Help me come up with my 50th Birthday (or my Memorial) 5 year aged Barleywine recipe.

**Revvy** · 09-10-2010, 01:45 PM

I mentioned on and off the last year that for my 45th Birthday I had planned to brew a huge Barleywine that I wanted to lay up for 5 years until my 50th. But with all the heart crap going on this summer, plans for it, and even the desire for it has fallen by the wayside.

My Birthday was August 27th.

And to be brutally honest, I have no clue if I'm even going to be alive in 5 years to enjoy the fruits of this endeavor.

But my wonderful swmbo has been pushing me to do this for a couple of weeks now, as some sort of "brewing therapy" to get back into doing something that I love. (I haven't brewed anything since the batch I brewed 3 days before they discovered my heart issues in early July, in fact that batch is still sitting in primary, where I MAY indeed prove myself wrong about autolysis

.)

With some nudging by her, I've decided to brew this monster on Sept. 19th. Several brewing buddies are coming together (anyone locally is welcome, btw-PM me) with enough gear to pull off something big and beyond my turkey fryer/cooler setup. One of my friends and his wife have graciously offered their house and their yard to hang out and brew in, and are firing up a smoker to make this a true brewing party.

And they have decided that if I'm not around on my 50th that they'll drink it as a tribute to me, so it won't go to waste.

So, as the title states, help me come up with a recipe fitting of this kind of poignant, if not slightly morbid task. (I'm half tempted to label it with "Drink this in memory of me" on it.)

I've looked at some recipes, including PTN's Utopia Clones, and the 9-9-9 Barleywines. And I have about 50# of 2-row laying calling for me to brew with it. But having never tackled a hug beer like this, I'm kinda at a loss as to where to begin.

I am considering pulling at least a gallon, maybe 2 of it down the line and freeze concentrating it, to really make something potent.

So I'd appreciate it if you guys who mean so much to me, would help me come up with something special.

And if anyone's aroung SE Michigan a week from Sunday, and wants to help out/or hang out, let me know.

Thanks Gang.

If you are interested, the final recipe is here.

Final Version.

Memorex88 · 09-10-2010, 02:18 PM

Rev, I didn't know about your condition till now?
I myself had 4 stents installed 2 years ago so I understand somewhat what your going through.

How about Ultimate Journey Barleywine! Seeing we both have Harleys and enjoy the wind-in-the-hair AND if your not around (stop thinking that) it sorta fits the label.

Good luck my friend!

FirefighterSR2 · 09-10-2010, 03:10 PM

Well, if this really is a "bucket list" type of a beer, I would definitely suggest going with the PtN Utopia Clone.

I was thinking about brewing this up myself and cracking a few bottles with friends every year on the anniversary of my (thus far) successful surgery to remove renal cell cancer. It will be called "Russian Roulette" for a variety of different reasons

Besides, it would give you a good excuse to re-read the two threads about the beers that are hilarious.

Go big, or go home...

Cheers,

Shawn

**Brew-boy** · 09-10-2010, 03:16 PM

Sorry to hear about this Revvy I hope you will be able to enjoy that BW 10 years after you brew it. I have only done one BW and it has been it the keg aging for almost a year. I went with Jamil's recipe as it is a proven winner.

6 gallon batch

Grain/Extract/Sugar
% Amount Name Origin Extract SRM
86.3 22.00 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row) Great Britain 1.098 3
3.9 1.00 lbs. Crystal 75L Great Britian 1.004 75
3.9 1.00 lbs. Crystal 20L America 1.004 20
1.0 0.25 lbs. Special B Malt Belgian 1.001 120
1.0 0.25 lbs. Chocolate Malt - Pale Great Britain 1.001 200
3.9 1.00 lbs. Corn Sugar Generic 1.008 0

Exract represented as SG.

Hops
Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
2.00 oz. Magnum Pellet 15.50 96.0 60 min
1.00 oz. Chinook Pellet 13.00 0.0 0 min
1.50 oz. Centennial Pellet 10.50 0.0 0 min
1.50 oz. Amarillo Gold Pellet 10.00 0.0 0 min

Yeast
White Labs WLP001 California Ale

Mash Schedule
Mash Type: Single Step
Grain Lbs: 24.50
Water Qts: 31.85 Before Additional Infusions
Water Gal: 7.96 Before Additional Infusions
Qts Water Per Lbs Grain: 1.30 Before Additional Infusions

Rest Temp Time
Saccharification Rest: 149 60 Min
Mash-out Rest: 168 10 Min
Sparge: 170 60 Min

Fred Bonjour is a BW guy his is very very good. He told me he boils a min of 120 mins to get the flavors to develop that he is looking for.

Starderup · 09-10-2010, 03:25 PM

Keep brewing and drinking!!! It ales what cures ya!!
Seriously, if I wasn't a thousand miles away, I'd be there. Hang tight or hang loose, but just keep hanging, bud.

Justibone · 09-10-2010, 04:22 PM

SWMBO is right... obey her on this one. She knows you well and wants you to be happy... so make her happy by making sure you enjoy yourself next weekend.

**rod** · 09-10-2010, 04:34 PM

keep the faith revvy - brew it and plan to enjoy it in 5 years and a bottle every year after that.
best wishes
rod

**IrregularPulse** · 09-10-2010, 04:42 PM

+1 to rod. Brew it up, then one bottle every year after that in celebration of "beating that thing you had way back when you were 45"

I vote the Utopia Clone as well.

Ti28 · 09-10-2010, 04:47 PM

You'll be aound to drink it, don't worry.

Justibone · 09-10-2010, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ti28

You'll be aound to drink it, don't worry.

I know this is well intentioned, but remember, it can sometimes, under these types of circumstances, end up sounding a bit hollow.

We don't know what Revvy's been going through, but if it stopped him from brewing, it was serious.

Effort can change attitude, but baseless optimism can do more harm than good, from what I've seen in my life. Working in a nephrology division I've seen a lot of very sick people, and they bear a huge burden. Optimism is great, but let's remember that these problems are real -- and then let's make an effort to be optimistic about it!

Revvy, you've got a lot of people in your corner.