Seeking guidance on a Vanilla Coconut Imperial Stout

[Creek]

I'm getting ready to brew my first big imperial stout and I had a few questions I was hoping you guys could help me clear up. My recipe is posted below, it's based off a Stone RIS clone recipe I found online.

Questions:

1. I accidentally ended up with blackprinz malt instead of black patent malt; I've never brewed with blackprinz. It's the same Lovibond as patent but supposed to be less bitter. Is this substitution going to leave my stout feeling thin or lacking malty complexity?
2. I've seen people toss coconut and even coconut milk in the mash and/or boil in addition to the secondary. Should I be considering this if I want a nice coconut flavor or will toasted coconut in the secondary give me what I'm looking for? Coconut milk in my wort seems like a terrible idea.
3. How do I adequately sanitize stuff like toasted coconut, cacao nibs and vanilla beans? I've read about soaking vanilla beans in rum or vodka, but should I do this with coconut flakes/cacao nibs too? It seems like it would take a lot of liquor and I'd worry about imparting unintentional flavors.
4. I plan on building up a BIG starter for this, but I don't have a oxygenating wand. Will some vigorous shaking impart adequate oxygenation for a beer of this OG or am I risking an incomplete or unhappy fermentation without spending $50 on a O2 kit (not out of the question, just have to justify it to SWMBO)?
5. I know that this beer will continue to condition overtime, but whats a realistic expectation for it to come into its prime? I was planning on letting them bottle condition in the cellar for at least a few months before starting to sample

Thanks for your input! Cheers!
-M

RUSSIAN IMPERIAL STOUT
TYPE: All Grain

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 6.47 gal
Post Boil Volume: 5.72 gal
Estimated OG: 1.096 SGEstimated Color: 55.7 SRM
Estimated IBU: 70.8 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

GRAIN BILL
--------------------------
16.5# 2-Row Pale Malt (78.6%)
2# Amber malt (9.5%)
1.25# Roasted Barley (6.0%)
1.25# Black Prinz Malt (6.0%)

HOP SCHEDULE
--------------------------
1.7oz Warrior (15% AA) @ 90min 70.8 IBU

YEAST
--------------------------
WLP 002 English Ale - ~400billion cell pitch

FERMENTATION
--------------------------
3-4wks Primary @ 68F
Rack to secondary over 1# lightly toasted coconut and #2 madagascar vanilla beans to age an additional 2-6 weeks based on taste

CARBONATION
--------------------------
Bottle condition with 3.8oz corn sugar​

 

[Creek]

​

Anyone? Any input welcome. Let me know if I've posted in the wrong place or broken forum etiquette or something. Thanks!

 

[Man-O-Leisure]

Im not much help with your brewing questions so ill leave that to someone else.. apart from the fact that i agree that coconut milk in the wort sounds horrible.. Soaking the Cacau nibs and vanilla in rum sounds good, stick to your taste profile and use a coconut rum!!

 

[ddrrseio]

step 1 for any variation beer is to begin with a solid base recipe. it sounds like you have that covered since you are using one you like.

step 2 is to use caution when adding the extra ingredients! you don't have to settle on a ratio right away. in fact, i would make about six gallons of this and pull off 1/2 gal x 2 and dose each half gallon with the anticipated and scaled amounts of vanilla and coconut. let it sit the right length of time and then taste them. blend them with the base beer and each other and find the ratio that makes you happy. then, apply this info to dose the whole batch.

 

[butterpants]

There's a thread I read here recently that talked about using shredded, unsweetened coconut at a rate of 1.5lbs per gallon of beer for 4 days in secondary.

For vanilla beans making a tincture in your favorite spirit is a great way to go. 2 beans should be enough per 5 gal.