How to Brew Russian Imperial Stout: Step-by-Step into the Depths of This Dark Elixir
Imperial Stouts possess a wide range of flavor. This big, dark, robust ale has roasty malt with hints of dried fruit and a warming, bittersweet finish to it.
Aiming for harmonious balance between the intense complexity of this beer and the multitude of layers is the real trick when making a good Imperial stout.
The story of this style’s history is as complex as the beer itself.
Peter the Great
As the story goes, Peter the Great was said to have tried his first Imperial stout while visiting England from Czarist Russia in 1698 He fell in love with the style and after he returned home he requested some be sent to his Imperial court.
If this tale is actually true, then Peter the Great was quite revolutionary in his choice in beer.
Porters, as we’ve heard before, carried the word “stout” as a descriptor. The “stout” descriptor was first documented in 1677. So the beer Peter the Great drank may indeed have been a stout, but not as we know it today.
Royalty Beer
Some have speculated that Peter the Great drank a dark high gravity version of a Porter. Some even venture to say that this was the driving force behind exporting darker ales. Nevertheless, the Imperial stout came to be in the late 1700s.
In 1781 Barclay Perkins started to export the highly hopped and higher gravity beers to the Baltic regions. Even the Russian Empress, Catherine the Great enjoyed an Imperial stout and made the bitter cold Russian region just a little warmer in the winter.
Debunking the Tale
Ron Pattinson from Shut Up about Barclay Perkins blog has quite a few things to say about this story of the origins of this dark beer concoction.
He goes to explain:
Peter the Great was clearly even greater than we imagined. Because he must have had a time machine to drink London Porter. He visited England in 1689. The first Porter was brewed several decades later, around 1720. He died in 1725, when Porter was still barely known, even in London. God, these extra hops and extra strength for the long voyage stories.
Did the writer look at a map? Standard Porter was regularly shipped to the American colonies, a journey more than double that to St. Petersburg. And in the 19th century normal strength Porter was shipped all the way to India.
Why was Russian Stout so strong? Because it was made for the rich pissheads of the Russian court.
So no matter which story is true, the history of the Imperial stout is as fascinating as the beer itself. Brewing a good Imperial stout is so much more than some kitchen sink beer that one throws together.
It is about a careful hand with the specialty malts so as to not create a murky mess that leaves the drinker disappointed. Also, a heavy hand with the hops to allow the bitterness to cut through the overly sweet malt.
Overall, the Imperial stout should be thick and viscous with a complex yet balanced and harmonious approach that allows the flavors of the malt and the bitterness of the hops to play nicely with each other.
Style Profile for Imperial Stout
Appearance
The color of an Imperial stout ranges from dark, deep reddish brown to pure black with a little color on the edges in good lighting.
It is opaque with a mocha colored head that is pretty low. The thickness of the beer and the high abv, leaves legs on the glass when the beer is swirled.
Aroma
The aroma is often perceived as varied and complex. Roast, maltiness, alcohol, hops, and esters all find a way in the aroma.
The malt aroma is often toward the specialty malt. Esters are present and take on a dark fruit character such as raisins, prunes, or plums.
Also notes of coffee, dark chocolate are common. A warming bit from the alcohol is common as well. Hop aroma can be from low to strong. Beer’s aroma can change with age.
Taste
The taste of an Imperial stout can be intense, complex, and rich. Roatiness, maltiness, and hop bitterness/flavor, and fruit esters are all present in the taste.
The roasted grains may be bittersweet chocolate and/or coffee. Much like a barleywine, the toast and caramel are present. The finish can be dry to moderately sweet.
Mouthfeel
The beer’s body can be very full, smooth, and chewy. The body should never be syrupy or sweet.
A smooth warming sensation from the alcohol can add to the overall mouthfeel of the beer. Low to moderate carbonation. Long conditioning times can decrease the body and carbonation of the beer.
Food Pairing
When it comes to pairing an American stout with food, roasted foods, smoked foods, barbecued/grilled foods are all a great start.
Salty foods, oysters, rich stews, braised dishes all work well too. Chocolate desserts are always a good pairing when it comes to stouts.
