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Lodovico

Lodovico

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Ok, this is what I've come up with. Do I have too much going on here or can I pull this off? I think it has the potential to be really good. Probably be aging at least 9 months to get a true sense.

OG: 1.114
IBU: 108
ABV: 11.24

15# Two-Row
3.3# Pale LME
1# Crystal 10
1# Crystal 80
.25# Pale Chocolate
.25# Special B

16 oz. Maple Syrup
1# Clear Rock Candy

2.75 oz Magnum 12% 60 min
1.0 oz Centennial 0 min
1.0 oz Chinook 0 min

Adding toasted oak cubes that have been soaked in Maker's Mark to the secondary.

What do you think?
 
I don't think you need so many specialty malts. Might want to drop the chocolate malt.
I'd also sub table sugar for rock candy, unless you happen to have it handy.
 
I'd probably drop the flameout hops, you aren't going to get any aroma from them after 9 months. Consider dry hopping after aging to give it a fresh hop aroma, if that is what you are looking for.

I would probably drop the c-10, don't think it adds much to a big beer like this that even with the sugars will have plenty of residual sugar. Speaking of which, I would probably go for something more flavorful than clear candi rocks, maybe an unrefined sugar (turbinado, muscovado) or dark candi syrup.

I think it will be very tasty, just remember to treat your yeast right (high pitch rate, plenty of O2, steady/low fermentation temp, etc...). Good luck.
 
Oldsock said:
I'd probably drop the flameout hops, you aren't going to get any aroma from them after 9 months. Consider dry hopping after aging to give it a fresh hop aroma, if that is what you are looking for.

I would probably drop the c-10, don't think it adds much to a big beer like this that even with the sugars will have plenty of residual sugar. Speaking of which, I would probably go for something more flavorful than clear candi rocks, maybe an unrefined sugar (turbinado, muscovado) or dark candi syrup.

I think it will be very tasty, just remember to treat your yeast right (high pitch rate, plenty of O2, steady/low fermentation temp, etc...). Good luck.
Click to expand...

Really good suggestions here. Definitely some things I didn't think about. Thanks for the input.

What yeast would you use if it were you?
 
Whatever you have a cake of... 1056 or 1728 are the two I generally turn to for really big/cleanish beers.
 
I'm also thinking now of maybe just doing like 3 gallons for now because I've never made a barley wine and it's kind of experimental. Not to mention it's pretty strong.

I'm imagining a lot of people make half batches of beer like this?? Any things to consider when doing a half batch that I might not be thinking of?
 
On the contrary, I would up the late hop additions considerably AND dry-hop after aging....use more IBU's and more hops than you think you need because they do mellow, but that way you'll still have hop character in there in a year...an important part of an american barleywine, if you ask me.
 
This looks very similiar to the recipe in BCS. I'm just curious, but why not brew that recipe exactly as it was written? If I was going to invest that money and time waiting, I would want to know that the recipe was sound.

Eric
 
i would drop the crystal ten and the LME..just up the base grain, and maybe get your hands on some marris otter. I don't think you are going to notice much from a pound of maple syrup in a beer this big either. It will help add ABV and dry it out a little but that is all. Maybe consider adding a pound of molasses.......instead of the sugars and syrup.

Personally, I would use a nottingham yeast cake for this one
 

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