[blatz]

beware that Bill's recipe will likely only get you around 7.8-8.0% ABV.  good double stout, but not quite the 9%+ imperial/Raspy clone you may be looking for.

I would juice up the 2row to get your OG about 8-10 points higher if that's your goal.

[Joe Sr.]

Or add some sugar...

[klickitat jim]

Or add some sugar...

Cheater! Also could add alcohol

[denny]

beware that Bill's recipe will likely only get you around 7.8-8.0% ABV.  good double stout, but not quite the 9%+ imperial/Raspy clone you may be looking for.

I would juice up the 2row to get your OG about 8-10 points higher if that's your goal.

I scaled it to get 1.100 for my 100th batch.

[Indy574]

I recently tried Oskar Blues Ten Fidy (on tap) all I can say is WOW!  I will defentely have to try their BA version, and that beer isn’t cheap.

All this talk on stouts made me change my decision on yeast. Originally it was going to be Safale 05, but now I switched to 1450.

[Robert]

You guys got me thinking. Time for OR again.  I go into one of my better local markets and there's new girl working beer.  She agrees OR is mighty tasty but says they don't have anything NC at the moment, and recommends HER favorite,  New Holland Dragon's Milk Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout, 11% abv.   Anybody had this? Did I blow $17 for a 4 pack? I'd never question the recommendation of the regular beer & wine manager, I've known her 20+ years. Not sure when I'll try this (but my birthday is this weekend.)

Dragons Milk is tasty. I remember the first time I had it and have continued to drink it on occasion. There are better barrel aged stouts out there but New Holland brews some good beer.

Thanks for reassurance. We have two local breweries somewhat known for barrel aged stouts (Thirsty Dog and Hoppin' Frog), so I figured a Michigan brew must be good if a local girl prefers it! Or maybe she's new in town.

Dragon's Milk is a favorite in our house.  IMO, you cannot go wrong with Dragon's Milk.  However, I have not been particularly impressed with their Reserve series.  Not any better and more expensive.

Thanks, Joe!  Probably wouldn't try Reserve w/o a good reference or two, this $17 is about as far as I'm inclined to go on a 4 pack.  I haven't even tried one of my hometown jobs yet, the barrel aged version of Thirsty Dog Siberian Night --  $23! Yikes!

So I am now nursing at the Dragon's teat, as it were.  I am surprised at how strongly the Bourbon character comes through in such a big beer.  I am also surprised at how little else there is (relatively speaking) to compete with the Bourbon.  I will enjoy this 4 pack, but it's unlikely I'll revisit this soon.  There are surely more rewarding opportunities.
This just seems a little 1-dimensional. For the coin.
EDIT to be fair to fans of this, it's one helluva smooth 11% beer. Respectable.  Just not exciting me just now.  I do see why Beer Girl recommended it.

[klickitat jim]

So initially I suspected Old Rasputin was an English strain. Then yada yada the thread. Today I brewed with 1450 for about the 4th time. I always smell my starter flasks after pitching because I love fresh fermentation aromas. With 1450 it always smells moderately grapey. So with some googling we can track 1450 from Wyeast to Denny to Brewtek to North Coast to UC Davis. I wonder where they got it, because grape screams English to me.

[Robert]

If it was in fact banked by UC Davis, that information must be available to the public, right? Why not email them?

[klickitat jim]

I clicked around and couldn't figure it out, got tired of it and put on Space Cowboys lol

[Robert]

I clicked around and couldn't figure it out, got tired of it and put on Space Cowboys lol

[ethinson]

One really good Imp. Stout I had recently was Big Bad Baptist.  It was one of those where you go "Damn.  That's good stuff."  I don't recall the brewery.

Big Bad Baptist is from EPIC Brewing.  That is a good beer, and it always trips me out that they are based in SLC, Utah where they can't even sell those 13% behemoths.  They also have a brewery in Colorado.  They make it to the Portland Market quite often.

So I am now nursing at the Dragon's teat, as it were.  I am surprised at how strongly the Bourbon character comes through in such a big beer.  I am also surprised at how little else there is (relatively speaking) to compete with the Bourbon.  I will enjoy this 4 pack, but it's unlikely I'll revisit this soon.  There are surely more rewarding opportunities.
This just seems a little 1-dimensional. For the coin.
EDIT to be fair to fans of this, it's one helluva smooth 11% beer. Respectable.  Just not exciting me just now.  I do see why Beer Girl recommended it.

This was my experience with Dragon's Milk as well.  I had to try it since it was the first thing to show up when New Holland broke into the Portland market.  It was good, but really strong.  Almost overpowering.  I don't remember what I paid for a single 12oz bottle... probably in the 4-7$ range.  It had a lot going on, and yes a huge bourbon punch.  I might be interested to try a small pour on draft just to see if it's different than the bottles, but like you, its a "ok.. I tried it..." beer and probably won't go back.

[BrewingRover]

Big Bad Baptist is from EPIC Brewing.  That is a good beer, and it always trips me out that they are based in SLC, Utah where they can't even sell those 13% behemoths.  They also have a brewery in Colorado.  They make it to the Portland Market quite often.

Things have loosened slightly and breweries are allowed to sell their own packaged beers on site. I got a great Uinta Imperial Stout at the brewery a couple of years ago. You still have to pay the state mark up, though