Geoff Coleman’s dark and ominous Russian imperial stout fills your senses with huge notes of coffee, chocolate, dark fruits, and rich roasted malts. Perfect for barrel aging in your favorite spirits barrel.
ALL-GRAIN
Brewhouse efficiency: 64%
OG: 1.105
FG: 1.020
IBUs: 81
ABV: 11.4%
MALT/GRAIN BILL
19 lb (8.6 kg) 2-row malt
1.5 lb (680 g) roasted barley (500 SRM)
12 oz (340 g) chocolate malt (450 SRM)
8 oz (227 g) Black Patent malt (500 SRM)
8 oz (227 g) Caramel 60L
8 oz (227 g) Caramel 120L
HOPS AND ADDITIONS SCHEDULE
1.7 oz (48 g) Warrior [15% AA] at 60 minutes
2 oz (57 g) Mount Hood [5−8% AA] at 10 minutes
1 clarifying tablet at 15 minutes
1 tsp yeast nutrient at 15 minutes
YEAST
2 packages rehydrated SafAle American Ale Yeast (Fermentis US-05)
DIRECTIONS
Do a single infusion mash at 150°F (66°C) for 60 minutes. In order to create enough high-gravity wort, you can use a larger mash tun (10 gal/38 l), combine two mashes in the kettle, or supplement with malt extract. After sparging, boil for 60 minutes, following the hops schedule. Add the clarifying tablet and yeast nutrient (to ensure a healthy fermentation) at 15 minutes.
Cool the wort to 66°F (19°C), aerate it or add oxygen prior to pitching, and pitch the rehydrated yeast. (If you’re using liquid yeast, be sure to make an adequate yeast starter.)
Ferment at 66°F (19°C) (see Brewer’s Notes for more details). Be sure to use a blow-off tube!
BREWER’S NOTES
Brewing an imperial stout can be challenging. Here are some tips to help.
Pitch the yeast and let the temperature rise to 68°F (20°C) and hold that over the first 3 days. Raise the fermentation temperature gradually to the low 70s Fahrenheit (20s Celsius) to help the yeast complete fermentation and reabsorb any diacetyl that was produced during fermentation.
Be sure to check your gravity during fermentation to be aware of any potential fermentation issues and to know when you have reached your target gravity.
After 2−3 weeks in the primary, rack the beer off the yeast cake into a secondary fermentor for an extended conditioning period of 2−4 months. Purge the fermentor with CO2 if possible, and keep it in a dark area that has consistent temperatures in the low 60s Fahrenheit (mid teens Celsius).