Hmm.... Raspberry Chocolate
So, if you have 11lbs of raspberries, want something reminiscent of chocolate and raspberries, and you love beer, what do you do? Easy! Make Papazian’s Unspoken Passion Imperial Stout.
11 lbs of Raspberries
So, this freaking expensive beer makes 6.5 gallons, and takes 6lbs light malt extract, TWO 4lb stout kits, 1.5lbs crystal malt, 1/2lb black roasted malt, 3/4lb roasted barley, 1/2lb chocolate malt, 3oz strong bittering hops (I used Chinook), 2oz of Cascades, and 11lbs of raspberries. As I said, FREAKING EXPENSIVE! Fortunately, I had some side work I did that was able to afford me this stuff.
Beer Ingredients
Unspoken Passion Beer Recipe
Ok, some logistical issues. This massive amount of stuff requires a BIG stock pot. I attempted to make due with my 4 gallon one, which theoretically should have held it all. Held the grains at 150-160 for 30 minutes, then strained the grains out and started my boil.
Grains mashing
Chinook Hop Pellets
Well, added the malt extract and the boiling hops. My pot was almost full. Turned my back for less than 5 seconds when this happened…
Beer Boil Over
The largest boil over I’ve ever had. It entered all the burners, into the stove, down the front of the stove…. everywhere! Lost a bunch of beer, malt, and hops. So, had to spent almost an hour cleaning the stove, the front of the stove, the inside of the stove, the pots, the floor- you name it, I cleaned it.
Cleaned stove
Now, mind you, I’m already tired and grouchy. I didn’t need this. So, after this fiasco I returned my wort to a boil and added the two stout kits. Had the heat low, was watching the pot closely, Tracy asked me a question, and while answering it (less than 30 seconds) this happened:
Boilover part 2
Lesson learned. Get a bigger stock pot. Got it, now lets finish this stinking beer, cause it’s ticking me off.
Once the boil was finished I added the Cascade hops and split the wort between my two pots, as I needed to add the raspberries. Added raspberries and let it sit for 30 minutes to pasteurize the berries. Then, it was time to dump it in my fermenter.
Now, since it calls for 8 gallons with some head room, I decided to split this between two fermenters at 4 gallons each. Added the wort to the first fermenter fine, then went to put the second pot into my glass carboy.
Glass carboy. With the tiny opening. And I don’t have a big enough funnel.
So, I took the biggest funnel I had and tried it. No go. It got plugged.
Cut the bottom off the funnel, then was able to get the berries into the carboy with some poking. Made a mess doing it too. Had beer wort all over the carboy and the floor and the counter. Lesson number two: Have the right freaking equipment.
Got the beer in, cleaned my mess and went to bed an hour and a half later than I had planned on. Next day I took the initial gravity (1.084- HOLY FREAKING COMMIE PINKO THAT’S HUGE!), and pitched the yeast. Despite all the frustration making this, it should be a mighty fine beer.
Unspoken Passion in fermenters
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