Worried about Autolyse in my Barleywine

[Evan!]

I brewed a Barleywine on the friday before last. It's massive, the OG is 1.123. It almost had a blowoff, but the krausen stopped in the airlock stem. It was fermenting steadily for a week or so. Now it's slowed down, and I peeked through the airlock hole today to see that the yeast has flocculated, and the krausen has fallen.

I've heard that leaving beers in primary for too long can give "off" flavors that are caused by dead or dying yeasts. I don't have any firsthand experience, because I've always racked after a week or less. It's been on there for 12 days now...but I still plan on pitching again, with Champagne yeast.

Should I rack into another fermenting vessel, then pitch the Champagne yeast, or should I just pitch into the bucket that it's in right now? I wasn't planning on pitching the second yeasts until 3 weeks post-brew.

Thoughts?

 

[david_42]

Yeast Autolyse takes MONTHS to occur and that's after the fermentation stops.

Check your gravity and calculate the current ABV. If it's too high for the original yeast, rack and repitch.

 

[clayof2day]

Yeah, check the gravity first. I repitched with Champagne yeast without checking and my BW came out a little too dry. I added some maltodextrin at bottling, but be careful!

 

[Evan!]

Um, since I didn't take an original gravity reading, what would be an acceptable hydro reading for a barleywine? The SG calcs in ProMash say 1.123, while the OG range for a barleywine (according to BJCP) is 1.080-1.144. But I don't know what range I'm looking for for my finished gravity reading. Suggestions?

 

[david_42]

If the BW is down around 1.045-1.050, your original yeast is struggling. The FG will probably be 1.025-1.030, depending on your malts and whether or not you used something like brown sugar in quantity.

 

[Denny's Evil Concoctions]

I'd hydrate and pitch the champagne yeats now. Also give the carboy a swirl. Do this regularly. Good luck!

 

[Cheesefood]

I let a beer sit in the primary for four months and didn't notice any off flavors.

 

[Evan!]

no hydration equipment. Oh well. Guess I'll just swirl. Thanks! FYI, here's my recipe. Let me know what you think I should do after seeing this.

Trogdor's Burninator Barleywine

A ProMash Recipe Report

BJCP Style and Style Guidelines
-------------------------------

19-C Strong Ale, American Barleywine

Min OG: 1.080 Max OG: 1.144
Min IBU: 50 Max IBU: 100
Min Clr: 10 Max Clr: 19 Color in SRM, Lovibond

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (Gal): 5.00 Wort Size (Gal): 5.00
Total Grain (Lbs): 17.95
Anticipated OG: 1.123 Plato: 28.63
Anticipated SRM: 20.0
Anticipated IBU: 276.1
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75 %
Wort Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Pre-Boil Amounts
----------------

Evaporation Rate: 15.00 Percent Per Hour
Pre-Boil Wort Size: 5.88 Gal
Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.104 SG 24.70 Plato

Formulas Used
-------------

Brewhouse Efficiency and Predicted Gravity based on Method #1, Potential Used.
Final Gravity Calculation Based on Points.
Hard Value of Sucrose applied. Value for recipe: 46.2100 ppppg
% Yield Type used in Gravity Prediction: Fine Grind Dry Basis.

Color Formula Used: Morey
Hop IBU Formula Used: Rager

Additional Utilization Used For Plug Hops: 2 %
Additional Utilization Used For Pellet Hops: 10 %


Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
17.8 3.20 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row) America 1.036 2
8.4 1.50 lbs. Crystal 10L America 1.035 10
4.2 0.75 lbs. Special B Malt Belgian 1.030 120
39.0 7.00 lbs. Briess LME- Gold America 1.035 4
11.1 2.00 lbs. Briess LME- Amber America 1.035 9
16.7 3.00 lbs. Generic DME - Light Generic 1.046 8
2.8 0.50 lbs. Molasses Generic 1.036 80

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.50 oz. Pacific Gem Whole 13.60 67.0 60 min.
2.00 oz. Northern Brewer Whole 6.50 42.7 60 min.
1.00 oz. Northern Brewer Pellet 6.50 23.5 60 min.
2.00 oz. Simcoe Pellet 12.00 86.7 60 min.
2.00 oz. Cascade Pellet 5.75 41.5 60 min.
0.50 oz. Pacific Gem Whole 13.60 6.0 15 min.
1.00 oz. Willamette Pellet 4.10 3.9 15 min.
0.50 oz. Willamette Pellet 4.10 1.2 2 min.
1.00 oz. Goldings - E.K. Pellet 6.00 3.6 2 min.


Extras

Amount Name Type Time
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.50 Oz Juniper Berries Other 60 Min.(fermenter)
0.50 Oz Star Anise Spice 60 Min.(boil)


Yeast
-----

Danstar Nottingham

 

[BrewStef]

Hey there Evan,

I have done Barleywines a few times and always rack to secondary after the Krausen falls. In the secondary, I pitch the champagne yeast. I often let it sit in the secondary for a good two or three months for bulk ageing, add a clarifier, then bottle.

Don't worry.

Cheers!

BrewStef

 

[Evan!]

Hey there Evan,

I have done Barleywines a few times and always rack to secondary after the Krausen falls. In the secondary, I pitch the champagne yeast. I often let it sit in the secondary for a good two or three months for bulk ageing, add a clarifier, then bottle.

Don't worry.

Cheers!

BrewStef

Thanks for the help. I'll do just that. Much appreciated!