First Barleywine in progress

[MartyB]

Made a 4-gal variation of the 090909 Barleywine last Friday. My 3rd all-grain, and first barleywine. Small grain tweaking, and some hops substitutions. Bubbling strong since Saturday.

Ended up quite happy with my mashing results. I had the recipe in Beersmith set at 61% efficiency (no, I wasn't planning on much). Started the mash at 151, finished at 148 after 60 minutes. Stiring brought the temp at the probe back to 150, so not all bad. (I use a home-built copper tube thermowell)

6.75 gal into the kettle, 105 minute boil, 4-gal out.
SG - 1.117, right on target. Then I realized I had actually forgotten the 1lb of table sugar. Did the calculations and my efficiency was 68% and change.
Sure, it's not 80-85%, but I'll live with it!

Now if I can get it bottled and stay out of it until Christmas......
Better get something else going for summer drinking before my fizzy yellow beer supply runs out.

 

[humann_brewing]

sounds good, good luck on the wait

 

[Sumo]

Great job with the Barley wine. The 999 Was my second all grain batch and I took 1st with it at a regional contest.

Don't worry about your efficiency. Your better off having it around 70 to 75% max. You will get better flavor and tastier end product then pushing it up to 80 and beyond. I know this because I made great beers at 82% efficiency and once I lowered it to 70% my beers became exemplary.