Dead Czars Imperial Russian Stout MkII Martin's Lane version

[pantsmachine]

Thanks aleman,
I may have to look at smaller bottles. i find i split 1 of 500ml bottle between 2 and that's plenty. Never mine Aleman New Years on its way, have a party and the last 50 will disappear!

Edit, after reading your post aleman i went and had a look to see if the blue swingtop bottles were still being offered on ebay. Might have went for a batch for this IRS but they are not on the site any more.

[coatesg]

I used as many Leffe bottles as I could find when I bottled my lot up! They are 275ml I think (not the 750ml Champagne style ones!!! ) Unfortunately, I had to resort to pints after I ran out of those!

Of course, it's a pain having to wash and cap all that load of bottles but at least they don't run away too quick I guess...

[pantsmachine]

Right guys heres a thought, i've got another 3 days on the oak chips then i should be bottling, possibly after pitching new yeast. I am now considering going a bit American stylie and caramelising a bag of raisins and a jar of honey and then pitching the cooled sticky black as midnight end product into the FV and seeing how that ferments out. Does anyone think i'd get another slight flavour layer in there with this addition? Thinking 1 lb seedless raisins and 1lb of blossom honey? After thats fermented i'd repitch with fresh yeast prime and bottle. I can genuinely see this one heading for smaller bottles on its own!

[pantsmachine]

Well i went a bit American and caramelised 1kg of dark raisins along with a jar of honey. Smells great, and a quick swirl in the FV and hydro test gave me another 6 points on the brew which gives it an SG of 1.096! This is next Christmas beer. Also fired in a packet of S04 to jump start it which it did so i now have 3 yeast strains in this beer(eh). Oh aye and while waitng for this to ferment out so i can bottle it and get it off the oak chips i made a 5 gallon batch of apple&pear cider(Oooh Ahhr). Happy New Year people.

[pantsmachine]

Bottled today, 28 bottles carbonating for 3 volumes. Final ABV is 10.2%.I looked up the sugar content of raisins as i thought the 6 points i saw on the hydrometer was a bit low. With hindsight the raisins can't show on the hydrometer straight away since the sugars are held in a solid. Anyway my best guess is a SG of 1.105 and a FG of 1.030 of I HAVE to make myself brew something else and not another IRS! I do have a Belgian liquid yeast in the fridge, any suggestions for a recipe?

Oh well that's next xmas beer sorted!

[pantsmachine]

I've been working outside all day building a hot tub pergola. Bloody freezing so decided to reward my self with the smallest bottle of the IRS(300ml). Actually i split it with my wife. Small hiss of carbonation on opening. A tiny protohead formed and then disappeared in the two glasses. Smell of roast barely and deep dark fruit (if that makes sense)First sip, bitter hops flavours, a bit of malt in the middle finishing with dark fruit flavours and sweetness at the end. The oak chips are hidden in there alongside the roast barley flavour. Could not believe it we both looked at each other after a few sips and said 'buzz on'. I am totally impressed with this beer, who would believe such flavors existed? Not in the bloody pub that's for sure!

While i am on a high i am off to open 1 of 5 bottles of styrian stunner i kept from a 5 gallon batch i binned due to a bad odour reaction tween the hops and yeast . Fingers crossed the cheese odour has gone and the hops are coming through

[pantsmachine]

Tried another of my 330ml trial bottles tonight. Smell at the beginning is now of coffee and chocalate. Alcohol on the tounge and a plain choclalate liquer thing going on in the middle. Still quite bitter but with a slightly sweet finish. The slightly sweet finish is the remains of the raisins i think. Got about a 1" head in a Duvel glass which faded after a couple of minutes. Much more carbonation than the bottle in January. Oh aye and the oak chips are there more than last time but right at the very end and more in the nose? Anyway i am well chuffed, theres still a lot of conditioning to go on this one but getting there and way more layers than anything else i have made. Graeme, send me your home address again please and i will get a couple of bottles in the post to you. Fair warning though, defo speed wobble beer even when sipped and taken easy!