It seems to have taken a couple of years after WW I before Barclay Perkins brought back their powerful Imperial Stout. But, unlike the rest of their range, it returned at full strength.
I would tell you exactly how it differed from the version of 1914. Except I don’t have any brewing records of it from that period. Which is a bit irritating.
As you would expect, the grist is packed with roasted malts, three in total: brown, amber and black malt. At this point, Barclay Perkins Stouts, unlike their Ales, contained no flaked maize. Though that would have changed by the 1930s.
At 16 lbs per quarter (336 lbs) of malt, the hopping is very heavy. Which makes sense in a beer which wouldn’t be consumed for several years. All were from East Kent: Golding Varieties from the 1924 harvest, Cobbs and Goldings from 1923. The latter two had been cold stored. So, all pretty fresh hops.
I’ve reduced the FG from the 1040º racking gravity based on analyses of the beer when sold. A couple of years of a Brettanomyces secondary fermentation knocked it down considerably.
| 1924 Barclay Perkins IBS Export | ||
| mild malt | 12.00 lb | 53.33% |
| brown malt | 2.75 lb | 12.22% |
| amber malt | 3.75 lb | 16.67% |
| black malt | 1.50 lb | 6.67% |
| No. 2 invert sugar | 2.50 lb | 11.11% |
| Goldings 135 mins | 4.50 oz | |
| Goldings 90 mins | 4.50 oz | |
| Goldings 30 mins | 4.50 oz | |
| Goldings dry hops | 1.50 oz | |
| OG | 1103.5 | |
| FG | 1022 | |
| ABV | 10.78 | |
| Apparent attenuation | 78.74% | |
| IBU | 132 | |
| SRM | 49 | |
| Mash at | 146º F | |
| After underlet | 154º F | |
| Sparge at | 170º F | |
| Boil time | 135 minutes | |
| pitching temp | 58º F | |
| Yeast | Wyeast 1099 Whitbread ale | |
Would the Brettanomyces secondary fermentation be taking place in barrels (and how long) or in the bottles?
ReplyDeleteThe irony of an Imperial Russian stout being brewed in 1924 is just about equally rich as the tipple itself!
ReplyDeleteIf they were racking at 1040 I would bet a lot of the Brett was working before it was bottled or else they'd blow up.
ReplyDeleteCrazy amount of hops and roasted barley--I can't imagine this tasted good at all. I'd be curious if anyone recreates this what they think of it.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous,
ReplyDeleteit was vatted for a couple of years before bottling.
Michael Foster,
ReplyDeletethere's no roast barley in the recipe, but black malt.
Anonymous,
ReplyDeletea couple of years in vats, then months - or years - in the bottle.
Michael Foster
ReplyDeleteI have made the 1848 Barclay Perkins Imperial Stout which has a similar grist and hop levels. I didn't add brett but aged it for 12 months and it is one of the best I have ever made. I was very sad when that keg kicked.
According to current a acids for EKG I can get, I'm getting 8.1% - and this is yielding a massive 334 IBUs for me! I'm getting an estimated 34 P OG - giving a BU:GU of 2:25:1. I've never gone this high. Looking over my old recipe for a "Black Stag Imperial Stout," I've got an OG of 24 P and 77 IBUs, for a BG:GU of .77:1.
ReplyDeleteI am not disputing this, as I have immense respect for Ron. Just trying to imagine how the bitterness balance plays out. Particularly with a very black-oriented grist, in tandem with such a high bitterness level, does the extensive aging really account for a bitterness drop to mellow this out to palatable levels?