Four Tsarinas Imperial Stout By Joe Formanek

Four Tsarinas Imperial Stout
By Joe Formanek

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.105 FG = 1.028
IBU = 108 SRM = 76 ABV = 11.4%

Winner of Drunk Monk Challenge (Aurora, Illinois – 571 entries)

Ingredients
15 lbs. (6.8 kg) Maris Otter pale ale malt
1.5 lbs. (680 g) English roasted barley
1 lb. (454 g) Belgian chocolate malt
1 lb. (454 g) Belgian aromatic malt
1 lb. (454 g) German wheat malt
1 lb. (454 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
8 oz. (227 g) German caramel wheat malt
8 oz. (227 g) German chocolate wheat malt
8 oz. (227 g) Belgian biscuit malt
8 oz. (227 g) Belgian black malt
8 oz. (227 g) Belgian caramel Vienne malt
8 oz. (227 g) Belgian Special B malt
36 AAU Centennial hops (60 min.) (4 oz./113 g at 9% alpha acids)
4.6 AAU UK Golding hops (30 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 4.6% alpha acids)
4.6 AAU UK Golding hops (10 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 4.6% alpha acids)
½ tsp. Wyeast Brewtan B (16 min.)
1 tsp. Irish moss (15 min.)
Wyeast 1056 (American Ale) or White Labs WLP001 (California Ale) or Safale US-05 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step
Two or three days before brew day, make a 2-qt. (2-L) yeast starter. Prepare the water. Adjust with 2 tsp. CaCO3 per 5 gal. (19 L) carbon-filtered tap water. Add ¼ tsp. Brewtan B per 5 gal. (19 L) mash and strike water.

Cook oatmeal with 8 cups (1.9 L) water until properly gelatinized. Add 1 lb. (454 g) base malt and enough water to raise to 128 °F (53 °C), hold for 15 minutes, then add to main mash. Start the mash at 130 °F (54 °C) and raise it to 155 °F (68 °C) over 15 minutes. Hold for 60 minutes until converted. Mash out at 170 °F (77 °C) for 10 minutes. Sparge with 4 gal. (15 L) water at 170 °F (77 °C). Collect 6.5 gallons (25 L) wort. Boil for 75 minutes, adding the hops as indicated in the ingredients list. Add ½ tsp. Brewtan B, prehydrated in 25 mL cooled strike water, in the last 16 minutes of the boil. Add 1 tsp. Irish moss, prehydrated in 25 mL cooled strike water, in the last 15 minutes of the boil. Chill to 65 °F (18 °C). Oxygenate, then pitch the yeast starter. Ferment at 65 °F (18 °C) for 12 days, then transfer for a secondary at 65 °F (18 °C) for 30 days. Prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate.

Four Tsarinas Imperial Stout
By Joe Formanek

(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.105 FG = 1.028
IBU = 108 SRM = 76 ABV = 11.4%

Ingredients
11.7 lbs. (5.3 kg) light liquid malt extract
1.5 lbs. (680 g) English roasted barley
1 lb. (454 g) Belgian chocolate malt
1 lb. (454 g) Belgian aromatic malt
1 lb. (454 g) German wheat malt
1 lb. (454 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
8 oz. (227 g) German caramel wheat malt
8 oz. (227 g) German chocolate wheat malt
8 oz. (227 g) Belgian biscuit malt
8 oz. (227 g) Belgian black malt
8 oz. (227 g) Belgian caramel Vienne malt
8 oz. (227 g) Belgian Special B malt
36 AAU Centennial hops (60 min.) (4 oz./113 g at 9% alpha acids)
4.6 AAU UK Golding hops (30 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 4.6% alpha acids)
4.6 AAU UK Golding hops (10 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 4.6% alpha acids)
½ tsp. Wyeast Brewtan B (16 min.)
1 tsp. Irish moss (15 min.)
Wyeast 1056 (American Ale) or White Labs WLP001 (California Ale) or Safale US-05 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step
Two or three days before brew day, make a 2-qt. (2-L) yeast starter. Prepare the water. Adjust with 2 tsp. CaCO3 per 5 gal. (19 L) carbon-filtered tap water. Add ¼ tsp. Brewtan B per 5 gal. (19 L) mash and strike water. Use 6 gallons (23 L) of water in the brew kettle; heat to 158 °F (70 °C). Place the malts in a mesh bag, and steep in the hot water for 30 minutes. Remove the mesh bag, then turn the heat off. Add the liquid malt extract and stir thoroughly to dissolve the extract completely. You do not want to feel liquid extract at the bottom of the kettle when stirring with your spoon. Turn the heat back on and bring to a boil.

Boil for 60 minutes, adding the hops as indicated in the ingredients list. Add ½ tsp. Brewtan B, prehydrated in 25 mL cooled strike water, in the last 16 minutes of the boil. Add 1 tsp. Irish moss, prehydrated in 25 mL cooled strike water, in the last 15 minutes of the boil. Chill to 65 °F (18 °C). Oxygenate, then pitch the yeast starter. Ferment at 65 °F (18 °C) for 12 days, then transfer for a secondary at 65 °F (18 °C) for 30 days. Prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate.