The Perfect Russian Imperial Stout

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by dmvanmeveren, Feb 2, 2015.

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  1. dmvanmeveren

    dmvanmeveren Initiate (0) Apr 10, 2014 South Dakota

    I'm a bit of a Platonist.

    Out there, somewhere in the heavens, is the perfect Russian Imperial Stout recipe against which all Russian Imperial Stout recipes are measured.

    Alas, I do not have this recipe.

    What are Beeradvocate's very best Russian Imperial Stout recipes? and please do include grain bill, hops & schedule, yeast strain, and fermentation temp/time.

    Stouts are my preferred beer of choice, so I'm trying to learn all I can to craft the perfect pint. If you'd be so kind, could you share some of your boundless knowledge on proper technique to brew the best possible all-grain RIS?

    Lots of love.
     
    #1 dmvanmeveren, Feb 2, 2015
  2. SFACRKnight

    SFACRKnight Grand Pooh-Bah (3,348) Jan 20, 2012 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    What attributes do you like in your stouts? I have a recipe I like, but you may not like it at all.
     
    #2 SFACRKnight, Feb 2, 2015
  3. JohnSnowNW

    JohnSnowNW Initiate (0) Feb 6, 2013 Minnesota

    If you can get the recipe for Surly Darkness...I think you'd be well on your way. Though you'd have to age it for at least a year.
     
    #3 JohnSnowNW, Feb 2, 2015
  4. pweis909

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

    #4 pweis909, Feb 2, 2015
  5. koopa

    koopa Initiate (0) Apr 20, 2008 New Jersey

    #5 koopa, Feb 2, 2015
  6. dmvanmeveren

    dmvanmeveren Initiate (0) Apr 10, 2014 South Dakota

    Dry, deep roast, nearly bitter with no coffee flavor or aroma, malt-forward with little detectable hop aroma or flavor.

    The thing I want to avoid most is a syrupy-consistency or solvent flavor. I've had some Barley wines that tasted like malt-flavored cough syrup and that is what I want to avoid most. For a reference, Sierra Nevada's Narwhal is getting too syrupy for my taste.

    Ideally, I'd like just a tiny bit bigger version of Old Rasputin with a little bit creamier mouth-feel.
     
    #6 dmvanmeveren, Feb 2, 2015
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  7. dmvanmeveren

    dmvanmeveren Initiate (0) Apr 10, 2014 South Dakota

    Thanks for the reference! I too have the book, and I've also got a few by Palmer, but I'd like some specific Stout techniques from you guys.
     
    #7 dmvanmeveren, Feb 2, 2015
  8. SFACRKnight

    SFACRKnight Grand Pooh-Bah (3,348) Jan 20, 2012 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I will abstain from posting my recipe. I love coffee flavors that mingle with chocolate and toffee. Total opposites.
     
    #8 SFACRKnight, Feb 2, 2015
  9. pweis909

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

    I don't know about "stout" technique but you might seek some feedback on brewing high gravity beers, which is not my forte. Expect advice on yeast and fermentation management.
     
    #9 pweis909, Feb 2, 2015
  10. DrMindbender

    DrMindbender Initiate (0) Jul 13, 2014 South Carolina

    Please, please post! That's my favorite style of RIS. I've brewed tons of RIS but I'm always up for trying a different recipe.

    As a Phish phan...this one has never done me wrong (except the morning after having too many:grimacing:)
    http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/homebrew-recipe/split-open-and-melt/ Brewed it several times with coffee, without coffee, with cacao nibs, without cacao nibs...doesn't matter, they were all impressive!

     
    #10 DrMindbender, Feb 2, 2015
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  11. ChrisMyhre

    ChrisMyhre Initiate (0) Sep 15, 2013 Massachusetts

    Not a phish fan, but that recipe looks pretty solid to me. I'd love to find something close to Founders Imperial Stout.
     
    #11 ChrisMyhre, Feb 2, 2015
  12. SFACRKnight

    SFACRKnight Grand Pooh-Bah (3,348) Jan 20, 2012 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    http://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/asteria-russian-imperial-stout-all-grain.254451/
     
    #12 SFACRKnight, Feb 2, 2015
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  13. dmvanmeveren

    dmvanmeveren Initiate (0) Apr 10, 2014 South Dakota

    #13 dmvanmeveren, Feb 3, 2015
    ChrisMyhre likes this.
  14. SFACRKnight

    SFACRKnight Grand Pooh-Bah (3,348) Jan 20, 2012 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Its a good base to experiment with. I will be throwing it on some mole Spices next.
     
    #14 SFACRKnight, Feb 3, 2015
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  15. dmvanmeveren

    dmvanmeveren Initiate (0) Apr 10, 2014 South Dakota

    What temperature do you ferment at?
     
    #15 dmvanmeveren, Feb 3, 2015
  16. SFACRKnight

    SFACRKnight Grand Pooh-Bah (3,348) Jan 20, 2012 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I let it start in my basement, which is at 63F year round. After three days I bring her upstairs which sits at 65-67F. The irish ale yeast really adds a lot of the grahm cracker flavor I like, but I was afraid it would putter out on me so I co-pitched an equal amount of California ale yeast. They both died off on me around 12.2% abv. After bottling they didn't carb, so I had to pitch some lallemand cask and bottling yeast into the bottles and recap. Now I know for next time. I am gonna do this beer again, add a bit more base malt to the grist, and mash higher now that I have a direct fire mash tun. I want it to be chewy.
     
    #16 SFACRKnight, Feb 3, 2015
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  17. skinny_mcginley

    skinny_mcginley Initiate (0) Apr 22, 2014 Massachusetts

    I would love to hear your recipe. That sounds like my ideal stout.
     
    #17 skinny_mcginley, Feb 3, 2015
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  18. DrMindbender

    DrMindbender Initiate (0) Jul 13, 2014 South Carolina

    The link for the recipe is 5 and 6 posts above yours
     
    #18 DrMindbender, Feb 3, 2015
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  19. dmvanmeveren

    dmvanmeveren Initiate (0) Apr 10, 2014 South Dakota

    A couple questions:
    • Is your bottling yeast different from your main fermentation yeast?
    • What bottling primer do you add to provide carbonation?- I use corn sugar, but is there something better?
    • Why do you use DME in your recipe rather than add more grain?
     
    #19 dmvanmeveren, Feb 3, 2015
  20. SFACRKnight

    SFACRKnight Grand Pooh-Bah (3,348) Jan 20, 2012 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I used lallemand cask and bottling yeast
    I prime with corn sugar. Some say its a waste of money, but I have used it forever.
    I used DME because my mash tun wouldn't hold any more grist. A simple bump up in MO would compensate.
     
    #20 SFACRKnight, Feb 3, 2015
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