Grapefruit Taste

Classification: stout, imperial stout, Russian imperial stout, extract

Source: Jeffrey Johnson (76416.3306@compuserve.com), HBD Issue #1785, July 19, 1995

I recently (7/3/95) brewed an Imperial Stout that at bottling time had an overpowering grapefruit taste. I mean STRONG!! I couldn't taste anything else. I don't know if it was due to the receipe or my technique or what.

<[Note: This recipe basically looks sound, but the use of Cascade hops could be contributing grapefruit-like flavors and aromas to the beer. Replace with another type of hop of similar bitterness. ---Ed.]

Ingredients:

9 lb "Dutch" amber dry malt extract
1 lb Medium Brown Sugar
1/2 lb roasted barley
1/2 lb chocolate barley
4 oz Northern Brewer hop pellets AA 8.8%
2 oz Cascade hop pellets AA 5.4%
1" piece of brewers licorish
1 tsp irish moss
Wyeast #1084 Irish Ale yeast

Procedure:

I steeped roasted/chocolate barley in 1 gal 160 deg F water for 30 min, strained into kettle, and sparged with 1/2 gal 170 deg F water. Added an additional gal of water and brought to a boil. Removed from heat and dissolved extract and sugar, returned to burner and brought to boil. Added licorish and Northern Brewer hops. Added irish moss at 45 min. Boiled for 55 min and then added Cascade hops. Boiled for additional 5 min and cooled in ice water bath. (total boil 60 minutes).

Strained cooled wort into 2.5 gal of previously boiled and cooled water in primary fermenter (6.7 gal plastic, closed fermentation). O.G. 1.078. Pitched yeast directly from smack pack at 78 deg F. Active fermentation noticable after 12 hours. Primary fermentation was at approx 72 deg for five days. Racked to secondary (5 gal glass) S.G 1.042, tasted fruity but not overpowering. After 13 days total, all fermentation activity ceased. Bottled with 3/4 cup honey. F.G. 1.030.

Specifics:

OG: 1078
FG: 1030