Big buzz barleywine

This is my first recipe I've made and my 3rd overall brew,b but with the help of my LHBS owner I feel like its going to be really good. The recipe is as follows.

1LB. of C-60
1/2 LB of Maris
1/2 LB of Boulauder Munich
1/4 LB of Victory
1/4 LB of Carapils

6 LB of Pilsen LME
3 LB of golden light LME
2 LB of regular cane sugar

1 oz of Czech Saaz hops (bittering)
1oz of Kent Golding (aroma)

2 oz. of French oak chips

1 pack of safale 05

5oz of dextrose

Steep grains at 165 for 60 min in 2 gallons water

Bring to a boil and add LME and sugar.

Add Czech Saaz @ 60 min

Add Kent Golding @ 15 min

Top off wort to 5 gallons and cool to 60 degrees, pour into fermenter and pitch safale 05 and seal

Primary for 14 day then rack on to oak chips in secondary for 25 days

Rack onto 5 oz of dextrose and bottle

After 20 days keep in bottles at 50 degrees till you are ready to drink.

ENJOY,
Robert

Brewmaster warehouse say I should get 10.5 % ABV but I think it will be closer to 11%. I'm brewing this tomorrow and I will update with my OG after that.

Anyone have any suggestions on this?

Bump for evening people

Anybody?

Can you get a second yeast pack? A 10% beer with one pack of yeast is going to struggle.

I would pitch 2 packs of s05 in order to not underpitch. Also, I would utilize a higher alpha acid hop at the beginning of the boil such as chinook. Otherwise, it will end up unbalanced, being way more sweet than bitter.

14 day primary may be short for this beer. Maybe 30 days primary, then rack to the oak for 15-30 days. Then bottle at least 6 months before drinking.

I thought about that but I don't want to lose a little residual sweetness from the in fermented sugars, I also thought if after 10 days my gravity wasn't where I felt it should be I would re pitch half a pack and then the rest 10 days later. Is that an ok thing to do?

I can defiantly leave it in primary for 30 days and secondary longer too thanks

I went with the Saaz because I'm not a huge fan of overly hoppy beers. If I have to choose I'd rather it be a little sweeter than bitter. If you still think I should change ill check into it

If you have unfermented sugars then you won't be able to carbonate it in the bottle by adding dextrose. That high of a starting OG will leave a high enough FG. Pitch 2 packs.

Ok thanks

That makes a lot of sense

ThaBrewFather06 said:

I thought about that but I don't want to lose a little residual sweetness from the in fermented sugars, I also thought if after 10 days my gravity wasn't where I felt it should be I would re pitch half a pack and then the rest 10 days later. Is that an ok thing to do?

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1) Underpitching is a poor way to leave residual sweetness. The yeast will be stressed and make some nasty flavors

2) Pitching into already fermented wort, especially of this gravity, is not likely to accomplish anything.

Pitch the right amount of yeast, aerate well, ferment in primary for at least a month (it's not a race). Then rack to oak.

Here's my take on your recipe - looks like a good one but I think the more time it ferments and rests, the better.

1lb. Crystal 60
½ lb Munich
¼ lb Victory
¼ lb Carapils or Carafoam
¼ lb of flaked oats

6 lb of light DME
3 lb of amber DME
1 lb of turbinado (raw) sugar

1 oz of Czech Saaz hops (bittering)
1oz of Kent Golding (aroma)

2 oz. of French oak chips soaked for 24 hours in distilled water (or sherry maybe?)

1 pack of safale 05
1 pack of champagne yeast

5oz of dextrose (or sufficient carb drops)

Steep grains at 155 for 60 min in 2 gallons water

Bring to a boil and add 2 pounds light DME.

Add Czech Saaz @ 60 min

Add remaining dry malt and raw sugar and Kent Golding @ 15 min

Top off wort to 5 gallons and cool to 60 degrees, pour into fermenter and pitch safale 05 and seal

Primary for 30+ days
Rack onto oak chips and add champagne yeast and allow to ferment for 30 days
Remove oak and allow to settle for 30 days.

Rack onto 5 oz of dextrose (dissolved in 1 pint of wort or boiled water) and bottle. (I’d rather use carb drops for this beer but either can work just fine).

