Russian Imperial Stout

[ChrisKennedy]

Hey guys,

I want to brew a big beer at the pub, and I have settled on an imperial stout. This is only the second imperial stout recipe I have formulated, and I just wanted to run it by you guys.

59% Rahr Pale Ale Malt
25.5% Briess Munich 10
6% Crisp Roasted Barley
3.5% Simpsons Crystal 75-85
3.5% Castle Special B
2.5% Briess Chocolate Malt

80 IBUs of Admiral hops

1728 Scottish Yeast will probably be the choice, but if you think I would be much better off with Cal Ale, I am sure I could score a big pitch of that as well.

OG: 1.097
FG: Perhaps around 1.025 or so

The grain bill looks a bit complicated, and it goes against what I normally try to do with my recipes, but the way I see it, the Pale Ale and Munich are sort of cooperating to give a good malty backbone. I liked the mix in a Robust Porter I have made in the past. The Roasted Barley and Chocolate malt also play nicely with each other, and I thought the Special B would help balance the crapload of roasted malts along with the Crystal and give some nice raisiny characters.

So what do you think? I want a pretty strongly roasty beer but with a definite dark fruit character. I don't like a lot of hop flavor in stouts, but do you think it is absolutely necessary to put some flavor hops in at the end? I could go with Willamette, or Columbus, but I don't want to go heavy.

Ideally, the result of this discussion will be brewed in the next couple of weeks and be ready for the GABF. I thought it would be cool to bring the recipe up for discussion here, not only because of all the talented brewers, but to get some BN input on a beer that will hopefully be entered in the GABF.

Cheers

Chris

[Nate Diggler]

I like the looks of it... I recently made a RIS with the 1728 strain using the first runnings from a parti-gyle which were at 1.091. I like how that yeast adds more character than the bland Cal Ale... I really don't like Cal Ale fermented beers much, they seem to all lack the flavors that I like in beers, but I prefer all the English/Scottish/Irish styles over everything except Belgians.

Mine had 5.5% each of Roasted Barley, Victory, and Carafa I (LHBS was out of Chocolate that day), 2.7% each of Crystal 40 and 80, and 7.2% home toasted Oatmeal, and the rest Maris Otter. It is VERY roasty and a little sweet, and a touch smokey.

[rhino]

Looks solid. You might consider subbing out some of that munich with some cara-munich. Will give a bit more body and some richer flavors to the brew.