luckybeagle
Making sales and brewing ales.
I've been putting off an English Barleywine for at least a year now, which is a shame because it'd be just coming into its prime right now if I hadn't delayed! I get in my own way and want to get it right on the first go since my goal is to limit my consumption of it to a few bombers a year, making it a holiday season treat. My current dilemma is this:
Is it worth building the 1028 starter over using what I already have? Or is this dry yeast perfectly capable of making an excellent English Barleywine?
Would love some opinions!
- I have 32 oz of fresh Wyeast 1318 (London Ale III) slurry from a low ABV Oatmeal Stout ready to go. I like the flavor profile and would prefer to use this, but I've heard it tops out around 10% ABV and isn't a great attenuator--potentially leaving it sweeter than it should be.
- The recipe I want to follow calls for Wyeast 1028 (London), but I'm generally not a fan of low ABV British beers, so I'd have to take the time and expense to build a multi-step starter (or find an agreeable beer to brew for the yeast cake)
- I could make life very simple and use Nottingham dry yeast, and call it a day, though I'm mentally equating dry yeast with inferior beers--and I know that's inaccurate/unfair (a bias left over from kit beer days)
Is it worth building the 1028 starter over using what I already have? Or is this dry yeast perfectly capable of making an excellent English Barleywine?
Would love some opinions!