Cap bottles with oxy-caps and allow to rest and carbonate in a cool dark space for 30 days. The beer will be better the longer it is allowed to age.

A couple of notes - steeping grains above 160 degrees F will result in tannins being extracted - this will make the beer astringent (unpleasantly dry). Pure cane sugar (especially in a long fermenting beer such as this) can lead to cidery flavors - swapping in a raw sugar (or honey or molasses) can avoid this as well as bringing some complex flavors to the party. Belgian Candi sugar would also be a good sub.

You mentioned sweetness so I upped the Munich and added some oats (the oats will provide some texture as well).

Added a champagne yeast to finish out the fermentation as US-05 has a maximum alcohol tolerance of 12% - depending on your fermentation area most times it ends up at 10% - the champagne yeast will be able to finish you out at a higher tolerance level as well as have enough "umph" to carbonate in bottle.

I forgot to update but my OG was 1.094 I brewed last Saturday. I only went with the one safale 05 because it has the ability to do up to 11% which is where it should be anyway. I don't see any reason to pitch a double dose if one is sufficient. Will update FG in 30 days or so.

jerich01 said:

Added a champagne yeast to finish out the fermentation as US-05 has a maximum alcohol tolerance of 12% - depending on your fermentation area most times it ends up at 10% - the champagne yeast will be able to finish you out at a higher tolerance level as well as have enough "umph" to carbonate in bottle.

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Since the usual champagne yeasts are competitive yeasts, if you pitch S05 and champagne simultaneously, the champagne yeast will begin killing the s05. Pitch champagne when the starter yeast is done...or WLP099.

ThaBrewFather06 said:

I forgot to update but my OG was 1.094 I brewed last Saturday. I only went with the one safale 05 because it has the ability to do up to 11% which is where it should be anyway. I don't see any reason to pitch a double dose if one is sufficient. Will update FG in 30 days or so.

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Sometimes, if you under pitch, the yeast get too tired or too damaged to keep fermenting and stall out.

ThaBrewFather06 said:

I forgot to update but my OG was 1.094 I brewed last Saturday. I only went with the one safale 05 because it has the ability to do up to 11% which is where it should be anyway. I don't see any reason to pitch a double dose if one is sufficient. Will update FG in 30 days or so.

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One isn't sufficient for 5 gallons of 1.094 beer, though.

jerich01 said:

A couple of notes - steeping grains above 160 degrees F will result in tannins being extracted - this will make the beer astringent (unpleasantly dry). Pure cane sugar (especially in a long fermenting beer such as this) can lead to cidery flavors - swapping in a raw sugar (or honey or molasses) can avoid this as well as bringing some complex flavors to the party. Belgian Candi sugar would also be a good sub.

You mentioned sweetness so I upped the Munich and added some oats (the oats will provide some texture as well).

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Steeping grains that hot won't result in tannins unless the pH is too high. Cane sugar won't result in cidery flavors so long as your fermentation temperatures are held in check and you're pitching enough healthy yeast.

ThaBrewFather06 said:

I forgot to update but my OG was 1.094 I brewed last Saturday. I only went with the one safale 05 because it has the ability to do up to 11% which is where it should be anyway. I don't see any reason to pitch a double dose if one is sufficient. Will update FG in 30 days or so.

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That means that STRAIN of yeast can handle 11% alcohol, not that DOSE of yeast.

looneybomber said:

Since the usual champagne yeasts are competitive yeasts, if you pitch S05 and champagne simultaneously, the champagne yeast will begin killing the s05. Pitch champagne when the starter yeast is done...or WLP099.

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That's why you would pitch one at the beginning; allow it to ferment out and then add the second. This is common with many bottle conditioned beers, especially Belgians.

PseudoChef said:

Steeping grains that hot won't result in tannins unless the pH is too high. Cane sugar won't result in cidery flavors so long as your fermentation temperatures are held in check and you're pitching enough healthy yeast.

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I actually disagree on the tannin issues, though many people think that. Tannins are set by temperature and not ph (which will fluctuate into "basic" territory anyway with this recipe. It's why you have to be careful when cooking a red wine sauce as well. When you get into boiling temps, if you stay there too long, there is a very high incidence of tannin extraction.

