Irish-Russian Imperial Stout - With Pics

[Chris The Fish]

I have been challenged to produce the strongest or best strong brew by a mate (also a poster - Sheepy) and to that end ive decided on a Imperial Stout like brew - using 2x John Bull Irish Stout kits - Plus a few other bits and peices.

The Ingredients...

2x John Bull Irish Stout Cans
500g Dark Spray Malt
1kg Glucose
Slack bowlfull of Styrian Goldings
Yeast Vit
2x Sachets of S04

Here are the pics, its a bit long winded but hey, we all like pics dont we!


the ingredients


the starter at the start


the sterilised bits and bobs


the cans on to warm


Pouring both barrells of lovely stouty goodness into the empty FV


I then rinse the cans with 2 kettlefuls of boiling water and add to a large saucepan


i then added the spraymalt, glucose and another kettleful of water


then to that i added the hops, i didnt want it boiling too vigourously, just enough to impart some flavour and freshen the hops up


this is then strained into the bucket and the contents stired to disolve the cans and the hot can rinse together


i add some cold water to the mixture to make it up to about 4 gallons then the yeast vit


take the SG - 1084 Mmmmmmmmmmm


Finally pitch the yeast starter - note to self... bigger jar when using 2x sachets!

so there it is, if it drops to 1010 then its about 9.5% - great days!

ill let you know how it goes over the next few days!

[Chris The Fish]

ive got some chocolate malt in the garage, but i thought if i'd have used the grains in with the can rinse it may be overdoing the malty side of things, so i went for hops instead.

I like the idea of turning a bitter into a stout, that sounds interesting!

[Duncndisorderly]

Im probably weird but that yeast just looks sexy
Have you considered throwing a tin of treacle in their half way through your primary ferment, say when it hits about 1050?

[Sheepy]

Hah, wuss. My bitching wheat beer started off at 1095
Its a 3kg John Bull wheat beer kit with 2.5kg of Glucose. A good big handful of Saaz hops and about half as much First Gold boiled for 10 mins and then steeped. All made up to a final volume of a smidge over 15L. Brewed with Munich and Safbrew S33 yeasts. Been in for nearly a week now and has still got a good head on top of it. Its going to be bit of a beast i feel

[PMH0810]

Look's a stunner - let us know how it turns out!

[Chris The Fish]

It's not too late to chuck in another bag of dme and a tin of black treacle CtF

hmmmm, where is that other spray malt i left lying around???

[Sheepy]

The Wheat beer has dropped to 1004 and looks pretty much done and dusted. Will bottle it tonight or tomorrow depending on when i get time.

[Chris The Fish]

good going sheepster, with a SG of 1090 and a FG of 1004 your looking at a mighty brew (about 11% id say)

However,

Mine will taste infinatly better than yours.



so there.

[Sheepy]

No chance mate, mind you one bottle of either and we wont give a damn what the next one tastes like

[leigh1919]

very nice, very nice indeed. If it tastes as good as it looks...

[Chris The Fish]

I decided to put this in the garage to ferment, the spare room was getting a bit warm. Its bubbling away nicely and dropping steadily, last night it was about 1018/20, so im already on the way to a nice brew, i dont mind if it only drops a few more points as i want plenty of body to go with the alcohol!

[Chris The Fish]

checked it this am and had a wee snifter - 1014 and tastes bloody gorgeous!

i actually dont want it to drop anymore as i reckon this brew - rounded off with about 2 months conditioning will be an absolute cracker.

now, do i keg (KKTT) or Bottle???

[Damfoose]

It would be very interesting to know how this has turned out. I am thinking of a change to the hops and it could be changed to a very good Christmas porter seeing as with in the next month would be a good time to get this type of brew brewed so it has plenty of time to mature for Christmas.

But which hops would be best suited for a Christmas porter type of brew ?

Thoughts any one ?

[Bongo]

Yes i'd also like to know how that beer got on too,great pics that one of the yeast and the 2 tins going into the fv are special.

[Chris The Fish]

Just clocked the replies and happen to be drinking a pint of the beautiful beer now!

its very nice, although for a period it was a bit warm due to being in a keg and not easily cooled (i do like my beer on the cool side of room temp).

i do wish id bottled some now, its maturing nicely and id strongly recommend trying this one out.

go for it, its a cracker

(ill do pics when its a more godly hour!)

chris