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**efreem01** · 11-02-2007, 04:45 PM

Hi All,

I've been thinking of doing a BIG Barleywine recipe. Around 14-15%. This is one i'm probably going to age for 6-12 months. Does anyone have recommendations on what grain bill/ingredients i could use to produce a more well-rounded beer?

I've seen barleywine recipes with Honey, corn sugar, DME, and huge grain bills to achieve that high of a gravity. What would be a good combination of ingredients to use?

What IBU should i be looking to hit? Etc.

Ó Flannagáin · 11-02-2007, 05:02 PM

I'd go lotta grain, maybe 18+lbs and then DME, and maybe some honey if you want that character.

**Bobby_M** · 11-02-2007, 05:46 PM

You'll definitely want some portion of it to be simple sugar, either dextrose or even table sugar to help dry it out. In that big of a bill, a pound or two would not change the flavor. If your MLT can handle a big enough grain bill to get your volume on pure first runnings, great. If not, sparge and then make up the gravity either by a really long boil or 3lbs of DME.

**the_bird** · 11-02-2007, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobby_M

If your MLT can handle a big enough grain bill to get your volume on pure first runnings, great.

That's what I'd do - then collect the second runnings and brew something else!

brewt00l · 11-02-2007, 05:51 PM

I posed a similar question
http://homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=37648

Granted, I only shot for 11%. Transfered to the secondary the other weekend and it was high test city

**the_bird** · 11-02-2007, 05:58 PM

If you do add supplemental sugars to the wort, you might consider adding them *during* fermentation. That way, you don't stress the yeast out too much. Get as many sugars through your grain as you can, do your boil, oxygenate as much as you can, pitch a huge starter. Let the yeast get to work. When they start slowing down, boil up some DME in a small amount of water, chill it, and add it to the fermenter. Do that a couple times - basically step up the beer, so that the yeast are never trying to chow down on 1.150 wort.

Less stressed yeast = fewer off-flavors and a reduced chance of a stuck ferment.

I'll also mash real low and long - like, 148° for ninety minutes. It'll end up plenty chewey just because of all the malt - you're going to be battling to keep it from being syrupy.

**efreem01** · 11-02-2007, 06:38 PM

Here is what i have so far for a basic recipe. I'm not sure what to do for Hops. IBU or variety.

Assuming 75% Efficiency
3# Amber DME
20# Pale Malt
.5# Crystal 60l
2# Corn Sugar

I'm going to add the DME and Dextrose as the barleywine ferments using the process you guys gave me.

OG 1.156
FG 1.033
Est. 15.6% Alcohol.

PseudoChef · 11-03-2007, 02:30 AM

This is actually on my bill as well. I'm shooting in the 12-14% range.

One thing that I believe will be truly essential, is to not take a 1.156 gravity right into the fermentor and add your MASSIVE yeast starter. You will need to start off at a lower OG and then as fermentation begins, do supplemental sugar additions/DME additions.

You also want to aerate the living piss out of the wort.

RedSun · 11-03-2007, 04:16 PM

Time for an oxygenating stone if you don't already have one. A good minute will do you on regular brews.... I'd go more on this one. Excited to see how it comes out. I've been thinking along these lines myself. A barley-mead type concoction. Honey is always tasty, Home Brewers Outpost has excellent honey in whatever quant/flavor you need. Pure and great on a peanut butter sammich too!

avidhomebrewer · 11-09-2007, 01:11 AM

As others have posted, a HUGE yeast starter is necessary. I would also step it up as others have eluded to. I made Samichlaus back in Dec of 05, with 23# of grain and 2# table sugar. I started fermenting about 3 gallons and when that was completed, i would add about 1/2 gallon more wort at a time. The fermentation took forever, but it didn't stress the yeast too much. By the time this is done, it will be around 18%. I also had to add high gravity yeast (Eu di vie?) from wyeast to get it over the edge.