Smoked Barleywine

[billyots]

First time doing a barleywine and wanted to get feedback on how the recipe looks, thanks!


2-row pale malt - 6#
Maris Otter pale malt - 6#
LME - 5#
Special B - 2#
Smoked Malt - 3#

Mash 152 for 75 minutes

90 minute boil
90 min - Warrior 1oz
90 min - Columbus 1oz
60 min - Columbus .5oz
60 min - Warrior .5oz
30 min - Willamette .5oz
10 min - Wilamette .5oz
10 min - Columbuz .5oz
10 min Whirlfloc

Estimated SG 1.125
IBU 113
29.1 SRM
ABV 12.6

 

[chad_]

I wish I could help you, but sadly I can't. I've never had a smoked barleywine before, what are the tasting notes on something like this?

 

[aiptasia]

That's 14% smoked malt on the grain bill, which should be fine. I might actually tone down the IBU's a little unless your intention is to let this beer age a while before you drink it. Brewed as it is, it's going to have a lot of bite with earthy, herbal, floral notes mixed into the grapefruit rind. If it conditions until early next year (or beyond), it'll probably taste a little better.

 

[TNGabe]

That's ton of special B and smoked malt. Go 100% MO and you'll have a much better beer.

 

[billyots]

I had planned on waiting for about 6 months to a year before actually getting into it. I'll try some along the way, but that was the original thought. Thanks for the feedback!

 

[billyots]

Also going to use WLP051 - California V to ferment with

 

[stjackson]

Personally, I would cut out the 60-minute hop additions and add in some flame-out hop additions. Also, and this might just be a personal taste thing, but with the starting gravity you're going to have (maybe as high as 1.130 depending on efficiency) and the yeast you're using, you will probably end up with a final gravity close to 1.030. That's at the very top end of the style guidelines, but I think that will end up being a really syrupy, sweet, kinda-hard-to-drink beer. Maybe that's what you're going for, so disregard my comments if you want a high finishing gravity; I tend to like all my beers on the drier end of the style guidelines. I don't know if I could drink a beer with a finishing gravity much higher than 1.020.

Anyway, to combat that I would reduce the special B by half (or at least a quarter), and replace some of the base malt with plain ol' table sugar (up to 5% or so). Then, mash at like 148-149F for 90 minutes and sparge realllllly slow. Switch to either WLP 001 or 090 to get better attenuation. Either of those yeasts, pitched healthy, in the proper quantity, with good aeration, and some yeast nutrient will get you closer to 80% (maybe a few ticks more) attenuation which will, in my opinion, give you a much more drinkable beer. You'll finish in the low 1.020s instead of closer to 1.030. It'll put you close to 14%+ ABV.

Again, all of that is based on personal taste preferences, but I think you'll get a better beer if you try to cater your recipe to end with a lower final gravity.

 

[motorneuron]

+1 to stjackson, stole all my ideas!!