Insanely Big Imperial Stout!

[Sadfield]

Session Imperial Stout

 

[David Heath]

Hi Dave, I always wondered how you got on with the second mash being so thin? Where did you seat the top plate as the mash must settle a lot as it's recirculating.

I am removing all grain from the first mash and replacing it in the basket. No issues at all with it. I have tried all sorts of ways and I have found nothing that gives as good predictability and numbers as this method.

 

[strange-steve]

After the suggestions above, some googling for tips on high gravity beers, and some adjustments to the recipe based on the ingredients I have at hand this is the revised recipe and method. I don't think I've missed anything but keep the suggestions coming please:

The Mad Russian
Imperial Stout

Recipe Specs
----------------
Batch Size (L): 18
Total Grain (kg): 12.3
Total Hops (g): 100
Original Gravity (OG): 1.140
Final Gravity (FG): 1.027
Alcohol by Volume (ABV): 14.7 %
Colour (SRM): 79
Bitterness (IBU): 91 (Tinseth)
Brewhouse Efficiency (%): 60
Boil Time (Minutes): 120

Grain Bill
----------------
5.0 kg Pale Malt (40.5%)
3.0 kg Pilsner Malt (24.5%)
1.0 kg Malted Flaked Oats (8%)
800 g Chocolate (6.5%)
400 g Roasted Barley (3%)
350 g Caramunich II (2.5%)
250 g Special-B (2%)

Late Addition Fermentables:
1.0 kg Cane Sugar (8%)
500 g Dry Malt Extract - Light (4%)

Hop Bill
----------------
100 g Magnum @ 75 Minutes (Boil)

Misc Bill
----------------
Coffee @ Flameout
Vanilla @ 3 Days (Secondary)


Fermented at 35 - 40°C with Voss Kveik

Notes
----------------
Reiterated mash with split grain bill

Mash 1:
60 mins at 65°C
15 mins at 77°C

18L mash water
14L sparge water

Mash 2:
Overnight mash at 65°C
Sparge to reach pre-boil volume of 26.5L

Estimated pre-boil SG 1.079
Estimated post-boil SG 1.109 at 19.5L

Wort aerated twice, first at pitching and again 12 – 18 hours later

DME and sugar to be added in two stages during fermentation to reduce osmotic stress on yeast

Coffee addition - Cold steep 40g coffee in 300ml water for 12-18 hrs and add at flameout
Vanilla addition – Split 2 vanilla pods and soak in small amount of dark rum for a few days and add liquid to FV after fermentation

 

[Sadfield]

You could add some more complexity with muscovado for some of the cane sugar.

 

[-Bezza-]

You could add some more complexity with muscovado for some of the cane sugar.

This was my (uninformed) thought too. Otherwise, can't wait to see how this turns out. Maybe this can be my brew for Christmas 2022!

 

[Sadfield]

Took me a while to remember where I read these. Useful info for anyone inspired by this thread.

http://www.port66.co.uk/yeast-performance-big-abv-beers/

http://www.port66.co.uk/imperial-stout-homebrew-tips/

 

[strange-steve]

You could add some more complexity with muscovado for some of the cane sugar.

I have a bag in the cupboard actually so I may do just that

A couple of concerns I have about this brew:

Firstly the Voss Kveik yeast I have apparently has an alcohol tolerance of 12%. I know this can be pushed sometimes, but if it does stall out at 12 % then the FG will be somewhere near 1.050 which will potentially make this undrinkably sweet.

Secondly, if the yeast does make it to +14% will it have enough left in it to carbonate in the bottle?

 

[JonBrew]

I have a bag in the cupboard actually so I may do just that

A couple of concerns I have about this brew:

Firstly the Voss Kveik yeast I have apparently has an alcohol tolerance of 12%. I know this can be pushed sometimes, but if it does stall out at 12 % then the FG will be somewhere near 1.050 which will potentially make this undrinkably sweet.

Secondly, if the yeast does make it to +14% will it have enough left in it to carbonate in the bottle?

That's why I suggested champagne yeast earlier. Those suckers can tolerated upwards of 15% ABV - this should allow you to not only get complete attenuation and also bottle carbonate within issue.

Also, your initial fermentation temp, isn't that a bit high? I know very little above kviek strains so could be wrong. I understand they ferment well at high temps but surely that high and it might get a bit Belgian-y?

