Help with barley wine

[Schmoogdaddy]

I want to make a barley wine with a goal of 12% ABV. I was wondering if Safale US-05 could tolerate that or if anyone has a good yeast recommendation. I'm also undecided on my hops schedule if anyone has some help for me there, too. Thanks.

 

[Piratwolf]

I used wlp099 and it rocked. Tolerates high gravity. Took mine from 1.102 to 1.020 in four days. EDIT: 3L starter.

 

[Stephonovich]

S-05 Alcohol Tolerance Thread

Someone in the thread specifically mentioned using it for a 1.116 barleywine, S-05 took it to 1.021.

I love S-04/S-05. They're hardy buggers, easy to use, and you can make just about any beer style with them.

 

[TimTrone]

05 would have no problem. I use it in barleywines. Pitch 2 packs and ferment at 60-62. Leave it on the yeast cake for 3 weeks. Bottle and age for 6 months.

 

[KYB]

Yea I've heard it tore through a BW to 17+%. I'll be making a big english barleywine soon, so I will be using WLP099.

 

[Schmoogdaddy]

I had a strawberry wheat and a pilsner ale project since I started this thread, but now I'm ready to get back to the barley wine. Here is what I had in mind:

6 lbs. 2-row

1 lb. Caramel 120

9.9 lbs. Light LME

1 lb. Brown Sugar

2 oz. Columbus @ 60 min.

2 oz. Chinook @ 30 min.

2 oz. Cascade @ 15 min.

2 packs US 05

2 weeks primary (with blow off) then possibly add champagne or super high gravity yeast to secondary.

I welcome feedback/critique. Thanks.

 

[Schmoogdaddy]

Bumping this up. I'm heading out to my LHBS today and I'm looking for some last minute advice.

 

[punkerdru]

I think if you were to pitch two packs of 05 you'll be good. I brewed a tripel a couple weeks ago and two packs dropped it from 1.12 to 1.01 in 4 days.

 

[Schmoogdaddy]

I'm making my first yeast starter for this. I rehydrated 2 packs of US 05 and boiled 1 cup of DME in 4 cups of water, pitched the yeast and topped up to 1 liter in 2 separate containers.

I got Centennial hops instead of Columbus. I plan to go:

2 0z. Cnetennial @ 60 min.

1 0z. each Chinook and Cascade at 30 min.

1 oz. each Chinook and Cascade at 15 min.

Sound OK?

 

[LexusChris]

My last batch of Barleywine used 2 packages of US-05, rehydrated. It took it from 1.101 to 1.013 in 4 weeks. I would plan to primary for at least 3-4 weeks. That's a lot of gravity to chew through... but US-05 is definitely a hearty buggah and will get some amazing attenuation if you give it the time.

Keep your fermentation temps in line to reduce esters & fusal alcohols. After main fermenation is done (first 2 weeks), let the temps raise a bit to finish out...

Have fun!
--LexusChris

 

[TimTrone]

I'm making my first yeast starter for this. I rehydrated 2 packs of US 05 and boiled 1 cup of DME in 4 cups of water, pitched the yeast and topped up to 1 liter in 2 separate containers.

I got Centennial hops instead of Columbus. I plan to go:

2 0z. Cnetennial @ 60 min.

1 0z. each Chinook and Cascade at 30 min.

1 oz. each Chinook and Cascade at 15 min.

Sound OK?

There was no need to make a starter using 2 packs of 05. Just rehydrate and they're ready to roll.

 

[Schmoogdaddy]

I know the hydrometer tells the tale. I haven't checked the gravity yet, but the airlock activity stopped after only 3 days. My O.G. was 1.102, so I thought I would see much more/longer activity. I was thinking I might wait a week and rack on to some raisins in the secondary and pitch the super high gravity yeast. Is anyone for or against this?

 

[Piratwolf]

Why re-pitch?

Raisins would be interesting. In future if you want raisin flavor you could also consider a high Lovibond crystal grain: 80L and above give various degrees of raisin flavor.

 

[Yankeehillbrewer]

I know the hydrometer tells the tale. I haven't checked the gravity yet, but the airlock activity stopped after only 3 days. My O.G. was 1.102, so I thought I would see much more/longer activity. I was thinking I might wait a week and rack on to some raisins in the secondary and pitch the super high gravity yeast. Is anyone for or against this?

I would just leave it be, let it sit in primary for at least a month.

 

[Schmoogdaddy]

Thanks everyone for the help. I replaced the blow off with an air lock and now I'm seeing a bubble every 3 seconds, so I feel better now. I had made a blow off out of an air lock by grinding the cage off the bottom and sticking it in the grommet of the primary bucket, then attaching 1/2" tubing to the air lock and running that into a pan of Star San solution. It bubbled like crazy for 3 days, then stopped. I was worried that the fermentation was stuck, but now I see activity.

I'm still contemplating the raisins, though there is 1 lb. of 120 L in there.

 

[Schmoogdaddy]

In the first week the gravity went from 1.102 to 1.022. There was no change after the second week. I still want to achieve 12% from this batch. Could I rack to the secondary and add some brown sugar and raisins? Would the US-05 be able to start up again? Would I need to pitch some Super high gravity or champgne yeast?

 

[smiller]

To achieve 12% ABV from an OG of 1.102, you would need to ferment down to about 1.012. I recently made a barleywine that finished at about that, and I thought it was a bit dry for a barleywine for my liking. But if you want it to be drier, then go for it! I would recommend racking to secondary and adding what you want, then leaving it for at least 6 weeks. If your gravity is steady and too high for you after that, then you can think about re-pitching to finish lower. For now, RDWHAHB.

 

[chuckstout]

1.022 sounds good, any lower and it would be IPAish, I would think you could add more brown sugar now to achieve your 12%

 

[smiller]

That^^^, you'd have to add a fair amount of brown sugar, but you could hit 12% that way.

 

[Schmoogdaddy]

Thanks, folks. Beore I read your posts, I ended up boiled 2 cups of brown sugar and threw in 2 cups of diced golden raisins at the end of the boil and racked the beer over them into the secondary. It raised the gravity from 1.022 to 1.026. I tasted a thief-full and it was very sweet and the alcohol was very noticeable. My wife wrinkled her nose, so it must be good

 

[chuckstout]

My wife wrinkled her nose, so it must be good

Nice lol!

 

[Schmoogdaddy]

I found the raisins bobbing around and floating this morning. There is foam at the top and airlock activity. The Us-05 must have woke up again. I may make 12% after all.

 

[Schmoogdaddy]

Bottled today. It finished at a straight up 11%. It is a crystal clear dark ruby-brown. It is sweet and not very dry and is plenty bitter. Now I have to leave my hands off of it until 12/21.