Need Guidance - First Go at a BIAB Barley Wine

[stosh]

I've read over too many recipes and basically have analysis paralysis.

The goal is to make 3 gallons and have some for consumption and the rest for top off in a friends bourbon barrel. The beer in the barrel has been there for 8 months and will be there for 4 more months if that matters.

Does KISS apply here? I've seen simple Smash recipes and ones that look complicated that include plenty of specialty grains, hops, and mashing techniques.

Do I pull out all the stops and try something more "advanced" or do I keep it as simple as possible?

I'm not afraid of screwing something up if I try a more advanced recipe (gotta learn somehow) but at the same time I'd like to have a decent finished product between 9 - 12% as my first try (that of course is my ego talking).

What has been your experience and what recipe/s do you recommend?

What pitfalls should I be careful of?

 

[kevin58]

I make barleywines quite a bit but I've never used my BIAB system to make one. Here is a recipe I like (5gallon). It's based from the Tennants brewing records.The grist is fairly simple. I skip the enzymatic malt and round up the pale malt to 16 lbs. I make my own invert sugars but you could sub with something like Lyles Golden Syrup (just don't use regular table sugar).

1954 Tennant's Gold Label
pale malt 15.75 lb 67.74%
enzymic malt 0.25 lb 1.08%
flaked maize 4.75 lb 20.43%
No. 1 invert sugar 2.50 lb 10.75%
Fuggles 120 min 2.75 oz
Goldings 90 mins 1.25 oz
Goldings 60 mins 1.25 oz
Goldings 30 mins 1.25 oz
Goldings dry hops 0.25 oz
OG 1109
FG 1024
ABV 11.24
Apparent attenuation 77.98%
IBU 63
SRM 17
Mash at 149º F
Sparge at 165º F
Boil time 180 minutes
pitching temp 56º F
Yeast Wyeast 1099 Whitbread ale

Here is the blog post that it comes from:
http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2016/11/lets-brew-1954-tennants-gold-label.html

 

[Pappers_]

Yes, I can't help you with BIAB specifics, but will share with you that the bigger the beer, the lower your efficiency, generally. When we get to Barleywine sized beers, I almost always build in some dried malt extract into my recipe, in order to hit the target gravity.

 

[Pappers_]

Have you taken a look in the HBT recipe database for help with Barleywine recipes? https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/forums/homebrew-ale-recipes.62/ Use the pull down menu to look for American Barleywines and you'll find eight, including one that won a silver medal by Bobby_M.

 

[wilserbrewer]

My concern isn’t the barleywine, it is the second smaller beer you can make for free

As said above, expect an efficiency hit and that will be hidden in you spent grain

 

[LittleRiver]

Google "partigyle" for articles, charts, and calculators for how to make that second beer from your spent grains.

 

[stosh]

I book marked the Barclay Perkins blog for a go at that recipe soon.

I also have considered using DME to some extent and have looked at the BW recipes here

Have also considered doing a partigyle but not with this particular attempt. And then give the grains to my cousin to make bread

Talked to my LHBS and got some direction on this recipe:

15lbs 2 Row
3lbs Marris Otter
1lb Biscuit
1lb Crystal 60
1lb Carapils
2lbs Light DME
1lb Brown Sugar