Perennial's Phil Wymore discusses the fundamentals of formulating an imperial stout grist that has plenty of body and color while avoiding too much roast.
Courtesy of Perennial Artisan Ales in St. Louis, Missouri, here is a homebrew-sized version of a big-bodied imperial stout that gets a pile of coconut for a decadent, chocolate-macaroon-like character.
When formulating complex grists for imperial stouts and other big beers, intentionality is the key—everything there should have a purpose, according to Phil Wymore, cofounder and brewmaster of Perennial Artisan Ales.
Fully fermenting high-gravity beers is a challenge for any brewer. Perennial's Phil Wymore explains how they oxygenate their yeast starters as well as their worts, giving their big-beer fermentations a healthy start.
If you're adding coconut to your imperial stout, how much should you add? According to Phil Wymore, Perennial's cofounder and brewmaster, the answer is probably, "More."
Phil Wymore, cofounder and brewmaster of Perennial Artisan Ales, shares the approach, ingredients, and methods behind the brewery's influential big stouts and other strong ales.