What do you think of my RIS recipe?

[DrinksWellWithOthers]

I'm planning on brewing up an Imperial Stout soon and since this will be my first attempt I'd like to see what you guys think of it first.

6.00 gallons
75% efficiency

1.095 OG
80 IBUs

16.50 lb Marris Otter 79.52%
1.50 lb Roasted Barley 7.23%
1.00 lb Special B 4.82%
0.50 lb Brown Malt 2.41%
0.75 lb Chocolate Malt 3.61%
0.25 lb Crystal 120L 1.20%
0.25 lb Crystal 40L 1.20%

1.50 oz Magnum - 60 min
2.00 oz EKG - 10 min

Pitch on either an American Ale 1056 or British Ale 1098 cake

Mash at 154F

Now a few questions...

1. How do my specialty grain %'s look?
2. Should I bother adding an aroma addition at flameout?
3. What are your yeast preference? 1056 vs 1098?
4. Is mashing at 154 going to leave me with too many unfermentables? I'd like to get this down to 1.025.

Thanks in advance!

 

[desertbronze]

I find that my efficiency drops on big beers - 1.070 and up. Normally get 75-80% - I usually get 60-65% with high gravity beers. Take that into account if you have not brewed a high gravity beer on your system.

No preference on yeast - maybe split the batch and use both yeasts - then see which you prefer.

Grain bill looks fine. I would shoot for 12-15% roasted malts (chocolate and roasted barley) - I think imperial stouts need that to balance the sweetness - just my preference.

Hops are a personal decision - I added hops at 2 minutes on my last imperial stout. It does have some hop aroma, although it still needs some aging and the aroma may dissipate with time. Next time, I think I will dry hop in the secondary for a week right before bottling.

I would mash at 152 - I want to be sure that the beer ferments completely.

 

[DrinksWellWithOthers]

I ended up getting 72% on an 1.101 Barleywine 2 months ago. Now that I'm trying out thinner mashes and seeing an increase in efficiency I think I'd be able to hit 75% or at least get it in that ball park.

I figured late aroma hops would fade by the time the beer got good so maybe a combination of flameout and dry hopping is a good idea.

Thanks for the feedback desertbronze.

 

[DrinksWellWithOthers]

Bump. Anyone else mind taking a look and offering their 2 cents?

 

[mmb]

I'd mash at 150 or below. With that much British Pale and that many dextrines you won't lack for mouthfeel and it will make a more fermentable wort. I mashed a 1.114 OG barleywine at 150*F and two packs of US-05 got it down to 1.020.

I wouldn't bother with the aroma. With the EKG it sounds like you're going more the English route. The 10 minute addition should be fine. Maybe move that to 5 minutes and call it good either way.

 

[Ketchepillar]

I'm not sure what I'm talking about here, so I'll ask these thoughts as questions to more knowledgeable folks. Special B and Crystal 120? Isn't Special B kinda of a belgified version of 120? Not that I think adding both would be bad, just wondering what you would be looking to get out of it. Brown Malt, haven't seen it before in a RIS recipe, what would this add?

 

[mmb]

Special B is like a bigger, better, faster, more 120L and chocked full of Fig/Raisin/plum.

Brown Malt, depending on the maltster, will have some toasty, bready, nutty and maybe some smoky flavors.