Vanilla Imperial Stout

[pkrath84]

I dont mean to thread jack, but..

Would any of you guys mind looking over what I have planned for my RIS (also from NB)?

I'm a few batches in as far as kits are concerned. Definitely a newbie looking for feedback form those more experienced.

here's the link to the thread I started. I plan on making this sometime next week after I finish a few more brews for my wedding.

I know there's a lot going on, but hopefully not TOO much?

Link to my thread

Thanks in advance. Cheers!

 

[sweed]

I dont mean to thread jack, but..

Would any of you guys mind looking over what I have planned for my RIS (also from NB)?

I'm a few batches in as far as kits are concerned. Definitely a newbie looking for feedback form those more experienced.

here's the link to the thread I started. I plan on making this sometime next week after I finish a few more brews for my wedding.

I know there's a lot going on, but hopefully not TOO much?

Link to my thread

Thanks in advance. Cheers!

You have a lot of flavors going in there. RIS's already have a lot of complex flavors. Adding coffee and vanilla you'll get those good flavors. Adding more and more, it could get lost, or it could be an amazing beer.

As for the fermentation control, I kept my apt colder for the first week or so, while the big fermentation was going on. The temperature on the thermometer on my bucket wasn't more than 64-66, it was as low as 60-62. I left windows open, and my temp in my apt was in the low 50's. After than it never rose above 68. I figure that was as good as out could get.
I would not new this in the summer, it would ferment was to hot. I'm sure once I eventually move into a house, it'll do all those fun coolers, keezers, I'll keg and get into AG. But this works for now.
Last August when it was warm, I would ferment in a swamp cooler. That worked, but it was a pain trying to keep the water temp down, freezing ice and gallon jugs.

 

[pkrath84]

^ Thanks for the input, I really appreciate it!

 

[richlong8020]

I added the 3 lbs dme and 1 lb molasses to the fermenter last night. It kicked back up crazy again soon after. I also cut up and scraped 6 vanilla beans, with 2 cups of knob creek single batch bourbon. 16 oz, and 6 vanilla beans should take me where I want to go, lol. The vanilla beans will soak in the bourbon for about a month before I added it to the secondary.

The volume is about 5.25 gallons now.The more the better.

Hey how did you boil this? Just molasses and DME? Water? Then did you just throw it back into the primary or into a carboy for secondary.

 

[sweed]

Hey how did you boil this? Just molasses and DME? Water? Then did you just throw it back into the primary or into a carboy for secondary.

Yup, maybe a quarter of a gallon of water. Boiled the dme, molasses, and also had some dextrose. I boiled it in a pot, cooled it, then added it to the primary after, I think 4-5 days. Basically once fermentation slowed down. This helped to kick it back up to get the gravity down. The tolerance of that American ale yeast is 11%, I think and this is at 13%, so I guess that trick works!?

 

[richlong8020]

Amazing thx. I'm doing this in a few weeks having these details is gonna help out greatly.

 

[sweed]

Amazing thx. I'm doing this in a few weeks having these details is gonna help out greatly.

I've made some big RIS's. I'm sure the 8-10% ones are a bit easier. I was going to make this one only 10%, but that changed haha. I might some time make a more simple, straight forward RIS. Something that won't take years to get really good.

 

[richlong8020]

Well as far as drinking homebrew goes this RIS will be slowly enjoyed. Not to mention I probably won't be gifting a lot of this away lol

 

[sweed]

Vanilla! Popped this guy open tonight, and testing the one month in bottles. A little carbonation, no head and I don't expect any. Hint of bourbon at beginning, then that vanilla comes through with some roast, and I may be getting some of that molasses. It's not thick, or thin, silky best describes the mouthfeel. It is a little sweet/ syrup, but nothing too cloying IMO.
All this thing needs is some aging. Ok a lot of it, but it is very drinkable right now, and one glass is all you need. The only thing I would change right now is either adding more bourbon, our a little less vanilla to get the bourbon to come through a bit more. That vanilla is so good though. The bitterness is prefect also, it's not bitter but you can tell all those hops help to balance out this massive beer.
No making fun of the glass, I don't have a snifter, lol.

 

[richlong8020]

This is so my next batch. Then a Simcoe Pale next. Look forward to this stout.

 

[tyzippers]

I left windows open, and my temp in my apt was in the low 50's.

You sir, are dedicated! (And apparently not married!)

I just made a RIS not too long ago as an experiment and I used 099 to ferment. That yeast dried that beer right out to around 1.004!! My hydrometer broke on brew day, but im assuming the beer ended up around 12-14%. It still had a bit of perceived sweetness at the taste, but dried out as was expected. It certainly could have used some aging, but I was anxious, so I drank it. The real batch will be aged. I like the idea of adding vanilla, but I think this one was good to stand on its own!

 

[tyzippers]

Yup, maybe a quarter of a gallon of water. Boiled the dme, molasses, and also had some dextrose. I boiled it in a pot, cooled it, then added it to the primary after, I think 4-5 days. Basically once fermentation slowed down. This helped to kick it back up to get the gravity down. The tolerance of that American ale yeast is 11%, I think and this is at 13%, so I guess that trick works!?

I did the same with my molasses. Though I did not add any DME. I did add some oak chips for a few weeks in the secondary. I did not soak them. Right into the fermenter they went. I figured that with a beer that big. Infection was probably not a huge concern!

 

[sweed]

You sir, are dedicated! (And apparently not married!)

I just made a RIS not too long ago as an experiment and I used 099 to ferment. That yeast dried that beer right out to around 1.004!! My hydrometer broke on brew day, but im assuming the beer ended up around 12-14%. It still had a bit of perceived sweetness at the taste, but dried out as was expected. It certainly could have used some aging, but I was anxious, so I drank it. The real batch will be aged. I like the idea of adding vanilla, but I think this one was good to stand on its own!

Not anymore! the ex did screw me over big time though, and it's finally over after my last hearing a few weeks ago.

I used wlp 099, on my first RIS, and that got down to 1.020, that one turned out great as well. Only 1 bottle left :/