Dark Vanner (Bourbon barrel Imperial Dark Beer)

[jpsherman]

The name is inspired by my 3 year old daughter that calls Darth Vader, "Dark Vanner." Not sure that this would still qualify as a porter or stout, so I will just call it a dark beer. And Vader is Imperial and Dark side so it fits.

2.86# HME MrB Winter Dark HME
1.87# MrB St. Patrick's Irish Stout HME
1# Extra Dark DME

Steeped for 30 min:
6oz chocolate malt
3oz C60 malt

Danstar Nottingham yeast

1oz French oak chips (medium toast) soaked in Jim Beam Black Label (will measure quantity before dumping in keg, if I remember) will add after about a week of fermentation

This should be nearly 11% abv, I believe Notty can handle this right? Or should I pitch another yeast for carb?
Never oaked a beer, and I have yet to add the oak, but the oak is in boubon now. Any tips?

[BigPapaG]

Looks good JP...

Notty should handle the ABV... Might consider feeding some of the DME during primart next time to give the yeast a lower gravity wort to start with, and then get them excited with a feeding later to finish up...

But you should be ok. What's your fermentation temp? Around 68°F should be ok...

I'm thinking you pitched 11g?

For the oaking... Chips impart flavor pretty quickly as compared to cubes, spirals or spires.

Sample after a few days to see if it's where you want it to be, or if you need to go longer.

Should be a great sipper for those cold Iowa Winter Nights...

[jpsherman]

Looks good JP...

Notty should handle the ABV... Might consider feeding some of the DME during primart next time to give the yeast a lower gravity wort to start with, and then get them excited with a feeding later to finish up...

But you should be ok. What's your fermentation temp? Around 68°F should be ok...

For the oaking... Chips impart flavor pretty quickly as compared to cubes, spirals or spires.

Sample after a few days to see if it's where you want it to be, or if you need to go longer.

Should be a great sipper for those cold Iowa Winter Nights...

Pitched at 62, the brew room stays around 63-65 this time of year. Also yes, the whole 11g.

Yep, hoping for a good sipper. Too bad I've got a bottle of Jim I've got to get rid of somehow.

[BigPapaG]

Yeah, the Beam... Well, it does age well...

You could just hold on to it for future oak soakings...

... Naw... What was I thinking!

[jpsherman]

Call me strange, but I love the Beam. I actually prefer the Rye, but that wasn't profile I was going for here. Now, obviously if I could afford it, I would get the super premium stuff. But anything under super premium I go with Jim Beam.

[jpsherman]

Update: At bottling this was already very tasty. I'm guessing the strong oaky flavor was masking any early off flavors. I'm pretty excited to sample this one in about 6 months!

[John Sand]

Cool!