Partigyle RIS and ???

[Underground Joe]

I want to brew something extra special to be ready for Xmas so was thinking a Russian imperial stout and I thought I'd go down the partigyle route. I've tried searching for information, tips, recipes etc but I seem more confused than before I started. Does anyone here have any experience with this, what did you make with second runnings? I want the RIS to come out at around ten percent and I'm totally open to suggestions on the second runnings but ideally something where the hops shine through a bit. Cheers guys.

[Hanglow]

You could do your Imperial, then just do a weaker coffee/chocolate/liquorice/Unicorn tears etc stout

Blend the first runnings and second ones to get your desired pre boil gravities.

Or, if you are feeling very adventurous, do something like this
http://barclayperkins.blogspot.co.uk/20 ... ruman.html


I've not done a partigyle yet, it's on the ever lengthening list of things to do

[seymour]

You've probably seen this already, but it's a good overview:
http://morebeer.com/brewingtechniques/l ... osher.html

[Underground Joe]

No recipe Seymour? That's not like you.

[seymour]

I live by the same rockstar credo as Bono: every once in awhile, you just gotta leave 'em wanting more.

[jonnyt]

I do the same with women. In my dreams at least.

[Paddy Bubbles]

I want to brew something extra special to be ready for Xmas so was thinking a Russian imperial stout and I thought I'd go down the partigyle route. I've tried searching for information, tips, recipes etc but I seem more confused than before I started. Does anyone here have any experience with this, what did you make with second runnings? I want the RIS to come out at around ten percent and I'm totally open to suggestions on the second runnings but ideally something where the hops shine through a bit. Cheers guys.

If you want something vastly differnet from your RIS, how about an American brown ale with lots of Cascade/Amarillo/Centennial late additions?

Or an English style brown porter for something more trad?

[Underground Joe]

I want to brew something extra special to be ready for Xmas so was thinking a Russian imperial stout and I thought I'd go down the partigyle route. I've tried searching for information, tips, recipes etc but I seem more confused than before I started. Does anyone here have any experience with this, what did you make with second runnings? I want the RIS to come out at around ten percent and I'm totally open to suggestions on the second runnings but ideally something where the hops shine through a bit. Cheers guys.

If you want something vastly differnet from your RIS, how about an American brown ale with lots of Cascade/Amarillo/Centennial late additions?

That sounds exactly what I'd like.

[Paddy Bubbles]

Cool. Jamil Zainasheff has a nice Brown Ale recipe in "Brewing Classic Styles". It'll give you an idea of OG, IBU hop schedules etc.

[seymour]

No recipe Seymour? That's not like you.

Actually, I just don't quite grasp the concept. I know I've talked about making quick-&-dirty sour beers from my second runnings, such as my Chocolate Milk Stout recipe, but I never do parti-gyle in the true historical sense. From what I've read, it seems like a big headache, to be honest.

When I brew an Imperial Stout, it's a lot of work and I want the biggest batch possible, so I calculate my recipe for maximum efficiency. To that end, I usually perform a multi-step mash and a long, slow, recirculated sparge in order to milk every last drop of fermentables out of my grainbill. I don't think there's any right/wrong about either method, but it seems unconscionable to me to bleed half of it away to something else...

That said, once you're done brewing your Imperial Stout, if you wanna flush your mash tun once more and add a bunch of brown sugar and/or malt extract, then pitch a sour blend, I'm all for that!

[Underground Joe]

Being able to produce two fairly different beers from one brew day is the main appeal to me. It might end up being a total disaster but if we didn't try new things we'd all still be living in caves.

[seymour]

Being able to produce two fairly different beers from one brew day is the main appeal to me. It might end up being a total disaster but if we didn't try new things we'd all still be living in caves.

That's true, I wish you all the best luck. Parti-gyle brewing was and remains a great way get maxiumum beer from limited equipment, which is something all us homebrewers deal with. I can't wait to hear how it goes!

[Underground Joe]

Any suggestions hop wise for the RIS?

[seymour]

Any suggestions hop wise for the RIS?

Sure thing. Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout, a fairly common benchmark, is OG: 1070 and IBU: 35. That's delicious but I like my Imperial Stouts all-around BIGGER, more like OG: at least 1085 and IBU: 70. Get most of your IBUs from a high-alpha English variety like Northern Brewer, Brewers Gold, Summit, etc at the beginning of the boil. Then about 2oz/57g of your favorite aroma type(s) at flame-out, steep until chilled. Goldings or First Gold would be perfect, but since this is a special holiday brew, you could be as creative as you like. Liberty kicks ass in a dark spiced holiday beer. On that note, I'd consider adding some spices to the late boil too, maybe licourice root, star anise, cinnamon stick, nutmeg, orange peel, etc. One last thing: I strongly recommend the McEwans strain from Scotland, available as Wyeast 1728 or White Labs WLP028. That should keep you plenty warm inside your cave.

[Underground Joe]

Cheers Seymour, you've given me a few ideas to on just as you did for my first stout that is currently in my spare room fermenting wrapped in a couple of duvets. I might post a brew day for that one at some point as a lesson to others against poor organisation.