When I worked for a local brew shop, tannin in beers was one of the more prevalent small beginner issues we saw.

And finally I don't think I've ever seen anyone recommend cane sugar in a beer other than those can kits from Australia and NZ - sugar just doesn't bring anything to the party but an alcohol bump and bad kettle caramel. When I started brewing it was one of the limited options we have but you have a wider range of choices that bring more flavor to the party now.

pabloj13 said:

That means that STRAIN of yeast can handle 11% alcohol, not that DOSE of yeast.

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Exactly and that 11% is under IDEAL conditions.

jerich01 said:

And finally I don't think I've ever seen anyone recommend cane sugar in a beer other than those can kits from Australia and NZ - sugar just doesn't bring anything to the party but an alcohol bump and bad kettle caramel. When I started brewing it was one of the limited options we have but you have a wider range of choices that bring more flavor to the party now.

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https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/ad...ot-going-make-taste-like-freakin-cider-90498/

PseudoChef said:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/ad...ot-going-make-taste-like-freakin-cider-90498/

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A great post when applied to Belgians... Thanks for sharing.

Too late to change it now. I'll update when it turns out ok.

The person who designed this recipe has been brewing for 30 years and can tell a lot about a beer by tasting it. She also knows the owner of DFH and I have the upmost faith in her. I'm not trying to down what you guys are saying but she has never let me down, so we will see.

I would definitely pitched more yeast. You way under pitched. Try using mr malty next time.

ThaBrewFather06 said:

The person who designed this recipe has been brewing for 30 years and can tell a lot about a beer by tasting it. She also knows the owner of DFH and I have the upmost faith in her. I'm not trying to down what you guys are saying but she has never let me down, so we will see.

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It's going to make beer, for sure. Will it be the best beer possible? Maybe not. But mostly just wanted to clarify your misunderstanding about what the yeast alcohol tolerance number represents.

jerich01 said:

A couple of notes - steeping grains above 160 degrees F will result in tannins being extracted - this will make the beer astringent (unpleasantly dry). Pure cane sugar (especially in a long fermenting beer such as this) can lead to cidery flavors - swapping in a raw sugar (or honey or molasses) can avoid this as well as bringing some complex flavors to the party. Belgian Candi sugar would also be a good sub.

You mentioned sweetness so I upped the Munich and added some oats (the oats will provide some texture as well).

Click to expand...

I am a fan of highly fermentable sugar including cane in high ABV beers to keep FG in an enjoyable range.

I just transferred into secondary with the French oak chips and as I had hoped the single packet of safale 05 was fine in the wort the FG was 1.012 which gives me around 11% ABV.

ThaBrewFather06 said:

I just transferred into secondary with the French oak chips and as I had hoped the single packet of safale 05 was fine in the wort the FG was 1.012 which gives me around 11% ABV.

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You sure shut a lot of folks up, including me. That's good attenuation with just one packet.

I forget the details of this thread, but were you going to dry hop this 8mo from now when you're ready to bottle?

insane.

That's a mighty low FG considering there was a full pound of C60 in there, IMO.

looneybomber said:

You sure shut a lot of folks up, including me. That's good attenuation with just one packet.

I forget the details of this thread, but were you going to dry hop this 8mo from now when you're ready to bottle?

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To be fair, low attenuation isn't even the major reason to not under pitch. Over stressing the yeast into making off flavors is a big reason.

I don't like a really hoppy beer so I'm not going to dry hop but I am going to leave in primary for around 2-3 months before bottling. I don't have a fermentation chamber so I'm afraid to let it sit in secondary more than I can control the temp at around 70 degrees. My basement is always around 60 degrees is that too cool to leave my fermenter in or would I be alright leaving at that low a temp.

I only use a secondary for adding extra flavors, for example, cherries, oak, dry hopping, etc... If I am not adding anything after the primary fermentation, I let it completely ferment out, wait a week or so, then bottle. No need to add an extra step of sanitizing, cleaning, etc...

That said, the beers I've had aging recently (one is still in secondary on oak), were kept around 60-63 in the basement.