Have you seen the AHA [Barleywine recipe](http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Old-School-Barleywine-All-Grain1.pdf|Barleywine recipe) for Big Brew day? The recipe lists grain at “vorlauf” as well as at mashing time. In a year of AG brewing, I’ve never seen this before. What is the idea behind this?
they are adding the dark grains at vorlauf to avoid the mash pH impact that those grains would have. they don’t need to convert so they don’t need to be there for the whole mash.
you can also just account for them and adjust your mash pH.
Just to add to this… Yeah, they’re speficially stating that they’re using RO with set brewing salt and acid additions. The crystals and dark grains aren’t getting added until the end of the mash purely for color (they’re effectively becoming steeping grains). You would need to run both sets of numbers through some sort of calculator if you were going to try and use tap water to know your pH and mineral additions in comparison with the recipe.
Is it just me, or does it seem like a complicated grain bill? Jonathan, I know you have talked about making an all MO barleywine, and I have just done the same recently. This recipe has 7 different grains in it, 2 of which are only 2 ounces. Just seems overly complicated for a Big Brew day meant to draw in newer brewers and people potentially interested in the hobby… just my .02
I agree, I was thinking the same thing. some people do like the complex grain bills.
+2. I like a simpler grist for barleywines (and most beers, for that matter).
Hi all -
The Big Brew recipes this year are taken directly from Gordon Strong’s upcoming Modern Homebrew Recipes book. We have heard your concerns on the complicated grain bill, though. If you are looking for a simpler barleywine recipe to brew on May 2, feel free to search the website for past Big Brew recipes!
http://wiki.homebrewersassociation.org/AHABigBrew
Thanks!
Matt Bolling
AHA Events & Membership Coordinator
we’re just being our normal nit-picky selves Matt. No offense meant on my part.
Same here, Matt. We appreciate everything you do, for Big Brew Day and otherwise.
None taken! Just thought I would offer an alternative! Cheers!
Same with me Matt, just an observation. I really enjoyed the split open and melt from last year
Anyone think this would be a good BarleyWine for oaking?
'da Kid
sure. I’ve never met a barelywine that wouldn’t.
I usually make a barley wine at least once a year, and it is usually is a very simple grain bill.
I do a single infusion mash and only use the first run wort for the barley wine. I will then cap that mash with some extra grain which sometimes includes dark grains to make a small beer with the second run wort somewhere in the 1040 range.
Transferred my Big Brewday Barleywine to secondary today with a Medium+ oak spiral which had been soaking in Knob Creek.
The SG measured 1.017
Should I be worried about it being too ‘thin’?
Thanks
Not at all. It’s difficult, if not impossible, to brew a thin barleywine. A big malty beer that starts with an OG as high as barleywine leaves a ton of malty character in your beer regardless of your FG. Think of the Belgian Quads - they’re essentially Belgian barleywines and they all finish low and have tons of malty richness. FWIW, I mash barleywines @ 148F for 90 minutes, they finish fairly low, and have a ton of body and richness.
+1 - Alcohol tends to add a nice mouthfeel in bigger beers. Plus, since alcohol is lighter than water a higher alcohol beer has more dextrins remaining compared to a lower gravity beer that finishes at the same gravity (in other words, alcohol lowers the gravity of a beer).
And I can’t say I’ve ever had a beer that seemed thin that finished at 1.017, barleywine or not.
Not at all. It’s difficult, if not impossible, to brew a thin barleywine. A big malty beer that starts with an OG as high as barleywine leaves a ton of malty character in your beer regardless of your FG. Think of the Belgian Quads - they’re essentially Belgian barleywines and they all finish low and have tons of malty richness. FWIW, I mash barleywines @ 148F for 90 minutes, they finish fairly low, and have a ton of body and richness.
This. I switched up my Scotch ale to more of a barleywine style mash (~148F for 90 minutes) almost 2 years ago. The more fermentable wort makes it more balanced for the alcohol level. It gives it more dryness to the finish (I used to pitch some pasteur champagne yeast to dry it out, but that became unnecessary after changing the mash), but still has plenty body.

And I can’t say I’ve ever had a beer that seemed thin that finished at 1.017, barleywine or not.
Yeah. That would be anything but thin in any beer.
Thank You for the comforting replies.
Mr. Strong’s recipe finished at 1.033, so when my WL PC-1217 West Coast yeast kept chewing away, I got a little worried.
Yes it is warm from the alcohol and super hoppy as all-git-out, so things should even out down the road . . . . way down the road. Had a beautiful bitter sweet tea thing going into the fermenter.
'da Kid