Third russian imperial stout. Still not quite there!

[Mizz]

Anyone have much experience with RIS? I've got a second one in the fermenter but really want this one to be big and smooth. The Boris from feral got me hooked! Like to get some feedback.

Plan to leave in the primary for three weeks then bottle condition for as long as possible.....

Title: Russian Imperial 3

Brew Method: All Grain
Style Name: Russian Imperial Stout
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 26 liters (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 32 liters
Boil Gravity: 1.076
Efficiency: 70% (brew house)
No Chill: 15 minute extended hop boil time

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.094
Final Gravity: 1.026
ABV (standard): 8.88%
IBU (tinseth): 61.8
SRM (morey): 40

FERMENTABLES:
9 kg - United Kingdom - Maris Otter Pale (78.6%)
0.25 kg - United Kingdom - Dark Crystal 80L (2.2%)
0.25 kg - Belgian - Special B (2.2%)
0.25 kg - United Kingdom - Crystal 45L (2.2%)
0.4 kg - United Kingdom - Black Patent (3.5%)
0.4 kg - United Kingdom - Roasted Barley (3.5%)
0.3 kg - German - Carafa III (2.6%)
0.6 kg - Flaked Barley (5.2%)

HOPS:
20 g - Fuggles, Type: Pellet, AA: 4.5, Use: Boil for 70 min, IBU: 7.37
40 g - Magnum, Type: Pellet, AA: 15, Use: Boil for 70 min, IBU: 49.11
20 g - Fuggles, Type: Pellet, AA: 4.5, Use: Boil for 15 min, IBU: 5.33

MASH GUIDELINES:
1) Fly Sparge, Temp: 68 C, Time: 60 min, Amount: 19 L

YEAST:
Fermentis / Safale - Safale - American Ale Yeast US-05
Starter: No
Form: Dry
Attenuation (avg): 72%
Flocculation: Medium
Optimum Temp: 15 - 23.89 C
Fermentation Temp: 16 C
Pitch Rate: 0.75 (M cells / ml / deg P)
Additional Yeast: us 05

TARGET WATER PROFILE:
Profile Name: Balanced Profile
Ca2: 80
Mg2: 5
Na: 25
Cl: 75
SO4: 80
HCO3: 100

 

[Thefatdoghead]

What was wrong with your last 2? Did you use the same recipe?
Using a liquid yeast is deffo a start to making your RIS better.

 

[Mizz]

What was wrong with your last 2? Did you use the same recipe?
Using a liquid yeast is deffo a start to making your RIS better.

Nothing wrong with the last two really. I feel the first was a little light on the roasted malts (around 7%) so I've upped that, and also it was lacking a little body so upped the mash temp a degree and chucked a little more crystal and flaked barley in there.. I'm looking for a really dark head and I believe that comes from the black patent and the carafa?

I'm trying to use dry yeast at the moment because the brewery I work for like to upscale recipes and dry is all they use so I'm trying to work to that.

 

[boonchu]

If you can, try to put as much of the batch away for 8 months or longer. It will help it to be smoother.
You will need to cut down your priming if doing that to avoid gushers.
Try safale S 04 as IMO it has a better flavour profile for the darker beers.
Personally I stick to wlp 004 irish ale yeast.

 

[chunckious]

How much yeast are you using?
With no starter you would need nearly 2 packets of US05 or 3.5 packets of W1056.

 

[bradmccoy]

Big OG. Are you oxygenating the wort before pitching yeast? I don't have equipment to oxygenate yet and I'm too scared to do anything that big until I do!

 

[Dan Pratt]

That recipe looks nice...putting a RIS on the List h34r:

A couple of things I would do when making such a big beer ( my biggest to date was 1078, so a 1098 defenatley needs these things...)

• add yeast nutrient to the boil or fermenter
• oxygenate the wort with pure O2 - 30/45 seconds
• use more dry yeast ( preffered liquid Irish Ale too ) suggesting 2/3 packets
• consider changing yeast to SO4 English Ale

Good luck! :beerbang:

 

[black_labb]

Big OG. Are you oxygenating the wort before pitching yeast? I don't have equipment to oxygenate yet and I'm too scared to do anything that big until I do!