Tips for Brewing your own Imperial Stout
Grain
The grain bill for a good Imperial Stout is very important. A grain bill ranging from 17.5 to 20 pounds is very common for even a 5 gallon batch.
To start a high quality 2-Row pale base malt or Maris Otter for more complexity.
Specialty malts such as: higher lovibond Caramel/Crystal malts,Chocolate malt, Coffee malt, Black Patent, Roasted Barley, Special B, Midnight Wheat, Chocolate Rye, Rye malt (for added complexity) can all be considered when formulating a recipe.
Hops
The hops are not to stand out in this beer, but they do need to be present to cut through some of the malty sweetness from a grain bill reaching nearly 20 pounds for a 5 gallon batch.
Good choices for the style include: Magnum, Northern Brewer, and East Kent Goldings.
The bulk of the hops will be added at bittering with only the remaining hops in the hop schedule left for late in the boil.
Yeast
Many different strains of yeast will work well for an Imperial stout. Personally, I’ve had great luck with Imperial Yeast’s Darkness and White Labs San Diego WLP090.
Some things to consider would be to oxygenate the wort prior to pitching and making a yeast starter.
Imperial Stout the By the Numbers
- Color Range: 30 – 40 SRM
- Original Gravity: 1.075 – 1.115 OG
- Final Gravity: 1.018 – 1.039 FG
- IBU Range: 50 – 90
- ABV Range: 8.0 – 12.0%
Imperial Stout Recipe (2.5 gallon batch)
Grain
- 78 % 14 lbs Maris Otter
- 11 % 2 lb Crystal 45
- 3 % 8 oz Flaked Barley
- 3% 8 oz Roasted Barley
- 3 % 8 oz Special B
- 1 % 4 oz Black Patent
- 1 % 4 oz Chocolate Malt
Hops
- 2.00 oz Magnum – Boil 60 min
- 1.00 oz East Kent Golding – Boil 10 min
Yeast
- 1.0 pkg London Ale Wyeast 1028
- Mash at 152°F (66°C) for 60 mins and Boil for 60 mins
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is an Imperial Stout?
An Imperial Stout is a robust ale known for its wide range of flavors. It is characterized by its dark appearance, roasty malt profile with hints of dried fruit, and a warming, bittersweet finish.
The key to brewing a good Imperial Stout lies in achieving a harmonious balance between its intense complexity and the multiple layers of flavors.
How did the Russian Imperial Stout originate?
The story of the Russian Imperial Stout dates back to Peter the Great’s visit to England in 1698. It is believed that he tasted his first Imperial Stout during this visit and fell in love with the style. Upon returning to Russia, he requested this beer to be sent to his Imperial court.
The term “stout” was used as a descriptor for porters, with the first documentation of the term appearing in 1677.
The Imperial Stout, as we know it today, evolved in the late 1700s, with breweries like Barclay Perkins exporting highly hopped and high gravity beers to the Baltic regions.
What makes a beer “Imperial”?
The term “Imperial” in the context of beers, especially stouts, refers to the higher alcohol content and robust flavors.
Imperial Stouts are known for their thickness, viscosity, and complex yet balanced flavor profile. They often have a higher original gravity, resulting in a higher alcohol by volume (ABV) ranging from 8.0% to 12.0%.
How do you brew an Imperial Stout?
Brewing an Imperial Stout requires careful selection of grains and hops. The grain bill is crucial, often ranging from 17.5 to 20 pounds for a 5-gallon batch. Specialty malts like Caramel/Crystal malts, Chocolate malt, Coffee malt, Black Patent, Roasted Barley, and others are used to achieve the desired flavor profile.
Hops, while not the standout feature, are essential to balance the malty sweetness. Yeast selection is also vital, with strains like Imperial Yeast’s Darkness and White Labs San Diego WLP090 being popular choices.
What are the ideal food pairings for an Imperial Stout?
Imperial Stouts pair well with a variety of foods. Roasted, smoked, barbecued, or grilled foods complement the beer’s robust flavors.
Salty foods, oysters, rich stews, braised dishes, and chocolate desserts also make excellent pairings with Imperial Stouts.
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