Prose from the Pros

[Clint Yeastwood]

I am making my first imperial stout. The beer tastes great, but I'm afraid it will be a little sweet when it's done. On a lark, I emailed North Coast Brewing to find out what gases they used. The brewmaster gave me a lot more info than I asked for.

Thanks for your kind remarks on Old Rasputin. To clear up the confusion, all packaged versions- both cans and bottles- are conditioned with CO2. Now it gets a bit murky. For nearly three decades, Old Rasputin draft was conditioned with nitrogen exclusively. A year and a half ago, after much pleading from our sales team for CO2 conditioned Old Rasputin draft, I relented. In exchange, I asked that we discontinue Nitro Red Seal draft (it is inferior to naturally conditioned Red Seal). I kept my part of the bargain. ‘Nuff said. So nowadays, you can find both CO2 and nitrogenated Old Rasputin on draft.

Good luck on your Imperial Stout adventure. I recommend that you build your malt base like a pyramid, layering your different malts to create a complex, malty profile. Also keep in mind that it takes a lot of hops to balance such a big beer.

Kind regards,

Chuck Martins | Brewmaster | North Coast Brewing

I responded with a little info on the beer I'm making, and I got this:

At 1.084 OG, I think you will want to bump your IBUs up by 10 or so, probably even more than that if you are not using any adjunct. We target packaged IBU at 62, 70ish in the fermenter. I understand that you aren’t making a clone, but if you like the balance of Old Rasputin, I think this is the park you will want to play ball in.

So that was all very generous. Maybe there is some info in there others will find interesting.

I also received a check from Sierra Nevada. I emailed to find out if my experience with Hazy Little Thing was normal, and they declared that I had bought old beer. They offered to pay for it. I told them the beer was actually within their shelf life guidelines, but very generously, they insisted on sending the check anyway.

Now the question is whether I cash the check or frame it and put it over the keezer.

 

[rburrelli]

Cash it and frame the cancelled check.

 

[Clint Yeastwood]

You must be a lawyer, too.

 

[mac_1103]

Nowadays, you can cash the check and keep it too (if you use your phone).

 

[franknbeans]

I didn't know they had Rasputin at 70ibu in the kettle. Maybe it's just been a long time that I've had it, but I don't remember it being that high. Love it though, that's always a tasty brew to have.

 

[mac_1103]

70 IBU is not that high for a RIS. It's necessary to balance the residual sweetness inherent to a beer that big. A local brewer in my area does a wonderful one year bourbon barrel aged stout that has an OG of 1.116 and 11.4% ABV. That puts the final gravity close to 1.030. You don't really taste the 70 IBU, but it would be undrinkably sweet without it.

 

[DBhomebrew]

Up the IBUs a bit. Never would've thought it.