First Barleywine

Okay, I'm brewing tomorrow and embarking on my first barleywine. I feel like I have enough experience with the ales I've done thus far and have had really good luck with beers in the 1.080 area. I recently acquired the equipment I need for bigger beers that pass the 1100 threshold and I have been getting 83% efficiency with the new set up. I think I'm ready! I have my recipe laid out below. Tell me what you all think and let me know if you see any issue before I dive in. I'm hoping to get the extraction I'm projecting, but I'm going to keep a pound of DME on the side just in case

Your input is greatly appreciated. I'm putting a lot of work into this and would hate to screw it up!

Recipe Specifications
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Batch Size: 6.00 gal
Boil Size: 7.80 gal
Estimated OG: 1.125 SG
Estimated Color: 15.1 SRM
Estimated IBU: 109.9 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 83.0 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
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Amount Item Type % or IBU
18.25 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 73.0 %
2.50 lb Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) Grain 10.0 %
2.00 lb Munich Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 8.0 %
1.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 6.0 %
0.75 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 3.0 %
1.00 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [15.20%] (90 min) Hops 27.7 IBU
1.00 oz Chinook [13.00%] (90 min) Hops 26.4 IBU
0.50 oz Nugget [13.00%] (60 min) Hops 12.3 IBU
0.50 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [15.20%] (45 min) Hops 11.9 IBU
0.50 oz Chinook [13.00%] (30 min) Hops 9.5 IBU
0.50 oz Nugget [13.00%] (30 min) Hops 9.5 IBU
0.50 oz Amarillo [9.30%] (25 min) Hops 5.5 IBU
0.50 oz Cascade [5.50%] (20 min) Hops 3.2 IBU
0.50 oz Amarillo [9.30%] (10 min) Hops 2.9 IBU
0.50 oz Cascade [5.50%] (5 min) Hops 1.0 IBU
0.50 oz Amarillo [9.30%] (30 min) (Aroma-Steep) Hops
0.50 oz Cascade [5.50%] (30 min) (Aroma-Steep) Hops
2.00 oz Amarillo [9.30%] (Dry Hop 14 days) Hops -
2.00 oz Cascade [5.50%] (Dry Hop 14 days) Hops -
Yeast Slurry of 1056 from Widmer Brewing


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, No Mash Out
Total Grain Weight: 25.00 lb
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Name Description Step Temp Step Time
Mash In Add 31.25 qt of water at 163.7 F 152.0 F 60 min


Notes:
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BU:GU =.88
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Most all of it looks good too me. I would however suggest changing 1 thing and have a thought on a second item. First I think it'd be a mistake to mash @ 152 for a bier with 1.125 OG. I'd mash @ 145 for 45 mins then raise it to 156 for 30 mins. I think it'll provide you a more fermentable wort which is gonna be important, well that and the fact that you basically can't pitch too much yeast. My thought is that you might want to lower the BU:GU ratio to around 70. I didn't take the time to check with a BU:GU guideline, but you can and if 88 is correct... go with it. Obviously you're going "BIG HOP" on this BW, so no problem there I just think it'll yield more balance and drinkability if you back off the bittering just a tad but keep all those late hops for flavor/aroma leaving you with a ton of hop impact but a more drinkable BW... or I could be wrong!

Good Luck & Schlante,
Phillip

Thanks Phillip, I think you may be right. I may want to back off of a tad on boiling hops. Ray Daniels is explaining something close to 1 for BU:GU, but I'd prefer a bit more balance with the hop flavor and aroma up front. I'll also take your advice on the mash temps. The last think I want is for this thing to stall on me due to fermentability issues. I'm heading to my LHBS right now. I appreciate the feedback!

All in all, it turned out to be a pretty good brew day. I definitely didn't get what I expected, but I was able to adjust a bit. I ended up with a 1.097 OG, so I had to opt for the pound of DME to get it over 1100. I think next time I'm going to have to increase my grain bill by about 10 pounds. Hopefully I can get this thing to attenuate to my desired level. I was hoping for something over 10% on ABV.

I see you just finished! Congrats, brewing barleywines are so much fun. I've only done one, but am itching for my next. My biggest concern would be yeast. If you used the whole slurry, I'm sure it is more than adequate. It looks like a good recipe and you will love the final results. I brewed mine in March and it is just now really starting to get really good.

Thanks AJ! Yeah, I'm really looking forward to tasting 9 months to a year from now. It was my first beer passing the 1100 threshold, so I'm looking forward to how it turns out. I am concerned about attenuation as well, so I made sure I used a healthy slurry and also used a yeast nutrient and aerated with an aeration stone. Hopefully it has all it needs to fully attenuate. What did you use to prime with at the time of bottling?

I actually kegged mine, carbed and let it age in the keg, then bottled with the BMBF. I was very careful to maintain co2 blankets every time I transferred the beer also.