Imperial Stouts

[Mike_n_dax]

Ive enjoyed Samuel Smiths Imperial Stout and would like to try brewing something close... any suggestions?

Cheers!,
Mike

[whoateallthepies]

I made a pretty good one with a recipe along these lines.
80% English Maris Otter Pale Ale malt
10% mixture of light and dark crystal malts
10% mixture of chocolate malt and roasted barley
Mashed relatively low and long eg 65C for 90 minutes

60+ IBUs with about 2g/L added close to the end.

WLP007 Dry English Ale yeast fermented around 18C early rising up to 22C to finish it off.

OG1.105

The grain bill gives a richness of flavour I really like.

[Ozwald]

Have you thought about taking a BCS recipe & upping the gravity a bit?

[Sparge Pervert]

Have you had St Petersburg stout from Thornbridge?? It is hella good.
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/st-petersburg-clone-recipe-help-177711/

To get something closer to Sam Smiths I'd miss out the peated malt.

[12stones]

I'm thinking of trying to find a Sam Adams Merry Mischief clone to brew.

[CTownBrewer]

I've never had Sam Smith's Imperial Stout, but from the descriptions I've read, I think I can help.

I made a great smoked imperial porter that took a bronze this year in a local competition. It seems like the Sam Smith beer is similar in that both are chocolaty & roasty with some sweetness & smoke in the background. The body is silky smooth, not at all like motor oil. I used what seems like a lot of smoked malt, but I've found the smoked malt I get from either Northern Brewer or Brewmaster's Warehouse may not be the absolute freshest, so I usually go a little heavier on those. The feedback I got was that the smoke level was subtle & not overpowering...probably helps that there's a lot of roast & alcohol sweetness to balance the smoke out. Here's the basic recipe if you're interested...

Grain Bill (Mash @ 150 F for 90 min)
- 45% Beechwood Smoked
- 20% Cherrywood Smoked
- 15% 2-Row
- 6% Chocolate
- 4% C-80
- 3% Black Patent
- 1% Flaked Oats
- 1% Special B
- 5% Corn Sugar

Hops (90 min boil)
- 1 oz Magnum @ 60 Min
- 2 oz Cluster @ 30 Min
- 1 oz Willamette @ 15 Min

Yeast
- WLP001 - Cal Ale