Sweetwater Happy Ending Imperial Stout Clone

Dawgs47 · Sep 2, 2014

After making several high gravity brews, I would not try to mash 18.5# of Pale Malt and expect to hit my gravity. I would drop out at least 6# and use Malt Extract and maybe a little sugar to replace it. An estimated FG of 1.041 seems way too high for me. I would play with sugar, mash temp, and yeast to make sure I finished at least in the 20s. Also, 10 grams of gypsum seems high (although it is a hoppy beer). If I was doing salt additions, which I usually do, I would want some calcuim carbonate (chalk) with all those dark grains. I use Palmer's spead sheet for salt additions. Just a few thoughts.

ballsy · Sep 2, 2014

Dawgs47 said:
After making several high gravity brews, I would not try to mash 18.5# of Pale Malt and expect to hit my gravity. I would drop out at least 6# and use Malt Extract and maybe a little sugar to replace it. An estimated FG of 1.041 seems way too high for me. I would play with sugar, mash temp, and yeast to make sure I finished at least in the 20s. Also, 10 grams of gypsum seems high (although it is a hoppy beer). If I was doing salt additions, which I usually do, I would want some calcuim carbonate (chalk) with all those dark grains. I use Palmer's spead sheet for salt additions. Just a few thoughts.

Exactly what I already planned on doing, replaced with LME (0.75lb/lb of grain). Yesterday was free white house kit with purchase > $125 at NB so used that as good excuse to order ingredients for this beer as well as Janet's Brown ale!

ballsy · Sep 13, 2014

Brewed this last night, used 10lbs 2-row with other grains and replaced remaining 7lbs 2row w/ 6lbs LME (was about 5.3 lb calculated but figured some loss of efficiency would be made up for with even 6lb) at flameout. The mash was really thick (5gal cooler was maxed out) but nailed an OG of 1.085. Smelled really good with the loads of hops additions! Quickest start to airlock activity I've had ever (blow off after 7-8 hrs).

ballsy · Oct 10, 2014

Update, week 4 in primary. FG is 1.019. Threw in the 3 oz of dry hops. The sample (couple drips on the tongue) was amazing, this might just be one of the best beers I've done thus far. Will get it kegged next weekend and let in rest in CO2 @ room temp until sometime in Nov. Should be a great Thanksgiving!

ballsy · Nov 23, 2014

Update, Kegged 10/18. So 8 wks total since brewed. Started carbing 11/19 and tasted a glass 11/21 and damn is this good already....definitely a little early, can tell this will be excellent by Xmas but it's already hard not to drink. I'm not a big stout fan, even certain RIS's but this is by far my favorite from anything I have ever bought and will be brewing this again! Will be entering it into a stout contest over the Holidays.

ballsy · Jan 24, 2015

Keg was dry a few weeks ago. This beer was one of the best I have done. Highly recommend it, tasted side by side with my buddies traditional stout (I think it was an oatmeal stout) and they tasted so different it was ridiculous. This one was so floral and hopped up, it really stood out. I wished I could have entered it into a contest! Will definitely brew this many more times to come!