Barley Wine 1st-timer

[keine_ahnung]

Hi all,
just signed up today after perusing the wealth of info on here for the last couple of weeks.

Been brewing (only kits/extracts for a little while now). Lately been getting into the darker/heavier ales.

I've got a barley wine on at the moment. It's been in the primary fermentation keg for 8 days today, and I *think* it's about ready, but would really appreciate a 2nd opinion from those more knowledgeable than I.

Ingredients: Munton's BarleyWine kit (1.5kg), Briess Munich extract (1.5kg), 500g Coopers Brewing Sugar (i think it's an altodextrose or something like that from memory), Yeast: came with Munton's kit. 16L water
SG: 1052 (from memory. It's written down at home, it could have been 1056 though).

it's been sitting around 1020 for the last few days, but i suspect i should try and get it a little lower.
it was around 17-18degC, but as of yesty, I've warmed it up to 20degC and given it a slight agitation to try and get the little yeasties going again.

Thoughts....??

Also, I took a guess with the added dextrose. Perhaps i should have put more in for a heavy brew like this. 1052 sounds way too low for something that's supposed to be very heavy

Thanks in advance!

 

[kdaust]

What do the instructions on the kit say? I thought barleywines were supposed to be high gravity (circa 1.090+). Google a style guide for english barleywine.

 

[enuun]

Munton's Barley Wine kit is not really a true barley wine style. You will be lucky to just get a nice ale from it. From your OG to FG you will probably get about 5-ish% alcohol. You might want to try the coopers vintage for your next brew to experiment with some high gravity brewing. But I am sure your beer is good. Stir up the yeast and let it sit for awhile more you might be able to kick start some.

 

[Cortez The Killer]

I would expect a couple more points to drop

I'd give it another week

Cheers

 

[keine_ahnung]

thanks fellas

Yeah even if it doesn't turn out that strong, I don't mind...as long as it's a nice ale

I did one similar to this a while back: Munton's Scottish Heavy ale. And it's absolutely delicious. (I think I fluked it to be honest. It's, by far, nicer than anything else I've ever brewed)
I was actually going for that ale again, but my local homebrew shop was out of Scottish Heavy Ale. So I just went the barley wine instead.

I'll give her another week and see how it goes.
Does 20degC sound like a good temp?

(I accidentally stuffed up and pitched the yeast at 24degC in the wort. Took about two days to get the temp back down again The last 5 or so days it's been sitting around 17-18degC)

 

[brettprevans]

i love guys who make random shit up (not up @keine).

@ keine - 1.6kg kit + 1.5kg liquid malt + .25kg dex + .25 maltodex @ 16L is OG1078 with an expected FG of 1023 @ 7.9%
use a brewing calculator and youll get your expected OG's and FGs and that should help your brewing. there are plenty of resources on AHB about brew calculators if you have a quick search.
now 7.9% isnt quite barleywine by bjcp style but close enough (its between 8-12%). probably ending up closer to an old ale.

as for temp, now that most of your fermentation is done you can ramp up temp a bit to try and get a few more points to drop. you dont want a furious primary fermentation as it risks the production of hot alcohols. should be fine now to up the temp.

it will require aging before drinking to let the flavours meld and any harshness to mellow. good luck

 

[drsmurto]

I'd leave it on the yeastcake for at least 14 days and then rack to another vessel and leave at ferment temperature for another 2 weeks to make sure you get the FG down.

As CM2 points out, this beer style/strength needs time to balance. Early on it will be quite harsh in flavour but over the next few years will develop complex malt flavours.

When bottling prime at the lower end of the scale. A high carbonated BW would be horrible. Serve it warm, >12C and enjoy the amazing complexity. I serve mine at ~16C and sip it in front of the fire.

 

[brettprevans]

I'd leave it on the yeastcake for at least 14 days and then rack to another vessel and leave at ferment temperature for another 2 weeks to make sure you get the FG down.
When bottling prime at the lower end of the scale. A high carbonated BW would be horrible. Serve it warm, >12C and enjoy the amazing complexity. I serve mine at ~16C and sip it in front of the fire.

I missed the OP that said 8 day ferment. yup needs more time. even with using US05 & Pacman (ravinous beast of a yeast) my barleywine was on the yeastcake for 3 weeks. no need to rush.
completly agree on the carbonation as well. you want some carbonation to give it a lift otherwise it seems to heavy, but you certainly dont want a heap of carbonation.

 

[keine_ahnung]

Oops. I forgot to check back here in the last couple of days, and got impatient and just bottled it last night.
Oh well...guess I'll see how it goes.

morgue: how do you work this out? "1.6kg kit + 1.5kg liquid malt + .25kg dex + .25 maltodex @ 16L is OG1078"

You just sum the masses, then divide by the total volume?
What density do you use for dextrose powder??

 

[brettprevans]

morgue: how do you work this out? "1.6kg kit + 1.5kg liquid malt + .25kg dex + .25 maltodex @ 16L is OG1078"

You just sum the masses, then divide by the total volume?
What density do you use for dextrose powder??

Hi

I used a brewing calculator as I suggested you do in my post.

here
here
plenty more around if you search

or use brwewing software

edit: im too lazy/busy to do the math when there are calculators setup for me, so I cant tell you the arithmatic off the top of my head sorry.