Imperial Stout

[Kswan]

I will be brewing an Imperial Stout - seeking around 12-13% ABV. It will be aged in a whiskey barrel for 8-12 months. I want to brew a more malty fruit flavor - with little bitter roasted flavors. This will be a 6 gallon batch - with 5 gallons going into the barrel. I'd like some thoughts on my proposed grain bill:
15 lb Maris Otter
5.5 lb Munich II
2 lb Special B
2 lb Naked oats
1 lb each of: Pale Chocolate, Melanoiden, Caramel 60, Carafa Special III, Black Paten Malt
.5 lb Roasted Barley

90 minute boil
1 oz magnum 60 min
1 oz magnum 30 min

US 0-5 yeast.

Mash around 154-156 for 90 min
I also have cocoa nibs I could add as well as whole vanilla bean after fermentation is complete.

Thoughts on grain bill, hops, yeast and if cocoa nibs or vanilla should be added?

My brew system is a Blichmann Brew Easy 10 gallon. But with a large grain bill, I would not be able to do a 10 gallon batch.

Thx.

 

[Bigbre04]

I will be brewing an Imperial Stout - seeking around 12-13% ABV. It will be aged in a whiskey barrel for 8-12 months. I want to brew a more malty fruit flavor - with little bitter roasted flavors. This will be a 6 gallon batch - with 5 gallons going into the barrel. I'd like some thoughts on my proposed grain bill:
15 lb Maris Otter
5.5 lb Munich II
2 lb Special B
2 lb Naked oats
1 lb each of: Pale Chocolate, Melanoiden, Caramel 60, Carafa Special III, Black Paten Malt
.5 lb Roasted Barley

90 minute boil
1 oz magnum 60 min
1 oz magnum 30 min

US 0-5 yeast.

Mash around 154-156 for 90 min
I also have cocoa nibs I could add as well as whole vanilla bean after fermentation is complete.

Thoughts on grain bill, hops, yeast and if cocoa nibs or vanilla should be added?

My brew system is a Blichmann Brew Easy 10 gallon. But with a large grain bill, I would not be able to do a 10 gallon batch.

Thx.

Thats a high abv. Yeast will be an important choice. You will def need to overpitch it, add nutrient, and push O2 if you can. US 05 stops at 11% you will need to choose a different yeastie. I would say maybe shoot for 10-11% and go from there. its tough to get a beer that high with commercial gear.

when you say you want a malty fruit flavor, does that mean you want to add cherry or you are looking for yeast flavor that leans towards fruit?

what is your IBU target, with that targer ABV and grainbill, even a "sweet" stout will want to be >30ibu. magnum is a great choice.

This will be a sweet desert stout based on barrel, vanilla, etc.

mash temp wise i would shoot lower maybe 151-152, this is because of the target abv. your yeast will run out of small sugars very quickly at 154.

I would make a tincture of the vanilla beans and get them soaking in whiskey asap.

grain bill wise, it would be easier to see percentages.

 

[Minbari]

Just my $0.02

Wouldn't do special B and melanoidin

Wouldn't do the vanilla, the barrel will add that on its own, but your call

Would lower mash temp to 146-48 then step it up to 154. you want a very fermentable wort, with some residual sugar. if you mash at 154 the whole time. It will be a sugar bomb at that gravity.

Us05 should be ok. i use wyeast 1098 for my imperial and it says it is only 10% tolerant, 2 pouches took 1.200 down to 1.022 in 7 days