2015 Dec 1st Advent # 1 Grain Reaper Imperial Stout
- Woody
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2015 Dec 1st Advent # 1 Grain Reaper Imperial Stout
25 liter batch Grain Reaper Imperial Stout
OG 1.080 FG 1.020 SRM 64 IBU's 77 calculated
18 lbs 2 row
2 lbs Roasted Barley (Thomas Fawcett as it isn't as highly roasted as others)
2 lbs Chocolate (Same reason as above)
Mashed 2 row 90 minutes at 150F and added dark grain last 5 minutes of mash. Mash out completed at 170F.
2 hour boil to increase gravity
2 oz Columbus at 60 minutes 15.7%
1 oz Centennial at 10 minutes 8.7%
1 oz Centennial at 0 minutes 8.7%
2 packages of US05 and fermented at 68F.
OG 1.080 FG 1.020 SRM 64 IBU's 77 calculated
18 lbs 2 row
2 lbs Roasted Barley (Thomas Fawcett as it isn't as highly roasted as others)
2 lbs Chocolate (Same reason as above)
Mashed 2 row 90 minutes at 150F and added dark grain last 5 minutes of mash. Mash out completed at 170F.
2 hour boil to increase gravity
2 oz Columbus at 60 minutes 15.7%
1 oz Centennial at 10 minutes 8.7%
1 oz Centennial at 0 minutes 8.7%
2 packages of US05 and fermented at 68F.
Last edited by Woody on Sun Nov 08, 2015 2:12 pm, edited 2 times in total.
- mckay75
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Re: December 1st Advent # 1 Grain Reaper Imperial Stout
recipe looks good...hopefully the hack you brewed it with didn't mess it up on you!
- Woody
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Re: December 1st Advent # 1 Grain Reaper Imperial Stout
Never Mark you are a brewing machine and enjoyed the brew day. McKay75 and I did side by side batches helping each other out and sharing ingredients. We ended up with 50 L of this bad boy. 44 lbs of grain. I'm hoping to show how a simple grain bill can be complex. 

- Woody
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Re: December 1st Advent # 1 Grain Reaper Imperial Stout
Just designed my label.
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Re: December 1st Advent # 1 Grain Reaper Imperial Stout
Any chance this will be ready for our meeting on the 24th? I will be bringing one of my own for critique.
- mckay75
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Re: December 1st Advent # 1 Grain Reaper Imperial Stout
unfortunately it won't be ready for a couple more weeks...we're planning on bottling at the end of the month...then a month or 2 to condition in the bottles.
- Steeveo
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Re: December 1st Advent # 1 Grain Reaper Imperial Stout
I want a test bottle of each 25 liter batch seeing that you will not be sharing at the meeting.....I also want one of those labels!!!!!!
- Woody
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Re: December 1st Advent # 1 Grain Reaper Imperial Stout
lol done Steve!
- Woody
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Re: 2015 Dec 1st Advent # 1 Grain Reaper Imperial Stout
Thanks to everyone for making yesterday run so smooth. Look forward to trying everyone's beer. I hope you enjoy Grain Reaper as much as I do. 

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Re: 2015 Dec 1st Advent # 1 Grain Reaper Imperial Stout
I screwed up and started early .. Really well played Woody!
Pours thick, head is tan and lightly persists long after. rich molasses and dark cocoa aroma. The flavour is an amazing balance of bitter and sweet, the bitterness i find balanced perfectly between the hops and the roasted malts (really impressed with this since they are added so late in the mash)
I'm curious how long was your sparge? was it longer than typical to get more colour? I've not really messed around with the late mashing and im quite surprised at the depth of colour and flavour.
id drink this all day!
Pours thick, head is tan and lightly persists long after. rich molasses and dark cocoa aroma. The flavour is an amazing balance of bitter and sweet, the bitterness i find balanced perfectly between the hops and the roasted malts (really impressed with this since they are added so late in the mash)
I'm curious how long was your sparge? was it longer than typical to get more colour? I've not really messed around with the late mashing and im quite surprised at the depth of colour and flavour.
id drink this all day!
In bottle:Up the Kriek without a mash paddle, (insert Witty name)pumpkin lambic
On Tap:
Fermenting/Conditioning:
Future Projects:Chimney Sweepers Wife dark peated Scottish Heavy, Ginger bread brown, Home for the holidays spiced rum Brown Ale, Black Eye RyePA, Black Ryno Swartzbeir
Beer Laid To Rest (brewed it, drank it, loved it)Malt-n-lava AIPA, Single hop Citra pale ale, Belgian Blond, deforestation Ale Spruce Rye IPA,
On Tap:
Fermenting/Conditioning:
Future Projects:Chimney Sweepers Wife dark peated Scottish Heavy, Ginger bread brown, Home for the holidays spiced rum Brown Ale, Black Eye RyePA, Black Ryno Swartzbeir
Beer Laid To Rest (brewed it, drank it, loved it)Malt-n-lava AIPA, Single hop Citra pale ale, Belgian Blond, deforestation Ale Spruce Rye IPA,
- Halifax_Jeff
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Re: 2015 Dec 1st Advent # 1 Grain Reaper Imperial Stout
I too have no will power.
I enjoyed it after a long day of work! It was my first imperial stout so I have nothing to compare it to. Thanks for sharing
I enjoyed it after a long day of work! It was my first imperial stout so I have nothing to compare it to. Thanks for sharing

