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Imperial Stout with Special B

jackflibb

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I've just worked up this (extract, specialty grains) recipe from glancing at clone recipes for old Rasputin imperial stout and black butte porter--they both have a smooth, chocolaty thing I'm going for as a base. But my goal is to bring the dark fruity flavors of a dubbel to the stout.

My question is about the grain bill. Does this seem balanced? I abhor too much coffee, bitter roast flavor in a stout, and I don't think it would go well with the dark fruit character. That said, I'm worried that I might be going overboard on the special B or chocolate malt, and am also wondering what folks think of the brown malt as a gentle base here.

If it matters, I'm doing some aroma hopping with Willamett, and fermenting with Irish yeast (and if this works out, I'll do a second batch with a belgian strain).

1 lbs Crisp Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 2 8.3 %
1 lbs Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) Grain 3 8.3 %
12.0 oz Brown Malt (65.0 SRM) Grain 4 6.3 %
8.0 oz Barley, Flaked (1.7 SRM) Grain 5 4.2 %
8.0 oz Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM) Grain 6 4.2 %
8 lbs 4.0 oz Light Dry Extract (8.0 SRM) Dry Extract 7 68.8 %
 
Seems like a lot of special-B, although I'm no expert. 

Note that old rasputin and black butte porter are pretty different beers.  Given my lack of expertise in RIS brews, I'm not sure I am the best one to comment.

Other than that, the recipe looks good to me.  I would wonder about the special-B though, but you are not necessarily putting too much in.

Obviously that beer will need to condition longer than normal, and you'll probably need a blowoff tube.
 
Assuming five gallons from the extract amount, I agree on the full pound of Special B.  And brown malt is strong on the coffee flavor as well, so you may wish to review that one too. 

 
One pound of Special B is too much unless you want a raisin bomb.

Consider using about 4-6oz of Special B and about the same amount of brown malt.
 
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