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 | |
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.
ReplyDeletehttps://zythophile.co.uk/2011/06/26/imperial-stout-russian-or-irish/
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.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous,
ReplyDeleteno, 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.
230 IBU’s that would be palatte wrecking
DeleteFoggy Noggin Brewing (Bothell, WA) brewed this beer and will be tapping the keg this Saturday (12-5pm) - November 4, 2023.
ReplyDelete