1st All Grain Strong/Stock/Old Ale...

[CKing]

Planning on one last batch to round out mid-late summer drinking, most likely something along the lines of the famous Centennial Blonde or Haus Pale Ale.

I'd like to do my first all grain big beer and figured I'd rack the beer above to secondary during brew day and put the big beer right on the yeast cake.

Looking at something that will sit in secondary for a few months to condition while I free up some swing top bottles.
Initial thought is an American Strong / Stock / Old Ale.....or a smaller English Barleywine type of beer, around 7-8% abv, malty and fruity with solid depth.
Perhaps Marris Otter base with a few additional specialty grains.

Thoughts, suggestions, tips please

 

[ghpeel]

While I don't think 7% is really pushing into "big" beer territory, I think you've beat one of the main problem areas already by pitching on the cake. If your starter beer is above 4% though, I wouldn't necessarily use the whole cake, but maybe 1/3rd of it. I had some "green apple" flavors in a beer or two that I think were caused by over-pitching (not sure).

Beyond that, I'd keep it simple. Big beers sometimes have problems drying out, so no need to throw in a pound of crystal or anything. I'm a fan of traditional Strong Scotch Ales, and they don't need much/any crystal at all. You can do an all-Marris Otter Old Ale with 25-35 IBU's and it would be dead simple and tasty, I would imagine. Just be sure to keep those temps down during the first week or 2.

 

[MedicineMan]

16lbs Marris Otter British Pale
1lb flaked Oats
12oz Crystal 75
6oz Special B
2oz Chocolate Malt
2oz Black Patent
8oz Dark Candi Syrup (@15min)

Mash at 152 for 60

2oz Norther Brewer @60
1.5oz Kent Golding @40
.5oz Kent Golding @2
Dry hop with .5 Kent Golding 1 week prior to bottling

Yeast-White Labs English Ale wlp002 with 2000ml starter

Primary for 3 weeks then rack to secondary

OG 1.092, gravity after 3 weeks was 1.021

Age for a minimum 3-6 months

I am aging mine for one year on 1ounce of medium toast American oak cubes that were soaked in maker mark for 2 months

If you make this make sure you use a blow off tube, I started with an air lock and the cap of the air lock blew off spraying "stuff" all over the wall and sealing.

+1 on avoiding pitching directly the yeast cake

 

[CKing]

Starter brew is going to be right around 4%.
7-8% while not necessarily "big" by today's standards is still bigger than any of my previous all-grain recipes and I want to stay in this range and keep working my way up slow and steady.
I mash in a 5 gallon beverage cooler so I can get about 14# of grain max.
Played around on Beersmith last night and it looks like I go with around 13# of total grain in the mash and compensate with a couple pounds of extra light dry malt extract in the boil.

Preliminary recipe:
10.0# Marris Otter
2.0# Munich
0.5# Crystal 60L
0.25# Special B
0.25# Aromatic
2.0# Extra Light DME

Bittering hops for 30-40 IBU's
English hops for aroma & flavor

Place directly on Nottingham yeast cake produced from 4% abv Centennial Blonde recipe

Ferment 3-4 weeks, secondary for a few months then bottle.

 

[ghpeel]

Looks good!