RIS Yeast Selection

[YOpassDAmike]

Hello,

I will soon be brewing a Russian Imperial Stout (O.G. 1.110) and I am looking for the best yeast for what I want to accomplish. I would like my RIS to finish woth a high final gravity. Looking to brew a RIS with the similar sweetness to dark lord, surly darkness, praire bomb, bourbon county.

 

[olotti]

You could try 002 and just mash a little higher like in the 154-55 range and that'll leave ya with a higher fg.

 

[YOpassDAmike]

I am planning on mashing at 158 degrees and am looking to do a first runnings beer. I will use no sparge water and just recirculate a lot. I am also doing a 2 hour boil. I want this beer to be thick.

 

[govner1]

I am planning on mashing at 158 degrees and am looking to do a first runnings beer. I will use no sparge water and just recirculate a lot. I am also doing a 2 hour boil. I want this beer to be thick.

First, I'd use WY1056 for your yeast.
Second, I think your planned mash temp is way to high. I'd shoot for 152°F. Otherwise you'll get way too many unfermentables.
My club just did a RIS (55 gal) that we're aging in a freshly dumped Jack Daniels barrel. 13 of us used the same recipe and blended into the barrel after tasting each batch.
We used the first runnings for the first sparge after heating them to 175° then did a second sparge to get to the needed volume. Make sure to really stir well if batch sparging & wait ten minutes before laterimg.
We averaged 1.095+ OG. and 1.018 for FG. All the samples were great.

 

[MapleGroveAleworks]

Way too high of a mash temp.

 

[YOpassDAmike]

What is the higheat you guys would recommend mashing at, why is 158 degrees to high? Is 156 degrees still to high, thanks.

 

[govner1]

At 158° you'll inactivate your beta amylase & you'll be on the upper edge of the temp range for your alpha amylase. As I said above you'll have way too many non-fermentables.

 

[YOpassDAmike]

At 158° you'll inactivate your beta amylase & you'll be on the upper edge of the temp range for your alpha amylase. As I said above you'll have way too many non-fermentables.

Isn't beta inactive at 150 degrees, and isn't alpa active in the low 160 degrees? If thats the case beta would be inactive at a 152 mash temp, right?

 

[govner1]

The key is to achieve the ideal balance for both, the brewers window. Too low and it'll be dry & maybe thin. Too high and it'll be too sweet.

 

[AK7007]

Guys, he said he wanted a HIGH FG, not a low one. While I agree with the other posters that low FGs are better, you aren't actually helping the OP do what he wants. If you want to get something that looks like Dark Lord (ie FG of 1.055 - what I'd call a stuck ferment), then tons of crystal, a high mash temp, first runnings only, extended boil, and WLP002 are the way to go. Hell, you might have to do some sort of additional sweetening with lactose.

If you want something else, then take the advice that people have been giving you. I'd personally use WLP007, but whatever high attenuating "clean" yeast will do fine.

EDIT: just found this http://www.beeradvocate.com/communi...-stout-stuck-at-1-055-dark-lord-clone.126962/