Help me come up with my 50th Birthday (or my Memorial) 5 year aged Barleywine recipe.
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fibonaccisquared
Member
I'm fairly new here and don't post very often but I just read this entire thread and felt that it was amazingly inspiring! (though I'm a little late to the party) I don't think I'm ready for a barley wine... I'm still only brewing partial mash right now. I do think that my next beer I'd like to use some honey in though. A good friend is a beekeeper I'll see what I can get her to donate to my cause 
Maybe somewhere between an amber and a brown with some honey undertones would be good... similar to your second runnings.
I'm sorry to hear about the medical issues but I will keep you in my thoughts. Glad you had an amazing brew day
Maybe somewhere between an amber and a brown with some honey undertones would be good... similar to your second runnings.I'm sorry to hear about the medical issues but I will keep you in my thoughts. Glad you had an amazing brew day
Justibone
Well-Known Member
Honey undertones are more noticeable from Gambrinus honey malt.
Adding honey to the beer leaves a little bit of flavor behind, but mostly it dries the beer out. Carmelizing the honey, as they did for this recipe, makes some of it into unfermentables and leaves some flavor behind, but uncooked honey won't add much honey flavor to your beer.
It does taste nice, though -- it just doesn't taste like honey.
Adding honey to the beer leaves a little bit of flavor behind, but mostly it dries the beer out. Carmelizing the honey, as they did for this recipe, makes some of it into unfermentables and leaves some flavor behind, but uncooked honey won't add much honey flavor to your beer.
It does taste nice, though -- it just doesn't taste like honey.
Just read through this entire post also in one shot and while I'm fairly new to the site, I can't help but root for a fellow homebrewer, particularly one with the apparent passion you have.
I also think you did a great thing holding off on the oak, I pretty much agree with all the things you did so far. Complexity is great and all when done thoughtfully, but complexity for complexity's sake... well I don't have to tell you that a great beer isn't made by throwing together everything you can think of, and even with such a massive beer, I think any noticeable oak presence would still dominate way too much to appreciate everything else going on. So kudos for the restraint!
Also, with so little left to do, would champagne yeast really affect it to such a large degree. Seems to me at 1.040, ESPECIALLY after 5 years of mellowing out, that it could very well wind up excessively cloying. Resorting to champagne yeast earlier would definitely have been less than ideal, but with so little left for it to do you can probably afford (and even benefit from, in the long run) adding a little dryness.
I also think you did a great thing holding off on the oak, I pretty much agree with all the things you did so far. Complexity is great and all when done thoughtfully, but complexity for complexity's sake... well I don't have to tell you that a great beer isn't made by throwing together everything you can think of, and even with such a massive beer, I think any noticeable oak presence would still dominate way too much to appreciate everything else going on. So kudos for the restraint!
Also, with so little left to do, would champagne yeast really affect it to such a large degree. Seems to me at 1.040, ESPECIALLY after 5 years of mellowing out, that it could very well wind up excessively cloying. Resorting to champagne yeast earlier would definitely have been less than ideal, but with so little left for it to do you can probably afford (and even benefit from, in the long run) adding a little dryness.
jjp36
Well-Known Member
I believe you mentioned that you were going to dry hop this beer? But then you weren't going to drink it for 5 years? Will any of the benefits from dry hopping still be detectable then? I've never aged a beer for that long so i really have no idea. I have a couple 2-3 year old Belgians and stouts, but the didn't have a lot of hop flavor/aroma to begin with so I don't really have anything to compare.
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OP
OP
I won't have the answer for 5 years.
I figure like anything, if I over DH like I over hopped, there might be some lingering aroma and flavors left over. Especially with aroma, if I go from the hooped to the bottle, I'm in a sense trapping aroma in. So who knows. It's not going to hurt it, so why not?
jjp36
Well-Known Member
I won't have the answer for 5 years.
I figure like anything, if I over DH like I over hopped, there might be some lingering aroma and flavors left over. Especially with aroma, if I go from the hooped to the bottle, I'm in a sense trapping aroma in. So who knows. It's not going to hurt it, so why not?
Haha. True.
I was just curious. Sort of a diminishing returns type of question. Is the aroma/flavor that will be left after 5 years worth the amount of base beer you'll end up losing to the extra hop absorption. You'll have to come back in 5 years and let us know if it was noticeable or if you just wished you had an extra couple bottles. Good Luck though. So far it sounds delicious!
Wyrmwood
Well-Known Member
Wow. I finally read through this thread; both sobering and exciting. My thoughts and prayers are with you. I'll join the others thanking you for your contributions to the community. I hope this is the world's greatest beer and you enjoy it for years to come.
How are you planning on bottling it? This seems a prime candidate for Belgian bottles.
How are you planning on bottling it? This seems a prime candidate for Belgian bottles.
OP
OP
SO I'm bumping this up, since it's first birthday of it's brewing was 5 days ago. Hard to believe at the time I didn't know if I'd be alive to even get a taste of it.
It's been sitting in a glass tertiary, for what, 8 months or so?
O.G 1.170, (current gravity 1.040.) 150 (attempted) Ibus. Using 50 year old honey, and brewed on 9-19-2010.
In the glass.
[/IMG]
Still really sweet, with a smooth, yet strongly alcoholic burn (like a good brandy or bourbon.)
The aroma is toasted marshmallow, roasted figs, ripe plums, toffee, caramel, and fresh baked sugar cookies. No hop aroma at all. The smell is really reminiscent of the strong ales/barleywines made by Bell's.
