Need input on my barley wine all grain recipe
 

Thinking of brewing this on Memorial day in order to have it ready by the holidays. I am thinking I may have to add champange yeast after primary in order to bring the gravity on down, if needed.
What do you think?
Also Might throw in 2oz of medium toast oak cubes soaked in bourbon when i secondary.


19-C American Barleywine
Date: 5/24/10

Size: 5.5 gal
Efficiency: 75.0%
Attenuation: 75.0%
Calories: 410.47 kcal per 12.0 fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.121 (1.080 - 1.120)
Terminal Gravity: 1.030 (1.016 - 1.030)
Color: 19.98 (10.0 - 19.0)
Alcohol: 12.18% (8.0% - 12.0%)
Bitterness: 113.0 (50.0 - 120.0)

Ingredients:
15.0 lb 2-Row Brewers Malt
2.0 lb American Munich
1.0 lb Carapils®/Carafoam®
.5 lb Crystal Malt 60°L
.33 lb Chocolate Malt
1.0 lb Light Brown Sugar
3.0 lb Dry Light Extract
2.5 oz Chinook (11.5%) - added during boil, boiled 60 min
1.0 oz Fuggle (5.1%) - added during boil, boiled 15.0 min
1.0 oz Fuggle (5.1%) - added during boil, boiled 3.0 min
1.0 oz Chinook (11.5%) - added during boil, boiled 3.0 min
1.0 ea Danstar 3767 Nottingham

Ditch the chocolate malt. Up the crystal to 5%.

Why ditch and up the crystal?
I have never made a barleywine and would like to hear your reason.
Thanks!

My guess is he meant it cuz dark malts aren't typical for barleywines. From BJCP description:
Ingredients: Well-modified pale malt should form the backbone of the grist. Some specialty or character malts may be used. Dark malts should be used with great restraint, if at all, as most of the color arises from a lengthy boil. Citrusy American hops are common, although any varieties can be used in quantity. Generally uses an attenuative American yeast

You can certainly still use it if you want, but personally I think I'd use C120 or special B instead. Also, if you use 2 packets or make a starter I think you'll be fine without the champagne yeast.

Thanks.
I do plan to make a big starter and will evaluate the need for another yeast once it ferments out.

one reason for not using dark malts is that Barleywines use so much malt as it is that they tend to end up dark regardless, especially given the long boil noted above (and you should plan a 90 minute to 2 hour boil). I second using a small amount of dark crystal (120L or special B) just to add a little touch of character depth, but if you do this you will end up with plenty of color, should turn out a nice rich amber.....

...I brewed a barley wine that I fashioned after I tried, and loved, SN's Bigfoot barleywine, and went this route and it turned out fantastic. I don't think it will last me a year....need to make another one now.

also, I think the carapils is superfluous. You don't need to add body to this thing...it will have plenty.

Don't make a starter if you are using dry Nottingham. Just pitch two packets instead of one. And you want have any attenuation problems with the Notty. I almost always get 80% attentuation when I use it.

+1 to ditching the carapils, this thing will have plenty of body. Mash in the mid 150's if you want the body.

I 2nd that notti will do the trick. especially given that you have some simple sugar in there...in fact, I would mash low (150 range) because no matter what you do, with that much malt you are going to have a ton of body with all that grain. I did not use any sugars in mine, mashed at 149 and ended up with a full sipping beer. I wish I could offer a taste of this BW, because I think it is one of the best beers I have ever made....and I lost the recipe when my laptop died...(damn)

what's your thought process on the hops/schedule?

I'd lose the 3 min additions if this beer is being aged. All the aroma from those additions will be gone with any significant aging (>6 months).

Also, I don't think I'd plan on 75% eff., but maybe you can??

Personally, I would move more of your hops to late in the boil, plus add some to make up for the lost IBU's You are going to get nothing but bitter from where you are at now...this is mainly if you want hop flavor in there as well.

You can dry-hop after all of your bulk aging and you'll end up with some aroma, plus that will add more character to the mouthfeel believe it or not.