A sanitised spoon splashing 6 and 12 hours after pitching will aerate the wort introducing oxygen once the initial hit of oxygen is absorbed by the yeast and will let the yeast continue to absorb it. Oxygen tanks are great for oxygenating wort but they haven't always been around and there are other good methods if you don't mind a bit of extra work.

 

[fcmcg]

Not enough Hops also, In my opinion....
For my 40 litre batch , i used nearly 300 g total.....big malt bill...you need some hops to match
Also , I'd consider adding some other fermentables...a bloke at the club who keeps winning vicbrew with his, adds treacle,brown sugar,black pepper and raisons to his boil...
Cheers
Ferg

 

[doon]

Not sure if the cavalier imperial stout falls into this category but its one of the smoothest and tastiest I've had

 

[hyjak71]

FWIW the RIS I made last year and only recently finished off was 1.081 OG using 10.5kg of grains 145g of Hops with BIAB. (my first BIAB too) Fermented with 2 packs of S04 and it took off like a rocket, 20 days to finish at 1.018. Naturally conditioned in the keg for 4months before tasting.

Took about 8 months to mellow and round out in flavour, the last few pints (at 14 months old were the best) going to brew again soon for next winter.

 

[AJ80]

FWIW the RIS I made last year and only recently finished off was 1.081 OG using 10.5kg of grains 145g of Hops with BIAB. (my first BIAB too) Fermented with 2 packs of S04 and it took off like a rocket, 20 days to finish at 1.018. Naturally conditioned in the keg for 4months before tasting.

Took about 8 months to mellow and round out in flavour, the last few pints (at 14 months old were the best) going to brew again soon for next winter.

Any chance of a recipe? I'm currently working on an RIS recipe. Cheers.

 

[hyjak71]

Any chance of a recipe? I'm currently working on an RIS recipe. Cheers.

Sure, only just sorted out how to get plain text recipes out of beersmith! (Close to 18 months after buying it)

[SIZE=10pt]Recipe: Stout Mike[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Style: Russian Imperial Stout[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Estimated IBU: 72.1 IBUs[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Boil Time: 60 Minutes[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Ingredients:[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]------------[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Amt Name Type # %/IBU [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]4.50 kg Traditional Ale (6.3 EBC) Grain 1 42.9 % [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]3.00 kg Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (5.9 EBC) Grain 2 28.6 % [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]1.00 kg Victory Malt (73.0 EBC) Grain 3 9.5 % [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]0.50 kg Barley, Flaked (3.3 EBC) Grain 4 4.8 % [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]0.50 kg Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (118.2 EBC) Grain 5 4.8 % [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]0.50 kg Chocolate Malt (600.5 EBC) Grain 6 4.8 % [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]0.50 kg Roasted Barley (1200.0 EBC) Grain 7 4.8 % [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]55.00 g Pride of Ringwood [8.30 %] - Boil 60.0 m Hop 8 40.8 IBUs [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]45.00 g Fuggles [4.20 %] - Boil 45.0 min Hop 9 15.5 IBUs [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]45.00 g Goldings, East Kent [6.50 %] - Boil 20.0 Hop 10 15.8 IBUs [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]1.06 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 11 - [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]2.0 pkg SafAle English Ale (DCL/Fermentis #S-04) Yeast 12 - [/SIZE]


[SIZE=10pt]Mash Schedule: BIAB, Full Body[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Total Grain Weight: 10.50 kg[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]----------------------------[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Name Description Step Temperat Step Time [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Saccharification Add 34.15 l of water at 75.5 C 68.9 C 60 min [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Mash Out Heat to 75.6 C over 7 min 75.6 C 10 min [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Sparge: Remove grains, and prepare to boil wort[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Notes:[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]------[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Brewed 29th May 2012[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Overnight in fridge at 17c, yeast pitched 31 May 2012[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]7 June 2012 Gravity down to 1.018[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Kegged with 43g of table sugar on 18 June 2012[/SIZE]

 

[Innes]

...a bloke at the club who keeps winning vicbrew with his, adds treacle,brown sugar,black pepper and raisons to his boil...

Is it the same judge judging this category each time?

 

[Markbeer]

Of all the have examples of RIS, my favourites all have been made with over 15% of the total grain bill as roasted malts.

I was surprised but googling this confirms just how heavy on dark grains the commercial guys can go on this style.