For the first time ever I've made a "what you smell is what you taste" beer. I get all those above mentioned smells as flavors, along with a little bit of a coffee bitterness.
It's definitely an intense beer.
I still don't know if I want to add some champagne yeast or something to try to bring it down further, or just hit it with a ton of dry hops and get it into bottles.
It's been sitting in a glass tertiary, for what, 8 months or so?
O.G 1.170, (current gravity 1.040.) 150 (attempted) Ibus. Using 50 year old honey, and brewed on 9-19-2010.
In the glass.
Still really sweet, with a smooth, yet strongly alcoholic burn (like a good brandy or bourbon.)
The aroma is toasted marshmallow, roasted figs, ripe plums, toffee, caramel, and fresh baked sugar cookies. No hop aroma at all. The smell is really reminiscent of the strong ales/barleywines made by Bell's.
For the first time ever I've made a "what you smell is what you taste" beer. I get all those above mentioned smells as flavors, along with a little bit of a coffee bitterness.
It's definitely an intense beer.
I still don't know if I want to add some champagne yeast or something to try to bring it down further, or just hit it with a ton of dry hops and get it into bottles.
OP
OP
I dunno...at 17.5 abv (I forgot we ended up with an og of 1.170 when all was said and done.) I don't think it needs to go any lower in retrospect.
OP
OP
I'm buzzed off that one wineglass. 
Yeah, 1.170 down to 1.040 is pretty good. I'd leave it alone.
Speaking of higher gravity brews, I have that old ale, that was brewed around the time of your surgery, still sitting in the keg. I imagine you probably have forgotten I brewed it at this point. I plan on tapping into it in another couple of months. It wasn't as big as your beer, somewhere in the mid 1.090 range, but I'm hoping it turns out decent. I did have a bit of a stall on it, but was able to kick the fermentation back into gear after trying a couple of things.
Speaking of higher gravity brews, I have that old ale, that was brewed around the time of your surgery, still sitting in the keg. I imagine you probably have forgotten I brewed it at this point. I plan on tapping into it in another couple of months. It wasn't as big as your beer, somewhere in the mid 1.090 range, but I'm hoping it turns out decent. I did have a bit of a stall on it, but was able to kick the fermentation back into gear after trying a couple of things.
Haputanlas
Well-Known Member
I'm assuming you drank this without carbonation? What are your plans for C02 volume when all is said and done?
OP
OP
Yeah it's un carbed.
I'm going to carb it to the level for any barleywine....but add some champagne yeast at the time.
Haputanlas
Well-Known Member
That's cool.
Are you happy with the progress this far? We got an analysis of the aroma/taste , but we didn't hear your thoughts.
Are you happy with the progress this far? We got an analysis of the aroma/taste , but we didn't hear your thoughts.
OP
OP
I'm stunned as to how good it is. It's one of those "Did I really make this?" Moments. I've never been prouder of a beer.
And the thing is, having that special honey, even if I brew the same recipe again, I'll NEVER be able to recreate it. So it truly is a special beer.
virginiawolf
Well-Known Member
Awesome Revvy!! Glad you're enjoying it. Positivity!!!!! I imagine it leaves a warmth in you after you drink it Cheers, VW
Cheers, VW
OP
OP
BIG UPDATE!
15 minutes ago It went into my brand new bourbon barrel for a couple weeks prior to it's final destination, into bottles.
The color....
Even in a tertiary some sedimentation occurred.
And of course I had to taste it.
I can't even describe how wonderful and deeply complex it is. I picked up toffee, chocolate, biscuits, bread, and even a hint of cherry in there. I can't to taste what the oak and bourbon does to it, and especially what's going to happen in another 3 years in the bottle....
15 minutes ago It went into my brand new bourbon barrel for a couple weeks prior to it's final destination, into bottles.
The color....
Even in a tertiary some sedimentation occurred.
And of course I had to taste it.
I can't even describe how wonderful and deeply complex it is. I picked up toffee, chocolate, biscuits, bread, and even a hint of cherry in there. I can't to taste what the oak and bourbon does to it, and especially what's going to happen in another 3 years in the bottle....
Lookin good, Rev!
eon
Well-Known Member
This is so awesome. Looking good Revvy!
Haputanlas
Well-Known Member
Glad to hear the update.
Do you think a few Weeks might be too long for a new barrel? I know that 3 years in a bottle can definitely mellow it out, but I tasted a friend's beer who had it in one of those for a little less than a week and it was way over oaked.
You might want to sample at the week mark.
Just don't want you to regret something that's taken this long.
Do you think a few Weeks might be too long for a new barrel? I know that 3 years in a bottle can definitely mellow it out, but I tasted a friend's beer who had it in one of those for a little less than a week and it was way over oaked.
You might want to sample at the week mark.
Just don't want you to regret something that's taken this long.
Haputanlas
Well-Known Member
By the way, nice shirt
OP
OP
That's why I'm going longer, because it will fade considerably in 3 years.
It's really awesome to see this thread pop back up!
My barleywine has changed considerably in the 2 years since bottling. Yours should turn out extra special with that additional oaked bourbon (and good move leaving it in the barrel longer, IMMHO)
My barleywine has changed considerably in the 2 years since bottling. Yours should turn out extra special with that additional oaked bourbon (and good move leaving it in the barrel longer, IMMHO)
OP
OP
It was fun reading this whole thread last night. You guys were (and still are) all awesome in support of me during that scary time, and in making this project!!
I'm working on a label and am planning to put all your HBT names on it as helpers of the brew.
I'm working on a label and am planning to put all your HBT names on it as helpers of the brew.
