Let's Talk Barleywine!

[flyangler18]

I love me some good English barleywine, but the truth of the matter is that I've never brewed one, let alone tried formulating a recipe for one. I contemplated doing this solely with MO, but I wanted to add some caramel complexity using both Dark Crystal (60 -80L) and C120. I'm unsure about the necessity of such, given the lengthy boil and I've not opposed to changing the grist significantly if need be.

Still trying to strong-arm BTP into doing calculating the amount of wort I'd need to collect, so any advice is much appreciated.

1275 is the strain I have in mind right now.

[size=+2]To Be Named[/size]
[size=+1]19-B English Barleywine[/size]
Author: Jason Konopinski
Date: 10/16/09



Size: 6.0 gal
Efficiency: 70%
Attenuation: 75.0%
Calories: 326.95 kcal per 12.0 fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.097 (1.080 - 1.120)
|==============#=================|
Terminal Gravity: 1.024 (1.018 - 1.030)
|================#===============|
Color: 17.87 (8.0 - 22.0)
|===================#============|
Alcohol: 9.68% (8.0% - 12.0%)
|==============#=================|
Bitterness: 64.4 (35.0 - 70.0)
|=====================#==========|

[size=+1]Ingredients:[/size]
22 lb Maris Otter Pale Ale Malt
12 oz Dark Crystal Malt I
12 oz Crystal 120
1.25 oz Magnum (14.5%) - added during boil, boiled 60 min
2.5 oz Goldings (5.0%) - added during boil, boiled 5 min

[size=-1]Results generated by BeerTools Pro 1.5.3[/size]

 

[KingBrianI]

Looks good. I think the crystal is really a necessity here. The long boil should in theory darken the wort and add flavors, but I find it very subtle. Doing a kettle reduction of first runnings would do it but isn't as authentic if you're aiming for a really traditional BW. The aging these things need means that any late hops will be severely reduced in potency when the beer is enjoyed. 2.5 oz of goldings @ 5 min will probably be very subtle in a year but probably detectable. For my 999, I added an oz at 20, an oz at 7 and an oz dry hopped, and there is little to no hop character now that it's over a year old.

 

[Freezeblade]

Instead of doing C120, why not find some British Extra Dark Crystal, the stuff that comes in at 135L or so, I love the stuff, although, I'd probably venture to say that if you're going to boil for a long time (read, 2 hours or so) you should probably lower the crystal just a little.

 

[Teacher]

Another option is Special B. I used that in one that's still aging, and I really like how it tastes so far.

 

[flyangler18]

Another option is Special B. I used that in one that's still aging, and I really like how it tastes so far.

The thought crossed my mind, as I have lots o' Special B in stock right now. I really dig the English crystal malts - not sure why I immediately went with c120 other than it was top of mind.

that if you're going to boil for a long time (read, 2 hours or so) you should probably lower the crystal just a little.

Down to, say, 8 oz?

 

[Bobby_M]

I found my 28lb maris only smash BW to be plenty dark and complex. Honestly, with all that malt, the crystal malts are completely moot.

Strike at 10.75 gallons and get about 7.5g of 1.079. Boil that for 120 minutes. I also added a pound of sugar for an OG of 1.118. If you're shooting lower, drop the sugar and about 2 pounds of malt.

Cap the mash with a pound of crystal 80, sparge with 6.5 gallons for a second runnings ESB at 1.053 OG. Boil that for 60.

 

[Yankeehillbrewer]

I don't really have any suggestions, but I found this recipe from Bobby_M interesting. It's a SMaSH Barleywine using MO.You've probably seen it already, but here it is anyhow.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f74/her-majestys-pleasure-fusion-barleywine-awards-123451/

 

[flyangler18]

Round two.

