Best Malts in a R.I.S.

For a RIS, I like both black patent and roasted barley and a mix of chocolate malts. Don't go too heavy with the black patent or you end up with an ashtray in your beer, but a little bit adds character.

 

Chocolate, roasted barley, and a touch of black patent.

 

As far as crystal is concerned, I like a blend. Something like 2:1:1 45L:77L:150L

 

My last RIS in terms of specialty malts:

5% Roast Barley
3.5% Chocolate Rye
2.5% Carafa III
2% Black Patent
2.5% 120L
1.5% 40L

Paired along with 2-row, Munich II and flaked rye. Came out delicious and currently sitting in a whisky barrel the past month.

I like to use or blend a few 'specialty' roast malts (chocolate rye, patagonia perla negra, pale chocolate), to add additional character into the beer. Sometimes a little smoked, as well. Big stouts can be fun because of all the roast/chocolate/coffee flavors you can play around with and balance.

 

Flaked barley, roasted barley, black patent, L60, dark chocolate,
Always marris otter, Munich L10.

For a change up, Munich L60, oats, special B, 50-60 British crystal,
And oak, maple wood ageing. Gotta go. Red now

 

Never used it

 

Nothing special over using regular chocolate malt or pale chocolate for this style.

 

I like this combination, but I usually don't use BP and instead use Special B. Obviously they are nothing alike, I just don't care for BP and like the different character that Special B gives to the beer.

 

Maris Otter, Roasted Barley, Chocolate rye, c-60, special B and a touch of black patent.

 

Back in the day, the highest rated RIS (and in fact the highest rated beer overall) in the world (according BA ratings) was Kate the Great. The brewer, Todd Mott (then at the Portsmouth Brewery), shared the recipe. Todd is a better Brewer than a communicator, and some of the details are debated. But Kate's grain bill looked something like this:


Yes, with rounding it looks like 102%. If anyone wants more percentages, yell.

 

Hmmm... that was supposed to say If anyone wants more precise percentages, yell.

 

@VikeMan you are a run and gun Brewer at heart

 

This is my house recipe because I never had a chance to try it even though I live in New Hampshire. It is indeed a great malt bill although tedious to put together and the Aromatic malt adds a nice touch. Also part of Todd’s secret was allegedly mashing real low temp

 

Special W (weyermann) fan here. Use it in a complementary role. Special B probably works just as well.

 

I would go with a darker C malt if only using one type, but ideally I would have a mix of C60 and C120 vs. just C40. Look at the Kate the Great recipe posted above, a total of 7% crystal malts with C40, C120 and Special B in the mix.

If you are limited to one C malt, then I would go with something like 4% C120

 

Looks pretty good. Ever think of throwing in some Victory and/or some Special Roast? Just a touch of each (about 5%) will build complexity.

You've got body builders in there, roast, chocolate, caramel. Victory would add some nutty character, special roast would add some toasty, bisquity notes. At 5% rates, these malts would really just help to better layer the beer.