Brewing an American Barleywine

Previously in this series of articles on How to brew different Styles of Beer? we covered Brewing an Old Ale, this time the Beer Style comes from the ‘Strong American Ale’ category in the BJCP 2015 Guidelines and is the style of an American Barleywine.

In the following sections we are going to examine different aspects of this style such as its background, the style guidelines, ingredients used, sample recipes, brewing process, and finally the outcome of brewing a batch of this beer.

Background

According to the BJCP Guidelines this style is usually the strongest ale offered by a brewery, often associated with the winter or holiday season and vintage-dated. Aswith many American craft beer styles, derived from English examples but using American ingredients and featuring a much more forward hop profile. One of the first American craft beer versions was Anchor Old Foghorn, first brewed in 1975. Sierra Nevada Bigfoot, first brewed in 1983, set the standard for the hop-forward style of today. The story goes that when Sierra Nevada first sent Bigfoot out for lab analysis, the lab called and said, “your barleywine is too bitter” – to which Sierra Nevada replied, “thank you”.

Commercial examples of this style include Sierra Nevada Bigfoot, Great Divide Old Ruffian, Victory Old Horizontal, Rogue Old Crustacean, Avery Hog Heaven Barleywine, Bell’s Third Coast Old Ale, Anchor Old Foghorn, Three Floyds Behemoth, Stone Old Guardian, Bridgeport Old Knucklehead, Hair of the Dog Doggie Claws, Lagunitas Olde GnarleyWine, Smuttynose Barleywine, and Flying Dog Horn Dog.

Guidelines

In the BJCP 2008 Style Guidelines the American Barleywine was grouped together with the Old Ale and English Barleywine styles in the Strong Ale category. Strong Ale has now been split geographical with the American Barleywine now in the Strong American Ale category with three other strong beers from America:

		BJCP 2015	BJCP 2008
Category		22: Strong American Ale	19: Strong Ale
Styles		22A: Double IPA
			19A: Old Ale
			19B: English Barleywine
		22B: American Strong Ale
		22C: American Barleywine	19C: American Barleywine
		22D: Wheatwine

In the new guidelines the vital statistics of the American Barleywine are as follows:

• Original Gravity (OG) = 1.080 – 1.120
• Final Gravity (FG) = 1.016 – 1.030
• Alcohol By Volume (ABV) = 8 – 12%
• Bitterness (IBUs) = 50 – 100
• Color (SRM) = 10 – 19

The only change from the 2008 guidelines is the upper end of the bitterness range being dropped by 20 IBUs.

Ingredients

According to the BJCP 2015 Guidelines the following are characteristic ingredients used in the brewing of an American Barleywine:

• Malts: Well-modified pale malt should form the backbone of the grist. Some specialty or character malts may be used. Dark malts should be used with great restraint, if at all, as most of the color arises from a lengthy boil.
• Hops: New World hops are common, although any varieties can be used in quantity.
• Yeast: Generally uses an attenuative American ale yeast.
• Water: Not specified.
• Additions: Not specified.

Recipes

Below are some recipes for 5 gallon batches of an American Barleywine from leading authors in the homebrewing community together with some analysis on how they comply with the style guidelines:

– 2010 Barleywine –

Source: Zymurgy (Sep/Oct 2013 issue)
Author: David Barber

Ingredients:

• 13 Lb American 2-row Pale malt
• 7 Lb Maris Otter malt
• 4 oz Crystal 60L malt
• 8 oz Caravienne malt
• 4 oz light CaraMunich malt
• 4 oz Crystal 120L malt
• 4 oz Crystal 40L malt
• 1 Lb cane sugar
• 1 oz whole Cascade hops (bittering – 120 mins)
• 1 oz whole Zeus hops (bittering – 60 mins)
• 0.4 oz whole Chinook hops (bittering – 60 mins)
• 1 oz whole Centennial hops (flavoring – 15 mins)
• 1 oz whole Cascade hops (aroma – 0 mins)
• 1 oz whole Centennial hops (aroma – 0 mins)
• 1 oz whole Simcoe hops (aroma – 0 mins)
• 1 oz whole Amarillo hops (dry hop)
• 1 oz whole Centennial hops (dry hop)
• 1 oz whole Simcoe hops (dry hop)
• Wyeast 1056 American Ale yeast
• 1 tablet Whirlfloc
• 1.5g Gypsum (mash)
• 1.8g Calcium Chloride (mash)

Process:

• Mash @ 149 deg F (65 deg C) for 90 mins
• Boil for 120 mins
• Ferment @ 68 deg F (20 deg C)
• Carbonate to 2.3 volumes

Statistics:

• OG: 1.090
• FG: 1.019
• ABV: 9.5%
• IBU: 76.4
• SRM: 12

Analysis:

• Malts: Both base malts are Pale but an interesting combination of 2/3 American and 1/3 British though still within style. For specialty malts there is a mix of various ones though nothing to add too much color.
• Hops: Hops are an extensive range of New World varieties so within style.
• Yeast: Choice of yeast is a clean, attenuative American strain and appropriate for the style.
• Statistics: Starting and Finishing Gravities plus resulting alcohol content are all within the style guideline ranges. Bitterness is middle of the range whilst the color is towards the lower end though still both within style.

