The origins of the Chechen imperial stout can be traced back to 1800’s when Tsar of Chechnya and Olympic horse wrestler Sergei Walankov commissioned a brew from Moore’s brewery in Toxteth. A bottle of this beer was recently sold at Christies for £25,000.
I have of course just made that up. I am not aiming to make an imperial stout with this beer, just a very strong very dark ale hopefully with balance and depth. Chechnya was chosen as a name because it represents my rebellion against the constraints of the style. Also I’ve already used Kazakhstan.
Some of the 25 grains are being used with poetic licence. Distilling malt and caramalt will be too pale to give anything in the context of the recipe but help to make up the numbers. The contribution of some of the non malt grains (adjuncts) will the interesting to see.
Tech Spec
OG:1090
Hops: Target, Northdown and fuggles
Yeast: Sharp’s
Fermentation: Warm and open
Grist:
1. Pale ale (Tipple)
2. Pale Maris Otter
3. Distilling malt
4. Caramalt
5. Low colour caramalt
6. 140 crystal
7. 280 crystal
8. Black
9. Roasted barley
10. Chocolate
11. Munich
12. Imperial
13. Amber
14. Vienna
15. Roasted wheat
16. Rolled oats
17. Golden naked oats
18. Pin head oats
19. Brown malt
20. Peated malt
21. Wheat malt
22. Torrified barley
23. Torrified wheat
24. Maize flakes
25. Mild ale malt
14 comments:
That's a terrifying grain bill! Are you going for equal quantities of each, or is there further method to your (inspired) madness? :)
really, really hope this one takes off!!
Do you not think you will taste the distilling malt? I assume you mean peated distilling malt.
Imperial malt is a new one to me.
Barry hi, I've added the grains in inverse proportion to their colour level. This may favour sweetness over roast but I'm trying to ferment it dry and add plenty of bitterness to balance this.
Keiran hi,
Distilling malt is low colour pale similar to lager malt. It's what the malt distillers use to get most of their alcohol.
Imperial is a slighlty richer slighlty sour version of Amber. Not sure where the name originates from. I'm sure Mr Simpson can fill you in. By the way Richard can you get your pimpernel of a brother to call me re:2011 prices?
This sounds awesome! Can't wait to try it x
Hi Stuart,
Brother currently facing an "extended leave" period in the U.S. i.e. he's stuck...
Will get back on the Imperial question....
Haven't the americans suffered enough? I hope they have enough pink champagne and baby oil for him.
I have talked to our Company Historian and General Malting GURU (my old man) who refered to Mr H Stopes, considered by many as the Grandfather of Technical Malting. In his 1885 book of all things Malting, he describes Imperial Malt as being like a pale ale malt that is kilned at a higher temperature and thus imparts a higher colour. As to the name, we are not sure of the origins exactly - but we are assuming that it is called Imperial as perphaps a reference to what it ended up in...Imperial Ales / Stouts - Not sure us maltsters have particularly spent much time on names and product branding, prefering to divert what energies we have left, after dedicating ourselves to our fantastic customers,into product and process innovation...
Cheers Richard
does that make it similar to Mild Ale Malt?
Sure Mr Howe can correct this f I am wrong - havent consulted the Guru over this one - Mild Ale Malt is, I think, similar to Pale Ale malt, higher temperature kiln and all that, but it should produce a wort which has a higher dextrin content, resulting in a sweeter finished beer.People also describe it as having a slightly nutty flavour.
Couldn't have put it better myself Richard
Some grist list! One to make malt rival the hop stars.
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