Saturday 21 January 2023

Let's Brew - 1835 Truman Imperial Stout

Oh, look! Truman have come out with a new Stout. The grandaddy of them all – Imperial Stout.

Though Barclay Perkins were best known for their Imperial Stout, they weren’t the only London brewer to produce one. And not just in London. Imperial Stout was a well-known name throughout the UK. Bass and Worthington, for example, both produced an Imperial Stout.

A very similar grist was employed as in Double Stout. Except there’s a tiny bit more brown malt. Nothing really to write home about.

Just two mashes, both at some squiggle temperature.

Lots of hops. A crazy amount of hops. Just one type though: English from the 1835 harvest. They leave the beer with an insane (calculated) 230 IBU. 

1835 Truman Imperial Stout
pale malt 16.50 lb 69.33%
brown malt 6.75 lb 28.36%
black malt 0.55 lb 2.31%
Goldings 120 min 8.00 oz
Goldings 60 min 8.00 oz
Goldings 30 min 8.00 oz
Goldings dry hops 1.00 oz
OG 1099
FG 1021
ABV 10.32
Apparent attenuation 78.79%
IBU 230
SRM 37
Mash at 148º F
Sparge at 170º F
Boil time 120 minutes
pitching temp 58º F
Yeast Wyeast 1099 Whitbread Ale

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's an interesting recipe. It gives me much better sense of what was being described in this article about the dawn of "Imperial" Stout.

https://zythophile.co.uk/2011/06/26/imperial-stout-russian-or-irish/

Anonymous said...

Hi Ron - is there any evidence that during and after the Napoleonic wars, brewers were innovating and producing more imperial strength beers? My understanding is that French wines were out of fashion and tariffs were high, and middle and upper classes were drinking port (and sherry). My thinking would be that brewers were producing beers of wine-like strength to occupy a niche that had been vacated by wine at presumably a lower price per ABV. And those imperial stout flavors would be part of some national palette for fortified wine-like flavors - all port wine and pies? Pure speculation on my part of course.

Ron Pattinson said...

Anonymous,

no, beers got weaker during the Napoleonic Wars. In the 18th century, the strongest English beers were stronger than most wine. The first hydrometer readings of English beers in the 1770s has Strong Ales over 8.5% ABV. And even a Common Ale over 8% ABV.

Imperial Stouts start showing up well after the end of the wars.

Anonymous said...

230 IBU’s that would be palatte wrecking

Foggy Noggin Brewing said...

Foggy Noggin Brewing (Bothell, WA) brewed this beer and will be tapping the keg this Saturday (12-5pm) - November 4, 2023.