Samuel Smith Imperial Stout Clone Results and Tweaks?

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

jmitchell3

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2013
Messages
417
Reaction score
62
Location
Glendale, AZ
So I formulated a recipe for to clone Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout. Here's the original recipe (cues taken from the samuel smith website):

Malt Bill:
86% maris otter,
11% roasted malt,
3% table sugar

Hops (Tinseth):
Fuggles @ 60 min for 28 IBU
Goldings @ 30 min for 11 IBU
Goldings @ 15 min for 7 IBU

All grain, mash at 154, ferment at 66F with WLP002 in a starter.

Carbonated at 2.0 volumes

7% ABV, 46 IBU, 52 SRM. OG was 1.076, FG was 1.022, ADF 70%.

Recently did a side by side comparison. Carbonation, head amount, etc seemed appropriately similar. In my clone, I sensed a bit of harshness. Not sure whether it came from the roasted malt or the hop bittering. The Sammy smith sample was (by comparison) quite fruity in the nose, a more effervescent body, resulting in a lighter, fuller mouthfeel. It also was less harsh by comparison and had overall a better balance. The samuel smith had a slightly lighter color tan head. Mine was a bit more brown. Color of the samuel smith was just a fraction lighter than mine.

At the moment, I'm thinking I'll dial down the roasted barley and increase the table sugar addition from 3% to 5%, reduce the bittering hop addition probably by 50% to achieve 14 IBU, and ferment at a higher temp, maybe 68-69F to try to capture some of those delightful english esters from the yeast.

I know I won't be able to get it perfect due to the open fermentation they do in Tadcaster square, but I think I can get a pretty close approximation.

Any suggestions or recommendations?
 
Wow! I can’t believe no one was interested in this thread. Currently enjoying a Sam Smith imperial stout and wondering how to approximate some of the magic. Next for my glass is a bells Kalamazoo. Thought the SS might have some more subtleties that I wouldn’t notices if I drank the Bells first.

So!…have you perfected your recipe now almost 10 years later hahahaha!?
 
Back
Top