RIS too much hops?

[Husker234]

I have a recipe for an extract RIS that calls for 15oz of hops. Here's a link to it: Stout Recipe
I've ran a few calculations on the IBU's and get some pretty high numbers (170's).

I don't want to brew this up and cellar for 6 months to a year and have an undrinkable beer, is this amount of hops going to work for this recipe?

Thanks for the adavice!

 

[FREUNDOFBIER]

Husker,

It doesn't specify in the recipe but I wonder if the recipe is formulated for whole hops as opposed to hop pellets. If you use hop pellets and the recipe is formulated for whole hops, the finished product could potentially be 20% more bitter than intended. In other words, you might consider using 12 oz hops if using pellets.

Also, actual bitterness levels may not end up being as high as predicted due to partial boil nature of this recipe.

Hop character can be all over the board for RIS. I have to imagine that this one would be at the top end of the spectrum in terms of bitterness. If you like bitter black beer, you might find yourself in hog heaven. If balance is what you seek, I would consider backing off to half of the hops.

Still seems like an insane quantity of hops. Not sure what benefit there would be in this approach over using less of higher alpha hops since it is bittering addition only and no flavor/aroma/dry hop additions. Hopefully this is helpful,

FREUNDOFBIER

 

[Husker234]

Hey, Thanks for the advice. I am using fuggles, pellets with AU of 4.2, so I think I'm going to dial it down a bit. I love me a hoppy beer though.

 

[Yooper]

Hey, Thanks for the advice. I am using fuggles, pellets with AU of 4.2, so I think I'm going to dial it down a bit. I love me a hoppy beer though.

Remember that it's not about IBUs, but rather the IBU/SG ratio. 127 IBUs (calculated, as it's not really possible) in a 1.040 beer is not nearly the same as in a 1.095 beer.

HOWEVER, I really don't like the recipe. Boiling the hops for 60 minutes, then steeping the grain? Then boil again for 60 minutes? A pound of roasted barley and carapils and that's it?

The recipe isn't something I would even consider.

Why not choose a proven winner? Something like this: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f68/russian-imperial-stout-2011-hbt-competition-category-winner-238807/ and it's very easily converted to extract.