"Session" Russian Imperial Stout - Extract

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by tgile512, May 8, 2020.

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  1. tgile512

    tgile512 Initiate (0) Jul 1, 2019 Illinois

    Hi All,

    I have historically just used 1 gallon recipe kits but looking to create my own for the first time. Looking to make a "session" RIS, similar to Josh Weikert's Little Raspy and was hoping to get your thoughts on the below (or any other tips would be more than welcome). A little worried FG might be too low but not sure how to bump that up and stay below ~45 OG / ~45 IBU / ~4.5% ABV.

    Thank you for your help!

    Batch: 1 Gallon
    Method: Extract
    OG - 1.044
    FG - 1.011
    IBU - 45
    SRM - 34
    ABV - 4.3%

    0.75 LME Golden Light

    Caramel Malt - 40L : 2.5 oz
    Caramel Malt - 120L : 2.5 oz
    Brown Malt : 1.5 oz
    Chocolate Malt : 1.5 oz
    Roasted Barley : 1.5 oz
    Flaked Barley : 1.5 oz

    Cluster : 0.25 oz (60 min)
    Northern Brewer : 0.20 oz (2 min)
    Centennial : 0.20 oz (2 min)

    S - 04
     
  2. pweis909

    pweis909 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,250) Aug 13, 2005 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    I'm uncertain of the concept, Session Imperial? I gather you are aiming for a lower gravity sweet beer, packing all the specialty malt flavor of an imperial stout but lacking the alcohol? You don't have anything to convert the flaked barley, so I would eliminate it. If scaled to 5 gallons, you would have 25 ounces of caramel malt and 30 oz of roasted malt. To put this in perspective, I just made a stout, also in the 1.045 area, that scaled to 8 oz of caramel malt and 16 oz of roasted malt per 5 gallons. I enjoy the drinkability of this stout. If tripled the crystal malt and doubled the roasted malt, I probably would not find it sessionable. But for a 1 gallon batch, it might be worth trying to see if you like it. Not a big investment. You shouldn't need the full pack of yeast. You could probably get by with a1/4 pack.
     
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  3. riptorn

    riptorn Pooh-Bah (1,776) Apr 26, 2018 Georgia
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Sounds like this recipe from Beer & Brewing is your target, and you’re scaling it down to 1-gallon from 5-gallons.
    I think the Imperial part is a misnomer and it’s really a Stout but I can see how the confusion occurred, because the article says, “Suppose you want a beer that mimicks the flavor and mouthfeel of a certain West Coast–originating Russian imperial stout, but want half the ABV. Assuming you have a good clone recipe to work from (we do), how do you get to a session version?”.
    Their "session" version includes about 24 oz each crystal malts and roasted malts, presumably for 5-gallons.

    If removing the flaked barley, would maltodextrin be appropriate to maintain/enhance the mouthfeel?
     
  4. tgile512

    tgile512 Initiate (0) Jul 1, 2019 Illinois

    Thanks all, super helpful.

    I realize a session RIS sounds oxymoronic but could not figure out a better way to describe. As you mentioned above, looking for as close to a full bodied beer as possible while keeping ABV down.

    The B&B Little Raspy is exactly what I was basing off of, just tried to scale down to 1 gallon and extract. I bumped up some of the specialty grains mainly to get the SRM up but I guess that is not a huge issue because this beer would not really conform to any guidelines as is so may bring those down.

    Wad worried about the mouthfeel, great thought on maltodextrin.
     
  5. GormBrewhouse

    GormBrewhouse Pooh-Bah (2,111) Jun 24, 2015 Vermont
    Pooh-Bah

    for myself. no removing the flaked barley love it a stout
     
  6. pweis909

    pweis909 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,250) Aug 13, 2005 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    In this case, I would advise adding a small amount of 2-row and mini-mashing, to convert. I do like the head on the recent beers I've made with flaked barley, including the stout I made last month.
     
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  7. GormBrewhouse

    GormBrewhouse Pooh-Bah (2,111) Jun 24, 2015 Vermont
    Pooh-Bah

    Mini mashing works. Used to do it wheni was extract brewing
     
  8. dmtaylor

    dmtaylor Savant (1,149) Dec 30, 2003 Wisconsin

    Yeah this isn't anything to do with Russians or Imperial. This is really a milkshake style stout without the lactose but with a lot of caramel. Ditch the flaked barley, and consider adding not maltodextrin but instead maybe 1.25 oz lactose. Then you could call it a milkshake and anyone who tastes it will understand better what they are drinking.
     
    MrOH likes this.
  9. riptorn

    riptorn Pooh-Bah (1,776) Apr 26, 2018 Georgia
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Calling it a milkshake something is a good idea if you add lactose. It'll give a clue to folks you offer it to in case they're lactose intolerant.
     
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  10. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    This is true. I'll will say though... if I were lactose intolerant, I'd be asking about lactose before drinking any beer. It's showing up a lot nowadays.
     
    GormBrewhouse likes this.
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