Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Nov/Dec 2010 Barleywine recipes  (Read 3330 times)

Offline brianbgarber

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 15
Nov/Dec 2010 Barleywine recipes
« on: October 22, 2013, 10:26:22 am »
Has anyone tried any of Mr. Strong's Barleywine recipes in his Nov/Dec 2010 "All About Barleywines" article? I was debating between the American Barleywine and the Hybrid Barleywine recipes.

There is also a Belgian barleywine recipe, but I've narrowed it down to the two listed above.

I've never brewed a barleywine before, so I'd appreciate any insight or feedback on these recipes!

Thanks,
Brian

Offline dannyjed

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1496
  • Toledo, OH
Re: Nov/Dec 2010 Barleywine recipes
« Reply #1 on: October 22, 2013, 05:58:04 pm »
I've never brewed those particular recipes before, but I've brewed my own for ~6 years and the most important things that come to mind are
#1 pitch plenty of yeast (I use an entire slurry from a previous 1.050 batch) 
#2 watch your fermentation temperatures because these strong beers can heat up quick
#3 these beers get better with some age and hops will fade first
#4 use a blow off tube
Dan Chisholm

Offline brianbgarber

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 15
Re: Nov/Dec 2010 Barleywine recipes
« Reply #2 on: October 23, 2013, 08:32:55 am »
Good advise, thanks Dan!

Based on what you said about the hop fade I think I'll try the American Barleywine. The recipe has it at 95 IBUs vs 73 for the Hybrid.

Good idea on the blow off tube. I once had a Belgian Tripel blow the lid off my primary when the airlock got clogged. Darn thing sounded like a shot!

-Brian

Offline kramerog

  • Brewmaster General
  • *******
  • Posts: 2262
    • My LinkedIn page
Re: Nov/Dec 2010 Barleywine recipes
« Reply #3 on: October 23, 2013, 08:38:50 am »
Other yeast tips:  throw some spent yeast into your boiling wort to provide additional nutrients for your yeast and consider doing an open fermentation at least initially so your yeast gets enough oxygen.

Offline kylekohlmorgen

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1363
  • Saint Louis, MO
    • The South House Pilot Brewery
Re: Nov/Dec 2010 Barleywine recipes
« Reply #4 on: October 23, 2013, 10:01:01 am »
...consider doing an open fermentation at least initially so your yeast gets enough oxygen.

OR you could hit it with an additional dose of oxygen ~ 12 hours in. Sanitation is really important in beers that you intend to keep around for years.

Most poor barleywines suffer from either under-attenuation or (most often) yeast stress flavors. Pitch plenty of fresh yeast, oxygenate the hell out of it, dose more O2 12 hours later, and religiously control fermentation temp. Slowly raising then holding the temp near the end of fermentation will help drive attenuation and reduce diacetyl/acetaldehyde.

Lots of great homebrewers pitch the entire cake from a previous batch, but it really is overkill. It definitely beats over-pitching, but I'd rather harvest a few cups of the good stuff and leave the dead yeast/trub behind, especially since the beer could spend a relatively long time sitting on it.
Twitter/Instagram: @southhousebrew

Recipes, Brett/Bacteria Experiments: http://SouthHouseBeer.com/

Offline brianbgarber

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 15
Re: Nov/Dec 2010 Barleywine recipes
« Reply #5 on: October 23, 2013, 12:09:01 pm »
...and religiously control fermentation temp. Slowly raising then holding the temp near the end of fermentation will help drive attenuation and reduce diacetyl/acetaldehyde....

Temperature control is an area that I've not done much with at all. My (unfinished part) basement holds very steady between 68 - 70°F, and that's all I do. Without getting too much off topic, what are some good ways to control fermentation temp without investing in a new refrigerator and temperature controller (or is that it)?

Offline morticaixavier

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 7781
  • Underhill VT
    • The Best Artist in the WORLD!!!!!
Re: Nov/Dec 2010 Barleywine recipes
« Reply #6 on: October 23, 2013, 12:18:52 pm »
...and religiously control fermentation temp. Slowly raising then holding the temp near the end of fermentation will help drive attenuation and reduce diacetyl/acetaldehyde....

