Barleywine Yeast

I thought this would be the forum that would get the best answer for my question so here goes? Not a yeast expert of any sort btw.

What yeast am I best to use for a barleywine and what % can I expect to manage? My options are S-04, S-05, the cheap coopers and muntons and also a generic wine yeast (not sure of the type). Im presuming the S-04 or S-05 are the only options but will they be able to handle 10%+?

Cheers

thinking of the S-04, making a .35-.40 bitter first then just pitching onto the yeast cake. Sound like a plan? Just choosing the S-04 because Im English so an English barleywine sounds better than a yankee one I could do the S-05 though if the higher attenuation is needed?

I'm currently bulk conditioning a barleywine with S-05 and it will definitely be able to handle 10%+. I got something like 1.1 down to about 1.02. S-04 should be able to too. You could always split the wort onto each yeast if you can't decide, but seeing the rest of the recipe would help with the choice.

Either would work.

Note that even for a big barleywine, a full yeast cake is going to be overpitching pretty significantly--even with an OG of 1.200 you only want somewhere in the realm of 300ml of slurry (as always, consult http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html for pitching rates).

If you're going for an ultra-sterile flavor profile that may not be an issue, but if you're leaning toward S-04 and want it to have any of the English-style esters (the S-04 character), it's something to think about.

I like nottingham or pacman for my barley wine and other large beers. They are both attenuative and they drop like a rock. I have heard of notty handling up to %15 ABV as well.....

I did an IIPA with about 9.5% using the coopers yeast (gold packets), and it came down to 1.014. It tasted awesome! Coopers will give you a nice woody englishey taste.

US-05 worked fantastic for my 11-12% barleywine.

awesome, sounds like I can go either way so I will have to start building a recipe and decide which will suit.

Cheers guys.

It's too bad you don't have access to Pacman. I love a barleywine fermented with Rogue's yeast.

weremichael said:

It's too bad you don't have access to Pacman. I love a barleywine fermented with Rogue's yeast.

Click to expand...

Who doesn't?
http://www.brewmasterswarehouse.com/product/0101892/wyeast-labs-pacman-1764

SumnerH said:

Either would work.

Note that even for a big barleywine, a full yeast cake is going to be overpitching pretty significantly--even with an OG of 1.200 you only want somewhere in the realm of 300ml of slurry (as always, consult http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html for pitching rates).

If you're going for an ultra-sterile flavor profile that may not be an issue, but if you're leaning toward S-04 and want it to have any of the English-style esters (the S-04 character), it's something to think about.

Click to expand...

'Zactly what I was thinking. I pitched second batch of exactly the same beer as the previous onto a yeast cake as an experiment a while back. It's makes for a quick fermentation without a doubt. But, the flavour profile was completely and totally off. I would've poured out all ten gallons but I'd rather learn from my mistakes by drinking them than wasting them. Still, it took time to get it all down.

I understand the subject at hand is Safale yeasts but I am suprised no soul has mention the Thomas Hardy yeast, WLP099. Make a moderate strength brew and feed it as it ferments until you hit 12% to 18% or so.