High Alcohol Stout

[SamR]

Does anyone have any suggestions for modifying the Kremlin Imperial Stout recipe to make it a 12-14% beer? I noticed that one of the reviews says to just reduce the water to 7L but wondering if there are any alternatives like adding in and extra E1/X5 or one or two of the spare keg primers that I've got lying around.

[Rob Courtney]

25 minutes ago, SamR said:

Does anyone have any suggestions for modifying the Kremlin Imperial Stout recipe to make it a 12-14% beer? I noticed that one of the reviews says to just reduce the water to 7L but wondering if there are any alternatives like adding in and extra E1/X5 or one or two of the spare keg primers that I've got lying around.

Hi Sam, my issue with an X5 or 2 to pump up the alcohol in it is that it takes some time for it to drop the taste of I guess of like a spirit. I think one of the better aspects of the Kremlin is it doesn't use X5 to get to such a high alcohol volume so therefore more stronger flavours.

@Wazza_wantsbeer thoughts on this?

[Wazza_wantsbeer]

On 20/10/2023 at 10:52 PM, Rob Courtney said:

Hi Sam, my issue with an X5 or 2 to pump up the alcohol in it is that it takes some time for it to drop the taste of I guess of like a spirit. I think one of the better aspects of the Kremlin is it doesn't use X5 to get to such a high alcohol volume so therefore more stronger flavours.

@Wazza_wantsbeer thoughts on this?

@SamR and @Rob Courtney

Good question, how to boost the ABV without loosing the flavour.

Looking at the list of ingredients, I think you would be safe going with 1 X5, Dextrose, without drying the beer out much at all given how big and bold the flavour is.

So the base ABV is 9.5% and if bottling this and adding sugar/drops, you'll get another 0.5% which means 10%. Given each ingredient, Element or Enhancer, adds 1%, you would need 2 to 4 of either.

So if you're safe with 1x X5 (dextrose) then I would go for something a in the medium side of the recipe, so something like the E3 or E5 (which is the most subtle but won't leave any after taste that some find with Dextrose) or the versatile X1.

So to get a 12% I'd go with 1x X1 and 1x E3 or E5

If 14%, then 1x X5, 1x X1, 1x E3 and 1x E5

You shouldn't taste the dextrose at all with all that flavour and by choosing more moderate more moderate flavours, you'll not end up with something that's too over the top in terms of flavour.

I'd also stick with the suggested 9l of water and this will definitely be a brew that will overflow out the port in the lid, what many of us call, the "spew port".

Good luck and let us know how you go.

Cheers