- ErictheGreat
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Re: 2015 Dec 1st Advent # 1 Grain Reaper Imperial Stout
I'm no imperial stout concourse but I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it! Well balanced (maltiness, hop bitterness, flavor and alcohol taste). All comes together nicely. I'm going to have to try to brew this one.
There is on problem though. I drank it too fast . 2 bottles should have been included. Maybe I'll just try tomorrow's beer...
There is on problem though. I drank it too fast . 2 bottles should have been included. Maybe I'll just try tomorrow's beer...
- Buccaneer
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Re: 2015 Dec 1st Advent # 1 Grain Reaper Imperial Stout
Wow, lovely. Nice thick mouthfeel, lots of cocoa, no one thing dominating everything else. Thanks!
- HoweFox
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Re: 2015 Dec 1st Advent # 1 Grain Reaper Imperial Stout
Absolutely loved it! Perfect! Might brew this next.
BTW, where did you get the bottles?
BTW, where did you get the bottles?
- mstead
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Re: 2015 Dec 1st Advent # 1 Grain Reaper Imperial Stout
Loved this beer! Great job! Seemed really well balanced with a nice hop bite. Thanks!
- Jimmy
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Re: 2015 Dec 1st Advent # 1 Grain Reaper Imperial Stout
Great beer, Derek!
Nice long lasting tan head, good amount of roast, chocolate and vanilla flavour. Good stuff.
Nice long lasting tan head, good amount of roast, chocolate and vanilla flavour. Good stuff.
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Re: 2015 Dec 1st Advent # 1 Grain Reaper Imperial Stout
Enjoyed this Imperial Stout while brewing an Oatmeal Stout tonight. Thanks for sharing. Wish I had a second to enjoy.
- Jimmy
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- mcgster
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Re: 2015 Dec 1st Advent # 1 Grain Reaper Imperial Stout
That looks sick, nice label, nice bottle, nice beer, the coasters not too bad either !
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Re: 2015 Dec 1st Advent # 1 Grain Reaper Imperial Stout
Haven't had many stouts but I enjoyed it!
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- LiverDance
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Re: 2015 Dec 1st Advent # 1 Grain Reaper Imperial Stout
Tasty stuff Woody, thanks! 

"Twenty years ago — a time, by the way, that hops such as Simcoe and Citra were already being developed, but weren’t about to find immediate popularity — there wasn’t a brewer on earth who would have gone to the annual Hop Growers of American convention and said, “I’m going to have a beer that we make 4,000 barrels of, one time a year. It flies off the shelf at damn near $20 a six-pack, and you know what it smells like? It smells like your cat ate your weed and then pissed in the Christmas tree.” - Bell’s Brewery Director of Operations John Mallet on the scent of their popular Hopslam.
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Re: 2015 Dec 1st Advent # 1 Grain Reaper Imperial Stout
Not as nice of a picture as Jimmy, but the beer was great. Lovely creaminess, medium roast, medium bitterness. I did notice a bit of a burnt character, but I may be the only one. Which I was surprised to get, given the late addition of those black malts.
Great start to the month!
Great start to the month!
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- Keith
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Re: 2015 Dec 1st Advent # 1 Grain Reaper Imperial Stout
Tasty beer. Big, creamy and rich. Very easy drinking. Thanks Woody
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- Woody
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Re: 2015 Dec 1st Advent # 1 Grain Reaper Imperial Stout
Thanks all very much for your feedback! Jonathan I BIAB so no sparging and I have suffered from astringent flavours in my dark beer so I tried this method. Morgan I had an older neighbour that enjoyed my stouts so much he gave me 300 stubbies from his garage laying around since the 80's. He was waiting to give them to a home brewer. It cost me a few oatmeal stout and hours of cleaning them. The beer exchange is a great way to use them up! 

Last edited by Woody on Wed Dec 02, 2015 12:17 am, edited 1 time in total.
- Lucas
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Re: 2015 Dec 1st Advent # 1 Grain Reaper Imperial Stout
Not the thirst quencher I normally have after ultimate frisbee, but an enjoyable beer nonetheless. Very smooth roast character. Alcohol is present but is actually quite pleasant and complements the roast flavours. Thanks!
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