Beginners Barley Wine
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Here is a batch I made in early Feb. Turned out very well everyone that has tried has commented in how easy drinking it is at 9.4%ABV
Gravity Before Boil: 1.041 SG
Original Gravity: 1.096 SG
Final Gravity: 1.024 SG
Volume Before Boil: 3.50 US gals
Volume After Boil: 1.50 US gals
Volume Transferred: 1.25 US gals
Water Added To Dilute: 0.0 qts
Volume At Pitching: 1.25 US gals
Volume Of Finished Beer: 4.0 qts
Total Water Required: 4.13 US gals
Preparation
Heat 1.97 US gals of water to 169 F.
Mashing
2lb 8oz of US 2-Row Malt
2lb 0oz of US Vienna Malt
8.00 oz of US Caramel 60L Malt
4.00 oz of US Roasted Barley
Allow the temperature to stabilize at 151 F. Allow to rest at this temperature for 60 minutes.
Raise the temperature to 171 F over 10 minutes and mash out.
Add 1.6 qts of water at 171 F, mix and run off.
Add a further 1.75 US gals of water at 171 F and mix.
Run off to collect a total of 3.50 US gals of wort.
Add the following hops at the times given for the boil.
0.50 oz of German Tettnang (60 Min From End)(alpha 3.7%)
0.50 oz of German Tettnang (30 Min From End)(alpha 3.7%)
0.50 oz of UK Fuggle (5 Min From End) (alpha 4.2%)
0.50 oz of UK Golding (5 Min From End) (alpha 5.8%)
0.50 oz of US Mount Hood (1 Min From End)(6.1% AlphaAcids)
Boil the wort for a total of 120 minutes.
Pitch 1 pack(s) of DCL S-04-SafAle and ferment at 64 F.
Gravity Before Boil: 1.041 SG
Original Gravity: 1.096 SG
Final Gravity: 1.024 SG
Volume Before Boil: 3.50 US gals
Volume After Boil: 1.50 US gals
Volume Transferred: 1.25 US gals
Water Added To Dilute: 0.0 qts
Volume At Pitching: 1.25 US gals
Volume Of Finished Beer: 4.0 qts
Total Water Required: 4.13 US gals
Preparation
Heat 1.97 US gals of water to 169 F.
Mashing
2lb 8oz of US 2-Row Malt
2lb 0oz of US Vienna Malt
8.00 oz of US Caramel 60L Malt
4.00 oz of US Roasted Barley
Allow the temperature to stabilize at 151 F. Allow to rest at this temperature for 60 minutes.
Raise the temperature to 171 F over 10 minutes and mash out.
Add 1.6 qts of water at 171 F, mix and run off.
Add a further 1.75 US gals of water at 171 F and mix.
Run off to collect a total of 3.50 US gals of wort.
Add the following hops at the times given for the boil.
0.50 oz of German Tettnang (60 Min From End)(alpha 3.7%)
0.50 oz of German Tettnang (30 Min From End)(alpha 3.7%)
0.50 oz of UK Fuggle (5 Min From End) (alpha 4.2%)
0.50 oz of UK Golding (5 Min From End) (alpha 5.8%)
0.50 oz of US Mount Hood (1 Min From End)(6.1% AlphaAcids)
Boil the wort for a total of 120 minutes.
Pitch 1 pack(s) of DCL S-04-SafAle and ferment at 64 F.
inhousebrew
Well-Known Member
Well since you said beginners barleywine I'm thinking extract? If so you'll need something different than the one above or will need to convert it to extract.
More than the recipe I'd say be careful with technique. Use a yeast calculator online to make sure you pitch enough. Ferment it out low and slow, this is important with big beers but I like to finish it off at a high temp to for a couple days to make sure I reach my full attenuation. Lastly, be patient. Let it sit and get better for at least three to four months. My barleywine aged a year in carboys and has been bottled for four months and is just now getting really good.
More than the recipe I'd say be careful with technique. Use a yeast calculator online to make sure you pitch enough. Ferment it out low and slow, this is important with big beers but I like to finish it off at a high temp to for a couple days to make sure I reach my full attenuation. Lastly, be patient. Let it sit and get better for at least three to four months. My barleywine aged a year in carboys and has been bottled for four months and is just now getting really good.
