Russian Imperial Stout (For Advanced Brewers) Recipe

Name: Russian Imperial Stout (For Advanced Brewers) Recipe
Yield: 5 gallons
Ingredients: 17 pounds 2-row pale malt; 1 pound chocolate malt; 1 pound roasted barley; 1 pound flaked oats; 0.5 pounds black patent malt; 0.5 pounds Crystal 120 malt; 2 ounces Galena hops - 90 minutes; 1 ounce Northern Brewer Hops - 30 minutes; 1 ounce Northern Brewer Hops - 10 minutes; 2 to 3 Liter starter Dry English Ale yeast, either White Labs WLP007 or Wyeast 1098

This is an all-grain recipe designed for advanced homebrewers. If your mash tun is not large enough to hold all 21 pounds of grain, you can substitute light dry malt extract for a portion of the 2-row malt. Use a ratio of 0.65 pounds of dry extract for each pound of malt removed. The malt extract should be added after the sparge as the wort is heating to a boil.

I recommend a minimum of 3 weeks in secondary fermentation before bottling or kegging to allow the flavors to meld and the harsher alcohol flavors to subside. If you're not in a hurry, 6 weeks of aging seems to be about perfect time.

Homebrewing: How To Brew A Russian Imperial Stout

Active: 5 to 7 hrs

Total: 0 mins

Makes: 5 gallons

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17 pounds 2-row pale malt
1 pound chocolate malt
1 pound roasted barley
1 pound flaked oats
0.5 pounds black patent malt
0.5 pounds Crystal 120 malt
2 ounces Galena hops - 90 minutes
1 ounce Northern Brewer Hops - 30 minutes
1 ounce Northern Brewer Hops - 10 minutes
2 to 3 Liter starter Dry English Ale yeast, either White Labs WLP007 or Wyeast 1098

Mash-in the 21 pounds of grain to 154°F using 5.75 gallons of water at about 167°F (1.1 quarts of water per pound). Stir for 2 minutes to prevent balls of grain from clumping together, creating a consistent mash.
Cover the mash, only uncovering to briefly stir every 20 minutes. Heat 4.25 gallons of sparge water to about 185°F.
After mashing for 60 minutes, mash-out and sparge. You should have 7 to 7.5 gallons in the kettle. Add 2 ounces of Magnum hops and bring to boil.
After boiling for 60 minutes, add 1 ounce Northern Brewer hops.
After a total of 80 minutes, add 1 ounce Northern Brewer hops.
After 90 minutes remove from heat and chill using a wort chiller to 60°F. Transfer to a carboy and take a gravity reading.
Ferment at 60° to 65°F for 3 weeks. Transfer to a secondary carboy and age in a cool dark place for another 3 to 6 weeks.
Bottle or keg for a medium low level of carbonation.