MacGruber

Recipes 

Want to make a barley wine now that I've upgraded my equipment and can handle large amounts of grain. I would like this to be ready for December. When would you all brew a big barley wine?

jeffd10

Recipes 

I think you brew that in Febuary so it is ready in December...

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Crito

Recipes 

everyone I talked to, it ages for 8 months at least, just like imperial russian stout.

MacGruber

Recipes 

That's what I figured. I guess it will have to wait until next year.

Revvy

Recipes 

No, brew it now, and leave it til the following Christmas. This isn't something with a limited shelf life...The bigger you make it, the longer it will take to come together. And the better it will be.

I have a Barleywine that I brewed and will have aged it 5 years before drinking.

If you want to brew a barleywine now, brew it....don't change the brew date, change the serving date.

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Chap

Recipes 

Gotta agree w/ Revvy (who doesn't), I brewed a BW in Apr 2011 that is just now coming in to it's own. Oak and hops are mellowing nicely. A 10.4% and 96 IBU beer is becoming a very nice sipper. I brewed another BW (~9% and 106 IBU) in May of this year that I hope is ready before I leave the island in Nov of '13. Brew now, drink later

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afr0byte

Recipes 

You could also do a 1.080's range English style Barleywine and have it ready for Christmas (perhaps not at its peak flavor, but still good).

powerfreak

Recipes 

I have one that I will be bottling in a week or two. I may try one at Thanksgiving, just to see where its at. It'll be a better a month later at Christmas.

I plan to brew the same beer again (if its good) over the next couple of years and have a vertical tasting to compare them.

Brew it. Try it green. Try it again a month or two later. And again. Why not? It's your beer my friend!

T-Dan

Recipes 

I have a BW in primary right now that will go to secondary in a couple weeks (4 wks in primary), and it will be in secondary until the middle of November (8 wks).

Hoping to try one or two at Christmas, but will let the rest age and see how they are over time.

I am planning to get smaller bottles (6 oz, or 187ml) if i can find some that aren't clear; that has been tough so far. I will have more bottles to sample over time that way!

stjackson

Recipes 

I brewed one back on July 1st, just bottled it a couple days ago. 1.101 OG, finished around 1.021, 10.7%-ish ABV. It was delicious right out of the fermenter. I'll probably try one on Thanksgiving, but it might not be even full carbonated by then. I'm going to keep as much of it as I can though until at least Christmas 2013.

I agree with everyone else, though: stay with your plan and brew it now and just drink it next year sometime.