Pop's Reserve: Semper Fi Sarge III

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.  Well, that’s the motto I take regarding my imperial stout recipe.  By leaps and bounds, my favorite type of beer I brew.  Sure, the complexities and booziness of an imperial stout can hide any imperfections, but last I checked, nothing was perfect.  In my past two versions, Sarge I and Sarge II- Rays Return, bourbon soaked woodchips were added (for a barrel aged effect) along with some vanilla beans in the secondary.  I decided to add these beers to what I’ve named my Pop’s Reserve Series (what my grandma referred to my grandpa by).  Pop’s Reserve Series will be bigger beers I will only brew once a year and I’ll do my best to cellar a majority of them.

When creating the recipe for this third version, I wanted to incorporate ingredients from some of my favorite places I had been this year.  The first being Jamaican coffee since we went to Ochos Rios on our honeymoon and I spent most mornings with it on the balcony.  The second is Vermont Maple Syrup since we spend a majority of our holidays there and the beer selection is amazing.  Lastly, this year I chose to not use liquid bourbon on oak chips, instead I used barrel shavings from a Four Roses barrel from Kentucky.  Rich with a hearty bourbon, oak, and char smell…they should add a wonderful nose to the beer.  Sticking you head in the sack of chips is enough to almost knock you out.  My truck smelled fantastic for days afterward.

Date of Initial Brew:  11/20/2011

Type of Beer: Imperial Stout

Name of Beer:  Semper Fi Sarge III

Extract or All Grain:  All Grain

Grains used:  20lb 2-row, 3 lbs Chocolate, 2 lb Roasted Barley, 2 lbs Cara 60L, 1 lb Victory, 1lb Black Patent

Hop Schedule:  1 oz Chinook (60), 1 oz Chinook (30), 1 oz Amarillo (15)

Spices Used:  2 lbs raisins in mash along with Ghirardelli Natural Cocoa Powder; Molassess, brown sugar, crush cacao nibs, and Jamaican coffee in burnout; shredded chips in primary. Cacao nips and VT Maple syrup in Secondary.

Yeast:  American Ale

Secondary Fermentation Date:  12/3

Bottling Date:  1/20/2012 carboy 1 and 2

NOTES:  produced 12 gallons

With brewer advice, I’ve started to add some ingredients to the mash instead of the primary or secondary.  The last time I put raisins in the secondary, the carbonation took off and raisins were all over our spare bedroom.  It was like someone took a machine gun to the California Raisins.  This was also my first time using natural cocoa powder as well.  I had read everywhere that it was a pain in the ass to use.  In all honesty, the mash tun wasn’t bad at all to clean out.

After two weeks in the primary with just the Four Roses barrel shreds, I transferred the 12 gallons (two carboys and a bucket) to the secondary and sat it on cacao nips and the maple syrup (one bottle per secondary).  I was really hoping for a beer similar to Founders Canadian Breakfast Stout, so we’ll see.  After 7 weeks in the secondary, I bottled about 25 bombers and 35 12 ouncers from the two car boys.  For 12 of the bombers, I decided to use the new logos my buddy Stephen gave me and wax seal the bottles.  Here is how they turned out:

As for the other 4 gallons in the bucket, I’m gonna let it sit a little longer because I don’t have enough bottles right now and I’m also lazy.  I checked on the bucket about a month ago and soon realized it wasn’t sealed on tight, rather it was just resting. Oops. Here’s to possible oxidation!