calulators show IBUs at 150. I'd just like to have some idea so that I don't make the batch unbearable to drink. I chose to keep the hop addition as simple as possible since I'm new and son't want to get too compicated.

Second, I'm planning to use 125 ml Wyeast Scottish Ale. Is this enough if I use a basic starter or should I use additional yeast.

Thanks for all your help and if there are any other suggestions, I'm certainly open to any ideas.

Do you think you will hit your alcohol ?Imperial shouts usually require a high gravity yeast, extra sugar or a lot more grain.

 

[Dr_Mantis]

I just realized I forgot to list 12 lb of light DME...I'm hoping that will be enough for fermenter sugars, however,I am concerned that I'll be short on yeast. The Scottish Ale yeast can survive in that high alcohol environment, but I'm thinking using an extra 125 ml wouldn't hurt.

 

[bigbadal]

I would back off on the molasses, if it dominates the flavour profile you won't be happy.

 

[inhousebrew]

One option would be to brew a batch of something around 1.040-50 SG with the Scottish Ale yeast and then just pitching the beer ontop of the yeastcake. That way you'll get enough yeast for sure.

If not, check this for yeast : http://www.yeastcalc.com/

That said, I think it's a bit heavy on the coffee malt and/or the chocolate malt. I used that coffee stuff once and it was pronounced.

 

[techprof]

I agree the molasses will probably overrun the rest of the flavor profile. The black patent could be eliminated all together, it won't do too much color wise and may add an ashtray flavor.

Just some suggestions.

 

[RITiger41]

The black patent could be eliminated all together, it won't do too much color wise and may add an ashtray flavor.

Agreed ditch the black patent for Special Carafa 3. Cold steep/french press the dark grains in 5x the water by weight overnight. Strain and collect the liquid and toss in the boil kettle with about 15 minutes from knockout.

Pitch multiple smack packs or collect yeast harvested from another beer. A lot of yeast is the key!

 

[ddrrseio]

if you're curious about molasses i'd just split off a gallon after i pitch the yeast and aerate and then stream in a scaled-down quantity of molasses into just that gallon after the krausen develops. this will help avoid overwhelming the yeast and will encourage greater fermentability.

i did that recently with a 10% RIS using a full pound of 90 candi syrup. it integrated well enough that i didn't blend it back into the main batch, but i would probably try a bit less next time.