Imperial Russian stout ...

[drat12]

So, tonight my buddy and I just tried an imperial Russian stout that has been bulk aging for the past year. 15 gallons was aged in a bourbon barrel and approximately 3 gallons in a 5gallon carboy.

The bourbon barrel one is super boosey.... My buddy is not a fan, but I think it will be quite good after bottling and letting them sit for some time. The one just left to age just tasted... I don't know, acrid? Just overly bitter and not in a hop-type way. I didn't notice a cardboard type taste that might indicate oxygenation from being in the 5 gallon carboy (when we move it over, I put it in under a blanket of CO2.

Any advice/thoughts/ideas?

 

[dinokath]

Same batch just aged differently or two different batches all together? If you use old hops they can impart a bad bitterness over time. Could be a tannin from husks during the mash and could even be light skunking? If the batch was split and aged differently, I'd go with light skunking.

Hard to say for sure without a taste!

 

[bkboiler]

acrid to me sounds like it could be from black patent...malt bill?

 

[plazola86]

Try mixing the two, since one is overly boosey and the other acrid. Try half/half or mix in a pint to get the amounts you want for the flavor you're looking for. Maybe even add lactose to balance the acrid taste.

 

[drat12]

Same batch just aged differently or two different batches all together? If you use old hops they can impart a bad bitterness over time. Could be a tannin from husks during the mash and could even be light skunking? If the batch was split and aged differently, I'd go with light skunking.

Hard to say for sure without a taste!

Same batch aged separately. Finished with 18 gallons and put 15 in a bourbon barrel and the remaining 3 in a glass carboy.... Interesting thought on tannins...