Barley Wine Fermentation for a Beginner

All, I just recently got into the home brewing scene and have a couple of questions. I got a Barley Wine Kit (1 Gallon) from NB. The process was been easy thus far, but i know that a Barley Wine takes some patience. It was an extract kit and currently has been in the primary for 8 days. The "instructions" call for 2 weeks in primary, then bottle and let sit 2 weeks. I don't think this is substantial time for a BW.

What would the experienced home brewer do with fermentation here? I'm thinking about going to a secondary at least after 10 days and then let that sit in 2nd for several weeks/months.

What are your thoughts?? Please helm me out here. Any information is greatly appreciated!

 

I brewed an imperial saison from extract on my 3rd brew, so I know the feeling. Half of them turned out to be okay. The okay ones impressed people, though! Could you post a link to the kit you bought? And that is very weird; almost all kits will recommend a secondary fermentation. Also, if you are expecting an ABV around 10%, common with barleywines, you should be expecting to wait closer to 3 months rather than 2 weeks... my suggestion would be to plan on doing a full 2 week primary, 1 or 2 month long secondary, and 2 to 4 weeks for bottle conditioning. I feel like barleywines can be too young but not too old. If you don't want to wait around, you could also take hydrometer tests a couple days apart when you feel the fermentation is done.

Hope this helps and, of course, let us know what you do and how it turns out when it's done.

 

For most beers I give 3 weeks fermentation time. But then my beers are generally well below barleywine ABV (I did do one old ale ~8%). For something very high an additional week of fermentation certainly couldn't hurt, but ultimately the hydrometer will tell you if it's done or not.

Barleywines are a beer that generally needs something like 9 months or more of conditioning/aging from what I understand.

Since you only have a gallon I'd not want to waste any trying them too soon.

 

What I would do is, ferment in primary at least 3 weeks, probably would go 4. Then I would put in secondary for 3 months to bulk age. Anything under 2 months is really pointless to bother with a secondary at all. You would then want to add some champange yeast to the beer when you bottle with priming sugar, and let it condition in the bottles at least a month. This type of beer will likely keep getting better for several months, if not a year or two, after bottling, so patience is the key. If you are eager to drink a beer sooner rather than later, brew a different style first. Good luck, and enjoy!

 

That NB Barleywine kit will ferment out in 2 weeks, fit a blow off tube right away because you are going to need it! I aged it a month after bottling and it is just getting good.

 

http://www.northernbrewer.com/bomber-barleywine-1-gallon-recipe-kit
Here is the link for the NB Bomber Barley Wine. I am not sure why it only says to ferment 1-2 weeks in primary then go straight to bottle. I'm thinking about 3-4 week primary then a couple of months in secondary, then bottle and let sit until the football season starts! Should be a good fall beverage on gamedays!

 

So in a 1 gallon batch, how much champagne yeast would you use?

 

I had a blow off tube to start as all the reviews were littered with "messy" stories! I put the tube in a 3+ quart bottle and it was 1/3 full after 7 days in primary! Currently using an air lock for the rest of primary.

 

they want you to get done-drink quick so they can sell you another kit...

This hobby is addictive, that's why everybody ends up increasing batch size to brew less and drink more.

At least IMHO...
AA

 

You don't need much, probably a quarter teaspoon of dry yeast would be plenty.

 

Thank you for the heads up and help!

 

Well i am in the process of putting a 5-7 gallon system together so i see what you mean by going to larger batch sizes!

 

Is that quarter teaspoon per bottle for the entire 1 gallon?

 

I have made that kit, and followed the instructions exactly. It turned out great, and I have one bottle left that I am saving to try in October when it is 1 year old. Don't worry- follow the instructions and it will turn out great

 

Entire gallon.

 

Bottled the other week with the champagne yeast. My carboy lid cracked and I believe let in too much oxygen. I didn't realize that the lid had cracked and it's been in secondary for a few months, it has a bit of a vinegar smell. I bottled it anyways, will open in September. Not hoping for the best at this point.

 

I'm very sorry to hear that. A random freak accident that possibly ruins a batch is something all brewers can relate to. It's disappointing and it is discouraging, exponentially so when it happens to a beer you've sacrificed so much time for, but stick with it because it's all a learning process: If it's undrinkable, at least you know why it's undrinkable.