Initially designed to be brewed to around 14-15% and put in barrels for release whenever they had soaked up enough of that delicious bourbon and oak, Pat and Dave came to us and said, “Guys, we want to drink Imperial Stout now. We don’t want to wait.” And so a second batch of imperial stout was brewed. We used the same recipe, just toned down a bit. At 9.5%, this second stout is like the little brother to the barrel aged version.

Marris Otter makes up the base malt for both variants, backed with some Light Munich and Flaked Wheat for body. The dark side of the grist bill include Caramunich Type 2, Simpson’s Chocolate malt, Simpson’s Dark Crystal, and a bit of that old Briess Midnight Wheat keeping things smooth. With a starting gravity of 24P and only two turns to get there, it proved to a bit of a challenge. In short, we had to push our brewdeck to the absolute limit – think dark oatmeal-like mash hitting the glass manway on the top of the mash mixer. Once in tank, our house yeast London Ale III went to work and did an absolute ripper of a job.

A big body provides a sweet chocolate base that’s thick like oil with layers of coffee and booze providing just the right kind of protection against Melbourne winter. Served in a 440mL can!

The first beer to be released upon the world from our Dark Deeds series is a hat tip to the White Rider, the first of the four Horseman of the Apocalypse. Symbolizing a conquest of the dark over the light. Don’t worry the other horseman aren’t far behind!

Come have a taste at The Alehouse Project this Friday from 3PM.