[size=+2]To Be Named[/size]
[size=+1]19-B English Barleywine[/size]
Author: Jason Konopinski
Date: 10/16/09



Size: 6.0 gal
Efficiency: 70%
Attenuation: 75.0%
Calories: 291.28 kcal per 12.0 fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.087 (1.080 - 1.120)
|==========#=====================|
Terminal Gravity: 1.022 (1.018 - 1.030)
|============#===================|
Color: 17.32 (8.0 - 22.0)
|==================#=============|
Alcohol: 8.62% (8.0% - 12.0%)
|==========#=====================|
Bitterness: 64.4 (35.0 - 70.0)
|=====================#==========|

[size=+1]Ingredients:[/size]
17 lb Maris Otter Pale Ale Malt
3 lb Dark Munich Malt
8 oz Dark Crystal Malt I
8 oz Special B - Caramel malt
1.25 oz Magnum (14.5%) - added during boil, boiled 60 min
2.5 oz Goldings (5.0%) - added during boil, boiled 5 min

[size=-1]Results generated by BeerTools Pro 1.5.3[/size]

 

[flyangler18]

Brewing this monster today - strike water heating now.

 

[flyangler18]

Just started the two-hour boil.

 

[Bobby_M]

How was your efficiency?

 

[flyangler18]

How was your efficiency?

70% on the nose, which is how I scaled the recipe. I typically see a 10% drop with big ol' beers, anything over 1.080.

 

[Saccharomyces]

Looks tasty. /subscribed

Here's what I'm planning on brewing for this year's Barleywine.. looks pretty close to what you brewed, just bigger and with American hops:

2009 Annoying Bastard Ale

OG 1.120 - IBU 100+ - FG 1.022

Grain:
12# Maris Otter
4# Extra Light Dry Extract
2# Munich
8oz Special B
1# Table Sugar (fermenter, 3 days, with Fermaid K)

Mash 150*F for a couple of homebrews.

Hops:
3oz Horizon 90
1oz CTZ 30
1oz CTZ 15
1oz CTZ 0
1oz Centennial DH, 3 days
1oz Cascade DH, 3 days

I will collect 1 gallon of first runnings and boil down to 1/2 gallon while the main boil runs for 90 minutes to get plenty of melanoidins. Extract will be added late to increase hop utilization. Wyeast 1762 Belgian Abbey II yeast, 5 gallons starter.

 

[flyangler18]

Just pulled a sample to satiate my curiousity - it's sitting at 1.030 right now. I'm sure it'll keep coming down over the next couple of weeks. I'd be happy with an FG of around 1.025, personally.

 

[Saccharomyces]

Just pulled a sample to satiate my curiousity - it's sitting at 1.030 right now. I'm sure it'll keep coming down over the next couple of weeks. I'd be happy with an FG of around 1.025, personally.

What yeast did you use? 1275 took my 1.100 Imperial Stout down to 1.031 and quit.

 

[flyangler18]

What yeast did you use? 1275 took my 1.100 Imperial Stout down to 1.031 and quit.

The workhorse in my yeast arsenal - Thames Valley!

 

[Saccharomyces]

The workhorse in my yeast arsenal - Thames Valley!

Humph. Yeah I only got about 69% attenuation on my big beer with that strain. I pitched 6L of well shaken starters, oxygenated the holy living crap out of it, and even had mashed at 151-153*F. It's pretty sweet, I won't be using that yeast again on such a big beer...

 

[flyangler18]

I pitched onto a pretty massive cake and mashed right @ 150°, so we'll see where the Leviathan ends up.

 

[ggoodman]

please keep us posted as Im wanting to make a barley wine for my next brew.

 

[greenbirds]

I will collect 1 gallon of first runnings and boil down to 1/2 gallon while the main boil runs for 90 minutes to get plenty of melanoidins.

I have thought about doing this before but never tried. I would like to decoct beers like hefeweizen or pilsner, but it is hard to justify adding hours to my mash for a beer that disappears from my kegerator so quickly. Do you have any experience with this technique?

 

[flyangler18]

Do you have any experience with this technique?

Never for a barleywine, but I regularly do this when brewing Scottish ales, especially Wee Heavy.

 

[flyangler18]

Thames took it down to 1.027, and I do believe the Leviathan will be spending some time in that lovely barrel I just got.

 

[Saccharomyces]

Thames took it down to 1.027, and I do believe the Leviathan will be spending some time in that lovely barrel I just got.

I just racked the Imperial Stout out of my barrel after three weeks, that half I used the Thames Valley on, it's a great yeast for barrel aged beers. The esters, residual sweetness of the beer and the oak all meld into one really amazing beer.

 

[syd138]

this looks really good.. I love barleywine.