FatsSchindee
Well-Known Member
inhousebrew said:
I just brewed Austin Homebrew Supply's AHS American Barleywine (extract) on Saturday night. I made some changes to their directions (based on what I've learned on here and from How to Brew), but not to the recipe ingredients. Instead of steeping in 2 gallons, I did one, and then instead of boiling 3 gallons, I did 4 (couldn't do full boil based on the size of my BK), and then topped up to 5 after cooling. I also did the late extract addition method: instead of adding the one lb of DME and the 10 lbs of LME at the beginning of the 60 min boil, I just added the 1 of DME and then 3 of the LME (read you want about one lb per gal of boil) then, and then the other 7 lbs at flameout.
[As far as a simple Barleywine recipe, this one might be a good one to check out. Compared to the other recipes I've seen posted on here, its ingredient list seems simpler. Not sure if I can post the specifics of it (proprietary?), but it had 3 specialty grains, one type of DME, one type of LME, and two kinds of hops (in only two additions). It has great reviews on their website. It was only my third beer brewed, and I didn't feel it was overly complicated or feel overwhelmed brewing it at all (we'll see how it turns out, though!)...]
I pitched two vials of WLP001, and its been happily bubbling away since Sunday afternoon. I'm using a Rubbermaid bin with water and 1/2 or 1 gal ice (in plastic bottles) to regulate fermentation temp (optimal ferm temp is 68-73, according to white labs, so I'm trying to keep the water temp in the mid to low 60s to make up for the heat generated in the fermenter).
My questions now have to do with time. How long should I keep the temp this low? About 5-7 days? Until ferm is complete (by hydrometer readings)? And then after that, would room temp be okay (around 74-77 in my house) for the remainder of the primary and/or secondary fermentation?
Also, I now know better than to follow the ferm schedule in the directions (prim for 5-7 days then sec for 5-7 days, then bottle for at least three months). I was originally thinking prim for one month, sec for one month, the bottles for at least 6 months. I know it'll be better after a year even (and will of course save much of it til then), but was hoping that it'll be ready for Xmas. Does that sound long enough for each phase? Should I even secondary? What would Y'all recommend based on your experiences with big beers/barleywines? Thanks for any input and advice...
[edited to add: this was obviously a five gal recipe. Just reread OP and saw looking for a one gal recipe... Sorry!]
I leave my barleywines in primary until I bottle about 2 months. Depends if I need the fermenter or not. I only secondary if I'm going to add fruit or other adjuncts post fermentation so I don't feel they're necessary for a barleywine.
As per the OP you can always divide the ingredients in the extract version above by 5 for a one gallon recipe.
As per the OP you can always divide the ingredients in the extract version above by 5 for a one gallon recipe.
hehawbrew said:
No I think you'd be alright with a two gallon bucket.
"Anyone have a good beginners Barley wine recipe?"
Honestly, there is no such thing. To make a decent barleywine, you'll really need to have your basic techniques down. Eg proper sanitation, proper pitch, proper aeration, proper fermentation temps, no oxygen mixed during transfers. Otherwise, you'll wait a year and end up with a sweet mess of brew.
If you can do all those things already, congrats... you aren't a beginner. At this point, you should be able to tackle any kind of recipe without worrying how easy it is.
Honestly, there is no such thing. To make a decent barleywine, you'll really need to have your basic techniques down. Eg proper sanitation, proper pitch, proper aeration, proper fermentation temps, no oxygen mixed during transfers. Otherwise, you'll wait a year and end up with a sweet mess of brew.
If you can do all those things already, congrats... you aren't a beginner. At this point, you should be able to tackle any kind of recipe without worrying how easy it is.
GilSwillBasementBrews said:
Made it today! Only thing I did different was added 1/4oz of oak chips soaked in whiskey and 1/4 oz dry oak chips...
Also- my Lhbs was all out of two gallon fermenters, so, I got a three gallon.... I'm nervous about the headspace, but one of my two gallon fermenters will be free this time next week....think it's okay or should I rack next week to the two gallon...
Lastly, my SG was 1.06.... Did I mess up?
As long as your not opening and closing the fermenter alot it should be fine active fermentation will make more than enough co2 to fill the headspace. It's after primary fermentation you don't want alot of headspace as the yeast aren't actively making mass quantities of co2. If your going to rack onto oak chips anyway just do that in the 2gallon bucket when your ready to. You shouldn't need a whole lot of bread space as you won't be fermenting anything more just flavoring with the oak/whiskey.
Yeah it's been sitting since February. Pretty smooth so far only had a few "samples" can't wait to break into it this winter. Could easily drink it now though.
No I haven't bottled it yet still going back and forth in if I want to try and carb it or leave it still I figure as long as I get in the bottle by June/July it should be good by November/December. I just have it sitting in the gallon jug air locked.
