First Barleywine

[pawtucket_patriot]

Ok, here is a slightly revised recipe.  My normal batch sparge efficiency is 85%, so I thought estimating my efficiency for a barleywine at 65% is probably in the ballpark.  If my actual efficiency turns out to be significantly lower than that, I’ll add some DME.

American Barleywine
19-C American Barleywine
Author: Matt Schwandt

Size: 5.26 gal
Efficiency: 65.0%
Attenuation: 78.0%
Calories: 347.04 kcal per 12.0 fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.103 (1.080 - 1.120)
Terminal Gravity: 1.023 (1.016 - 1.030)
Color: 16.59 (10.0 - 19.0)
Alcohol: 10.74% (8.0% - 12.0%)
Bitterness: 100.7 (50.0 - 120.0)

Ingredients:
9 lb (37.5%) 2-Row - added during mash
9 lb (37.5%) Maris Otter (Floor-Malted) - added during mash
4.5 lb (18.8%) Light Munich - added during mash
.75 lb (3.1%) Caramel Malt 60L  - added during mash
.50 lb (2.1%) Victory® Malt - added during mash
.25 lb (1.0%) Caramel Malt 120L - added during mash
1.75 oz (16.3%) Columbus (12.9%) - added during boil, boiled 60 m
1.5 oz (14.0%) Centennial (8.7%) - added during boil, boiled 20 m
1.5 oz (14.0%) Cascade (5.5%) - added during boil, boiled 20 m
1 oz (9.3%) Centennial (9.0%) - added during boil, boiled 1 m
1 oz (9.3%) Columbus (12.9%) - added during boil, boiled 1 m
2 ea Fermentis US-56 American Ale
1 ea Danstar  Nottingham (Bottling)
1.75 oz (16.3%) Cascade (6.4%) - added dry to secondary fermenter
.75 oz (7.0%) Amarillo (10.1%) - added dry to secondary fermenter
.75 oz (7.0%) Simcoe (13.6%) - added dry to secondary fermenter
.75 oz (7.0%) Styrian Goldings (4.3%) - added dry to secondary fermenter

Notes
Single infusion batch sparge
-Saccharification @ 154F [60 min]
-Mashout @ 170F [10 min]
-Sparge @ 170*F [10 min]

-Primary for 1 month
-Secondary with dry hops for 2 weeks
-Rack to tertiary for long-term bulk aging (6-12 months)
-Add 1 pkg Nottingham dry yeast to bottling bucket when bottling

[hamiltont]

Looks awesome!  I can’t wait to hear the results, next year…  Only thing I can add is be very prepared for a HUGE blow off. Temp control will be paramount with this one. US-05 is a hearty yeast so you might start fermentation in the high 50’s to low 60’s and as it slows down let it rise up into the high 60’s. Cheers!!!

[hopfenundmalz]

If you control the temps, and pitch the proper amount of yeast, you don’t have to bulk age. These can be ready to drink in less than 3 months.

[bluesman]

@hopfenundmalz

If you control the temps, and pitch the proper amount of yeast, you don’t have to bulk age. These can be ready to drink in less than 3 months.

Agreed.

I think fermentation temp control is one of the best things you can do for this style of beer.  Keeping the fusel alcohol production under control will help make this a better tasting beer. Then cellar the beer for a few months to round out the flavor profile. This beer tends to mellow out with age.

[jmcamerlengo]

@tygo

Just assume that your efficiency will be lower and compensate accordingly.  That’ll keep you from having to use DME to bump it up, but having some on hand is a good idea, as suggested.

I’d mash lower than 154.  This beer will have a good amount of residual sugar left in it even at a lower mash temp.  Or add some sugar per the Professor’s suggestions to help dry it out.

+1.

Id throw in a pound or so of sugar or even honey at the end of the boil to help with attenuation. Also mash lower and mash long. IMO the key to a great barleywine is keeping it dry and drinkable as a beer that big can be. I mash mine at 147 for about 90 minutes.

[blatz]

@hopfenundmalz

If you control the temps, and pitch the proper amount of yeast, you don’t have to bulk age. These can be ready to drink in less than 3 months.

big + 1 - I have actually started to dislike aged barleywines - I like em fresh when there is a big malt body and a significant american hop punch.  My aged ones, while doing well in competitions, are sort of blase to me…

[hopfenundmalz]

@jmcamerlengo

@tygo

Just assume that your efficiency will be lower and compensate accordingly.  That’ll keep you from having to use DME to bump it up, but having some on hand is a good idea, as suggested.

I’d mash lower than 154.  This beer will have a good amount of residual sugar left in it even at a lower mash temp.  Or add some sugar per the Professor’s suggestions to help dry it out.

+1.

Id throw in a pound or so of sugar or even honey at the end of the boil to help with attenuation. Also mash lower and mash long. IMO the key to a great barleywine is keeping it dry and drinkable as a beer that big can be. I mash mine at 147 for about 90 minutes.

If you look at the talk from Greg Doss at the 2012 NHC, he found the max. attenuation was at 153F, and at a 75 min. mash. There was a bump in the 150-154 or so range that gave more attenuation than at the 140s, and the 140s gave more attenuation than going >155 or so. My simple thinking on this is that temp would give good activity of the Alpha to chop up the long chains and the Beta to produce simple sugars off those chains.

I need to look at that again.

[kaiser]

@hopfenundmalz

My simple thinking on this is that temp would give good activity of the Alpha to chop up the long chains and the Beta to produce simple sugars off those chains.

Once you get into the low 140s, you don’t have to worry so much about a-amylase as you have to worry about incomplete gelatinization.

Kai