English barleywine with WLP002?

[IsonAd]

Planning my annual xmass eve big beer brew and was planning on an English barleywine around 9-10%. I've got a mild in the fermenter now with 002 thought I'd pitch on top of the cake or a portion of it, but am worried it might not attenuate enough and leave me with a cloying syrupy mess. Anyone have any experience with this?

I haven't worked out the recipe yet so would welcome any winning recipe's too, but at this stage i was thibkimg about Marris otter as a base and a mix of xtals for the grain bill. Will mash low to try and get good attenuation.

Welcome any thoughts

 

[bullsneck]

I'd be hesitant going beyond 5% for the crystal malts.
Google 'Fuller's Golden Pride' recipe and you'll find some decent recipes (that's what I did and I am very happy with it).

 

[Reman]

Had a bottle of Golden Pride on the weekend, it's 8.5% and very tasty.

Re-pitching on your WLP002 is a good idea to start it off, but you may want an alcohol tolerant yeast on hand to finish it off if it gets stuck.

Other tips I've seen are mash low, which you've already mentioned but also to give the fermenter another hit of oxygen on day 2 of fermentation.

 

[TheWiggman]

According to the specs WLP002 is well suited to an EBW: https://www.whitelabs.com/yeast/wlp002-english-ale-yeast

Considering it's a slurry repitch, assuming it was already in good health and being a mild I think you'll find they are prime conditions for a big beer. Note that the attenuation is listed at 68%, which is on the low side, so some good aeration and a thrash after 24h - 48h as suggested above is good advice. Don't be afraid to ferment a little warmer than your average ale, around the 20-22°C mark.

A finish around 1.025, with an OG in the 1.090 mark would suit well.

I haven't used it myself, but have used Wyeast 1028 on a few occasions with very good results. Whitelabs equivalent is WLP013.

 

[Spiesy]

Why not use WLP007? It's another White Labs English yeast, but with more alcohol tolerant and attenuative qualities - just might not have as much "character" as 002. You could always use both.

 

[IsonAd]

Thanks guys. I plan to dose it up on oxygen a couple times in 24hrs and will ramp up the temp during ferment. I agree 007 would be better (farking love that yeast) but 002 is all I have on hand so will see how it goes. Will keep non fermentables down too and maybe add some corn sugar to help attenuation.

 

[Mr. No-Tip]

I've struggled to get my EBW's down below about 1.030 with this yeast - if recommend a low end style appropriate gravity.

 

[Blind Dog]

Long lowish mash (say 90 minutes at 65C) and restraint in the crystals part of the grain bill should help achieve a reasonable FG to avoid an over sweet finished product. If you are using sugars as well, maybe add this (boiled and cooled) once fermentation is well underway. No reason why you shouldn't get decent attenuation with WLP002 so long as the original pitch is clean, healthy and of sufficient size, but it does have a habit of dropping out early. You may well want to make sure you have a way to easily rouse the yeast without introducing oxygen (I tend to ferment in cubes so simply close the lid and invert for an hour or so, then turn it back the right way up) from the get go rather than trying to work out once fermentation is underway.

 

[Reman]

SG of 1.082 down to 1.018 gives you 8.5%, which should be doable with WLP002 I reckon. Is this big enough for you?

 

[IsonAd]

I was thinking of around 9% ish. I did an American BW last year that went from 1.108 to 1.020 using US05 and I think it could do with a bit more sweetness and body so I don't mind shooting for mid 20s (1.020s).