RIS - Whisky/Sherry/Coffee

[EzraBurke]

Hi guys, needing some opinion on the following recipe i'm planning as the OG is massive, wondering what kind of mash-time might achieve near enough 65% efficiency... any tips appreciated!

Brew Method: All Grain
Style Name: Russian Imperial Stout
Boil Time: 90 min
Batch Size: 17 liters (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 19 liters
Boil Gravity: 1.096
Efficiency: 65% (brew house)

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.107
Final Gravity: 1.024
ABV (standard): 10.9%
IBU (tinseth): 87.13
SRM (morey): 50

FERMENTABLES:
7.5 kg - United Kingdom - Maris Otter Pale (82.4%)
600 g - United Kingdom - Crystal 140L (6.6%)
400 g - United Kingdom - Chocolate (4.4%)
500 g - United Kingdom - Roasted Barley (5.5%)
100 g - Torrified Wheat (1.1%)

HOPS:
35 g - Pacific Gem, Type: Pellet, AA: 15.4, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 53.18
20 g - Pacific Gem, Type: Pellet, AA: 15.4, Use: Boil for 45 min, IBU: 27.9
20 g - Pacific Gem, Type: Pellet, AA: 15.4, Use: Boil for 5 min, IBU: 6.06
25 g - Pacific Gem, Type: Pellet, AA: 15.4, Use: Boil for 0 min

MASH GUIDELINES:
1) Sparge, Temp: 65 C, Time: 120 min, Amount: 26 L
Starting Mash Thickness: 3.8 L/kg

OTHER INGREDIENTS:
1 each - Protafloc, Time: 5 min, Type: Water Agt, Use: Boil
100 g - Laphroaig-soaked Oak Chips, Time: 1440 min, Type: Spice, Use: Primary
0.25 L - Light Roast Coffee, Time: 30240 min, Type: Flavor, Use: Bottling

YEAST:
Fermentis / Safale - English Ale Yeast S-04
Starter: No
Form: Dry
Attenuation (avg): 75%
Flocculation: High
Optimum Temp: 12.22 - 25 C
Fermentation Temp: 20 C

[gr_baker]

I've made 1070 OG beers with a 60-90 minute mash but I've never tried anything higher.

Some of the Old recipes recommend a 3 hour mash. I'm not sure if you need that long. If you've got any iodine you could check after 60 minutes for starch conversion.

I notice that you're planning on using S04. Is it happy at that kind of OG?

Russell

[Mr. Dripping]

I would replace 5% of the pale malt with a simple sugar and mash at 62. This will help the beer attenuate well and prevent it being too sweet.
Mash for a minimum of 2 hrs......again, this will help with attenuation.
Pitch 2 packets of yeast.

[Matt12398]

With an RIS you're going to want to mature it for a while so you're wasting those late additions. I'd stick to a bittering addition only.

[EzraBurke]

Matt12398 wrote:
> With an RIS you're going to want to mature it for a while so you're wasting those
> late additions. I'd stick to a bittering addition only.

I've changed the additions now - 40g @ 60 and 30mins. I've approached this with my DIPA head on and tried to dump aroma additions in!

Mr. Dripping wrote:
> I would replace 5% of the pale malt with a simple sugar and mash at 62. This will
> help the beer attenuate well and prevent it being too sweet.
> Mash for a minimum of 2 hrs......again, this will help with attenuation.
> Pitch 2 packets of yeast.

I've adjusted the bill accordingly - makes sense, fermentable sugars instead of malt. I've opted for molasses for complexity.

gr_baker wrote:
> I notice that you're planning on using S04. Is it happy at that kind of OG?
>
> Russell

Genuinely i'm worried about this too. I'll have to research S04 as i'm used to using S05 as a workhorse. I'll pitch two packets to be safe but maybe if it doesn't reach the FG i'll have to try a champagne yeast or similar? Not sure about it, is all new territory for me!

[EzraBurke]

Oh, and debating with various parties about an extended mash time of more than 2 hours - possibly even overnight if i can find a consensus.

[Notlaw]

Genuinely i'm worried about this too. I'll have to research S04 as i'm used to using S05 as a workhorse. I'll pitch two packets to be safe but maybe if it doesn't reach the FG i'll have to try a champagne yeast or similar? Not sure about it, is all new territory for me!

I'd use 2 packets for definite. I have spoken to someone who fermented a RIS recently that started at 1.094 with two packs of Notty and that finished at 1.019 if I remember correctly.

[TheSumOfAllBeers]

I would skip s04. Us05 and notty will do the trick but s04 is too problematic for a big beer imo.

[gr_baker]

Wyeast 1728 or White Labs WLP028 seem good candidates for the yeast. Both are alcohol tolerant. I'd probably make a starter to ensure a good take off with either of these.

[EzraBurke]

How about 04 and 05 at the same time?