Black Mesa: Massive Chocolate and Vanilla Oatmeal Imperial Stout.

[floydmeddler]

A while ago, I stumbled upon this website and clicked on his Black Messa stout Youtube link.

How to Brew a Pastry Stout | Guide to Brewing Pastry Stouts | Secret Level Brewing

That night, the Brew Gods appeared to me in a dream and said, 'brew Black Mesa'. I said, 'OK'.

Tonight, I plan to do an overnight mash then get cracking with the looooooooong boil in the morning. O.G target is a whopping 1.145. Here's my worry: Do I run the risk of a scorched element? My plan is to recirculate the wort quite vigorously as it comes to the boil. There will be a really steady recirculation flow in there. I always recirculte my wort no matter what I'm brewing. As a reult, my element is clean as a whistle every time. In saying that, though, I have never gone this high with sugars. What are your thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

Floyd.

 

[Clint]

Not clicked the link but you say ..sugars. You can add sugar at the end of the boil.

 

[floydmeddler]

Not clicked the link but you say ..sugars. You can add sugar at the end of the boil.

Sorry. Meant barley sugars. Nothing added afterwards.

 

[foxy]

A while ago, I stumbled upon this website and clicked on his Black Messa stout Youtube link.

How to Brew a Pastry Stout | Guide to Brewing Pastry Stouts | Secret Level Brewing

That night, the Brew Gods appeared to me in a dream and said, 'brew Black Mesa'. I said, 'OK'.

Tonight, I plan to do an overnight mash then get cracking with the looooooooong boil in the morning. O.G target is a whopping 1.145. Here's my worry: Do I run the risk of a scorched element? My plan is to recirculate the wort quite vigorously as it comes to the boil. There will be a really steady recirculation flow in there. I always recirculte my wort no matter what I'm brewing. As a reult, my element is clean as a whistle every time. In saying that, though, I have never gone this high with sugars. What are your thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

Floyd.

How much are you brewing? I have some doubts you will hit the numbers without boiling most of it off.

 

[floydmeddler]

I'm hoping for around 13L in the fermenter. Expecting a long boil. One of the reasons I did an overnight mash - to break it all up. Hoping the overnight mash will give me higher efficiency, too. I mashed at 75c. 10 and a half hours later, it dropped to 67c. Very happy with that! I'm hoping forn an F.G of around 1.070. I need loads of sweetness to work with the high roast. And boy, does this wort smell damn roasty.

I've decided to avoid risk with the element. Busted out my 20L stock pot. It's thin and cheap so will still recirculate as a precaution. Feel a lot more confident with this.

 

[floydmeddler]

Here's the base recipe. Will be adding around 200g of chocolate nibs, 5 vanilla pods and a tonka bean in a few weeks time.

 

[foxy]

I'm hoping for around 13L in the fermenter. Expecting a long boil. One of the reasons I did an overnight mash - to break it all up. Hoping the overnight mash will give me higher efficiency, too. I mashed at 75c. 10 and a half hours later, it dropped to 67c. Very happy with that! I'm hoping forn an F.G of around 1.070. I need loads of sweetness to work with the high roast. And boy, does this wort smell damn roasty.

I've decided to avoid risk with the element. Busted out my 20L stock pot. It's thin and cheap so will still recirculate as a precaution. Feel a lot more confident with this.

I don't think the Beta amylase would have got a look in at that temperature, always better to start low and go up in temperature. But good luck with it anyway.

 

[floydmeddler]

I don't think the Beta amylase would have got a look in at that temperature, always better to start low and go up in temperature. But good luck with it anyway.

Yes it is indeed high. I'm hoping for around 50% attenuation. This will leave me with around a 10% abv and a FG of around 1.070. That's the plan, anyway!

 

[floydmeddler]

Pretty much done. Hit O.G no probs. Decided to keep sparging as I was good for time so pushed to on till I hit 80% efficiency. Managed to get 15L @ 1.145. So thick. It all feels very 'wrong' at this stage! Good fun. Will ferment in a corny keg with S05 for a few months before adding the cacao nibs etc.

I'm really hoping it turns out something like this. My Continuous Improvement Salted Caramel - Cloudwater Brew Co. - Untappd I got a bit obsessed with this over Xmas. F.G on this is 1.070. A definite sipper, but easily the best stout I've ever had. I emailed Coludwater a few times for some ideas but they never replied. :-( I feel like I'm on the right track at this point, however!