Temperature control is an area that I've not done much with at all. My (unfinished part) basement holds very steady between 68 - 70°F, and that's all I do. Without getting too much off topic, what are some good ways to control fermentation temp without investing in a new refrigerator and temperature controller (or is that it)?

evaporative cooling works pretty well if it is not too humid. This is where you put you fermenter in a tub or shallow pan and cover it with a cotton shirt or towel. The cotton should hang down into a couple inches of water in the tub or pan so that it can wick this liquid up and the evaporation from the shirt will reduce the temp of the fermenter by a couple degrees from ambient. This will also help dump the heat created by the fermentation. Remember your big barley wine fermenting in 68-70 degree ambient will likely have an internal temp at the height of fermentation ~75-80 which is not great.

you can also get a bigger tub and fill it so that the water is close to the line of wort in the fermenter and use ice or frozen water bottles/ice packs to lower the temp of the water.

you can aslo create an insulated space (small box, tub, barrel etc) that you can put ice packs/frozen water bottles in to keep the air cool.
"Creativity is the residue of wasted time"
-A Einstein

"errors are [...] the portals of discovery"
- J Joyce

Offline brianbgarber

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 15
Re: Nov/Dec 2010 Barleywine recipes
« Reply #7 on: October 23, 2013, 12:23:36 pm »
evaporative cooling works pretty well if it is not too humid. This is where you put you fermenter in a tub or shallow pan and cover it with a cotton shirt or towel. The cotton should hang down into a couple inches of

Ah, great ideas, thank you!!!

Offline klickitat jim

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8604
Re: Nov/Dec 2010 Barleywine recipes
« Reply #8 on: October 23, 2013, 01:16:25 pm »
Perhaps a small fan to blow air across it if it doesn't seem to evaporate fast enough.

Offline Jimmy K

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3643
  • Delaware
Re: Nov/Dec 2010 Barleywine recipes
« Reply #9 on: October 25, 2013, 08:25:02 am »
I've been using this igloo cooler lately, which fits a 6.5gal carboy or bucket perfectly. I place 1-2 frozen ice packs around the sides and wrap a towel around the top, replacing the ice packs every 12 hours. This summer I used more icepacks to keep 10 gallons of cider in the high 50s when my house was about 80. It's a bit labor intensive, but it works and its cheap.
 
Delmarva United Homebrewers - President by inverse coup - former president ousted himself.
AHA Member since 2006
BJCP Certified: B0958

Offline morticaixavier

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 7781
  • Underhill VT
    • The Best Artist in the WORLD!!!!!
Re: Nov/Dec 2010 Barleywine recipes
« Reply #10 on: October 25, 2013, 08:26:50 am »
I've been using this igloo cooler lately, which fits a 6.5gal carboy or bucket perfectly. I place 1-2 frozen ice packs around the sides and wrap a towel around the top, replacing the ice packs every 12 hours. This summer I used more icepacks to keep 10 gallons of cider in the high 50s when my house was about 80. It's a bit labor intensive, but it works and its cheap.
 


you don't fill it with water right? just count on keeping the air cool? less mess potential that way.
"Creativity is the residue of wasted time"
-A Einstein

"errors are [...] the portals of discovery"
- J Joyce

Offline Jimmy K

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3643
  • Delaware
Re: Nov/Dec 2010 Barleywine recipes
« Reply #11 on: October 25, 2013, 09:15:42 am »
you don't fill it with water right? just count on keeping the air cool? less mess potential that way.
Correct. I think water would cause fast temperature fluctuations when you add new ice. Air slows that down so the temperature is more steady. And you're right - no leaks, drips, etc.
 
I think I could cold crash too by filling the cooler with ice after fermentation. Haven't tried that yet.
Delmarva United Homebrewers - President by inverse coup - former president ousted himself.
AHA Member since 2006
BJCP Certified: B0958

Offline morticaixavier

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 7781
  • Underhill VT
    • The Best Artist in the WORLD!!!!!
Re: Nov/Dec 2010 Barleywine recipes
« Reply #12 on: October 25, 2013, 09:19:12 am »
you don't fill it with water right? just count on keeping the air cool? less mess potential that way.
Correct. I think water would cause fast temperature fluctuations when you add new ice. Air slows that down so the temperature is more steady. And you're right - no leaks, drips, etc.
 
I think I could cold crash too by filling the cooler with ice after fermentation. Haven't tried that yet.

I bet that would work well. If you add some rock salt for sure.
"Creativity is the residue of wasted time"
-A Einstein

"errors are [...] the portals of discovery"
- J Joyce