Edit:
Just noticed @Sadfield post and the recommendation to use an alcohol tolerant strain - the link references San Diego Super yeast. It's good up to 15% so would also do the job I guess.

 

[Sadfield]

Go Belgian. WLP530 and 540 will cruise through it, with nice fruity esters.

I would imagine most big American Stouts are done with chico.

 

[strange-steve]

That's why I suggested champagne yeast earlier. Those suckers can tolerated upwards of 15% ABV - this should allow you to not only get complete attenuation and also bottle carbonate within issue.

Also, your initial fermentation temp, isn't that a bit high? I know very little above kviek strains so could be wrong. I understand they ferment well at high temps but surely that high and it might get a bit Belgian-y?

Edit:
Just noticed @Sadfield post and the recommendation to use an alcohol tolerant strain - the link references San Diego Super yeast. It's good up to 15% so would also do the job I guess.

Champagne yeast is certainly a possibility if the kveik doesn't finish the job. I've never used it so don't really know what to expect in terms of attenuation. Believe it or not the Sigmund Voss kveik is recommended to be pitched at 39° so I was actually being conservative with 35°

Go Belgian. WLP530 and 540 will cruise through it, with nice fruity esters.

You know a Belgian IS does sound good, and actually I'll soon have a full yeast cake of 530 to play with when my Westy Blond is bottled next week...

 

[JonBrew]

Belgian Impy Stout could be a belter. I once had a version Great Divide brewed of their famous Yeti that they fermented with a Belgian strain. It was stunning.

 

[Sadfield]

I'm not sure what yeast De Struisse and De Dolle use, but I've always loved their stouts. I used Westmalle yeast in my 10% Imperial Stout. I've not done one for a few years, so should probably stop reading this thread.

 

[strange-steve]

Mmm the optimist in me is thinking something along the lines of Black Albert

However as much as I like that idea I think I might save Belgian stout for another brew and go with a kveik yeast on this one after all (I would love to split the batch and use both but I don't have the equipment for that ).

@Zephyr259 has a few different kveik strains which are good for up to 16%, including Hornindal which sounds really interesting, and he has very kindly offered to send me some :hat:

 

[Sadfield]

Is that Hornindal, with or without bacteria? The clean version, especially the Omega Yeast description of tropical, stonefruit, pineapple, and dried fruit leather, reminds me of Brett C, which I find works really well in Stouts and Porters.

 

[strange-steve]

I'm not sure, I'd be happy with either but I sort of hope it's with bacteria cos I really like the sound of it. According to Lars Garshol:

Soft, milky caramel with mushroom and tropical fruit notes.

 

[-Bezza-]

Firstly the Voss Kveik yeast I have apparently has an alcohol tolerance of 12%. I know this can be pushed sometimes, but if it does stall out at 12 % then the FG will be somewhere near 1.050 which will potentially make this undrinkably sweet.

You'd also have a similar issue if you exceed your 60% efficiency.

 

[strange-steve]

You'd also have a similar issue if you exceed your 60% efficiency.

That's true, but in that case I'll just cut back on the DME or sugar. I would love to go as big as possible and dump it all in but I have to be reasonable and think of the yeasties

 

[dad_of_jon]

Belgian Impy Stout could be a belter. I once had a version Great Divide brewed of their famous Yeti that they fermented with a Belgian strain. It was stunning.

Thats what i did for my King Kong. A paltry 12.86% I only used 1 pack of yeast too. I did however use my secret weapon - dark candy sugar!

p.s. don't bother trying to get hold of dark candy sugar, I bought up the entire worlds supply mwhahhhahah! :p

 

[BeerCat]

Most i have managed was a measly 10.8% . I think i could simplify the recipe though and make it a little stronger. With gluco i got to 11.5% but hardly worth it as it stripped all the body out. Carbing has been hit and miss so next time i have bottling yeast or i will keg it first.

 

[Zephyr259]

I'm not sure, I'd be happy with either but I sort of hope it's with bacteria cos I really like the sound of it. According to Lars Garshol:

Unfortunately it's without as i believe it's the Omega version, a few of us on here traded some strains, Voss, Espe and Saure are the farmhouse strains from Norway, should be getting Ebbegarden soon too.