who wants to calculate and check my imperial stout recipe over? :)

[DSorenson]

Background Information:
A friend of mine and I are getting together on Wednesday to brew an Imperial Stout- I've never done one before, but since he rarely gets to brew I'm going all in. Cheers to others who share brewing with friends and family!

I've had great success making my own recipes so far because I've created beers styles I'm extremely familiar with: IPA's, APA's, Dopple Weizen Bocks, and graff/cider. I've had a number of great stouts in my time, but never drank them in great quantities. Here is my recipe:

Recipe:
Mike & Dan's Imperial Stout

(5 gallons, post boil)
13 LBS Marris Otter
2 LBS Biscuit Malt
1.5 LBS Roasted Barley
0.5 LBS Chocolate Malt
1-2 ounces of Columbus Hops (60 min boil: I'll know how much once I estimate the OG)
Nottingham's Ale Yeast for a dry, less estery finish and ease of use.

Goals:
1) getting roasted/coffee flavors without overwhelming
2) punch a subtle hint of chocolate in there
3) give it a toasty/biscuit-y backbone
4) retain a slightly malty sweetness for balance
5) have an "imperial" body

Questions:
1) what is my expected original gravity assuming 65% brew house efficiency?
2) Nottingham's is a tough little mother, but I'm going to pitch two packets. Is this a wise choice?
3) I'm going to have the LHBS crush my grains a day prior, but theoretically I go there the day of and have them do it. Which is the best preference?
4) I am using what I believe to be a typical amount of roasted barley for a regular stout. Will my imperial stout retain the same roasted flavor? or will the balance be skewed by the addition of so much base malt (marris otter)?
5) Will I achieve my goals?

Thanks as always, you home brew professionals!

 

[TNGabe]

What's your post boil volume?

 

[DSorenson]

whoops! 5 gallons.

 

[LoloMT7]

1) I come up with an OG of about 1.081 using 65% eff for a 5 gallon post boil batch.
2) I'd just do one pack but that's me
3) The day before is fine

 

[DSorenson]

Thanks LoToMT7!

 

[RoadKing]

You should get Beersmith. lol. I came up with an OG of 1.080 at 65% eff. Personally I wouldn't use roast barley, that's going to make the beer dry. like a Guiness. then I would add dark crystal for sweetness
and then maybe dump a pound of dark brown sugar in at end of boil to bump OG a bit.
I don't know if Nottingham is going to handle that OG.

 

[DSorenson]

I should get beer smith, but I'm pretty cheap... but what the heck, why not? No roasted barley? I thought that was a staple of stouts? I was hoping for no more than 1.080, so I guess I nailed it...

 

[RoadKing]

Maybe cut the roast barley down to 8oz? I think 1.5 lbs. will make it too dry.
You'll really like Beersmith.

 

[DSorenson]

Thanks guys... any other takers wanna brew-d over this for me?

 

[Ocharbonneau]

Hey guys
Its my first AG imperial stout and I need some help with my recipe.
What you guys think ?

Batch 6 gallons
72% efficiency
OG 1.098 FG 1.028 ABV 9.32%
IBU 70.6 SRM 53.9
14lbs pale malt (2row) UK 60%
1.21 lbs cara-pils 5%
2.2 lbs chocolat wheat malt 9.4%
.59 lbs smoked malt 2.6%
2.4 lbs caramel/crystal malt 80L 10%
3 lbs Vienna malt 12.8%

.91oz centennial boil 60 mins
1.47oz columbus boil 60 mins

Yeast Edinburgh ale wlp028
Mash in 156 for 45 mins
Ale one stage