– Double Trouble –

Source: Zymurgy (Nov/Dec 2012 issue)
Author: Drew Beechum

Ingredients:

• 7.5 Lb domestic 2-row Pale malt
• 7.5 Lb Maris Otter Pale malt
• 12 oz Crystal 55L malt
• 12 oz Munich malt
• 8 oz Wheat
• 4 oz Biscuit malt
• 0.5 oz whole Cascade hops (FWH – First Wort Hopping)
• 0.5 oz pellet Simcoe hops (FWH)
• 0.75 oz pellet Centennial hops (bittering – 60 mins)
• 0.25 oz pellet Chinook hops (bittering – 45 mins)
• 1 oz pellet Crystal hops (bittering – 30 mins)
• 0.5 oz whole Cascade hops (bittering – 30 mins)
• 0.5 oz pellet Warrior hops (flavoring – 15 mins)
• 0.5 oz pellet Amarillo hops (aroma – 5 mins)
• 0.5 oz pellet Simcoe hops (aroma – 0 mins)
• 1.5 oz whole Cascade hops (aroma – 0 mins)
• 1.5 oz whole Cascade hops (dry hop)
• Wyeast 1056 American Ale yeast or White Labs American Ale yeast (WLP001)

Process:

• Mash @ 152 deg F (67 deg C) for 60 mins
• Boil for 90 mins

Statistics:

• OG: 1.087
• FG: 1.013
• ABV: 9.7%
• IBU: 99.9
• SRM: 10.2

Analysis:

• Malts: Both base malts are Pale but an interesting combination of 50% American and 50% British though still within style. For specialty malts there is a mix of various ones with nothing to add too much color plus the presence of Wheat to give some body and head retention.
• Hops: Hops are an extensive range of New World varieties so within style.
• Yeast: Choice of yeast is a clean, attenuative American strain and appropriate for the style.
• Statistics: The Starting Gravity is towards the bottom of the range for this style whilst the Finishing Gravity is below the lower end of the respective range. The alcohol content is towards the middle of the ABV range for this style. Color is at the bottom of the SRM range whilst bitterness is right at the top of the IBU range, both are within the style guidelines.

 

– Old Monster –

Source: Brewing Classic Styles
Author: Jamil Zainasheff & John J. Palmer

Ingredients:

• 23.2 Lb American 2-row malt
• 1 Lb Crystal 15L malt
• 1 Lb Crystal 80L malt
• 0.25 Lb Pale Chocolate (200L) malt
• 0.25 Lb Special B (120L) malt
• 2.45 oz Magnum hops (bittering – 60 mins)
• 1.0 oz Chinook hops (aroma – 0 mins)
• 1.5 oz Centennial hops (aroma – 0 mins)
• 1.5 oz Amarillo hops (aroma – 0 mins)
• White Labs California Ale yeast (WLP001) or Wyeast 1056 American Ale yeast

Process:

• Mash @ 149 deg F (65 deg C) for 90 mins
• Boil for 60 mins
• Ferment @ 68 deg F (20 deg C)
• Carbonate to 2-2.5 volumes

Statistics:

• OG: 1.115
• FG: 1.022
• ABV: 12.5%
• IBU: 99
• SRM: 17

Analysis:

• Malts: Both the base and specialty malts fall within the style guidelines.
• Hops: Aside from the main bittering hop the varieties are New World so are within style.
• Yeast: Choice of yeast is a clean, attenuative American strain and appropriate for the style.
• Statistics: Starting and Finishing Gravities are within their respective ranges though the alcohol content is 0.5% above the ABV range. The color is within its range and the bitterness is at the top end of the allowable IBUs.

Process

The recipe chosen for brewing this batch of American Barleywine is the ‘2010 Barleywine’ for three main reasons:

• The beer using this recipe took Gold in the Strong Ale category at the National Homebrew Competition (NHC) in 2013.
• The author of this recipe won the Ninkasi Award at NHC 2013.
• The recipe uses a lot of whole leaf Cascade hops which at the time I had a lot of these in my freezer.

Below is the actual recipe that I went with:

• 12.75 Lb US 2-row Pale malt
• 9 Lb Maris Otter Pale malt
• 8 oz Caravienne malt
• 4.3 oz Crystal 40 L malt
• 4.3 oz Crystal 60L malt
• 4.3 oz Crystal 120L malt
• 4.3 oz CaraMunich malt
• 1.6 oz Chocolate Wheat malt
• 1 Lb organic sugar
• 1 Lb Rice Hulls
• 1 oz Cascade hops (bittering – 120 mins)
• 1 oz Columbus hops (bittering – 60 mins)
• 0.4 oz Chinook hops (bittering – 60 mins)
• 1 oz Centennial hops (flavoring – 15 mins)
• 1 oz Cascade hops (aroma – 0 mins)
• 1 oz Centennial hops (aroma – 0 mins)
• 1 oz Simcoe hops (aroma – 0 mins)
• Wyeast 1056 American Ale yeast
• 1.5g Gypsum (mash)
• 1.8g Calcium Chloride (mash)

The recipe was modified regarding the base malts slightly to match the grains I had to hand but similar in overall quantities. Columbus hops were used instead of Zeus as both are CTZ-type and was an availability choice at the time of purchasing. The remaining hops were the same apart from opting not to dry-hop to keep the hoppy characters in check (personal preference).

The 5 gallon batch of beer was brewed following these steps:

• Charcoal filtering the borough water and leaving it to stand overnight in order to vent off the chlorine.
• Measuring out and milling the grains, also measuring out the hops and Irish Moss.
• Sterilizing the fermentation equipment.
• Heating the strike water to 151 deg F before mashing-in (adding the grist, Gypsum & Calcium Chloride to the hot water).
• Mashing for 90 mins at 149 deg F for the Saccharification rest so the starches convert into sugars (pH 5.0).
• Raising the temperature to 168 deg F to mash-out for 10 mins to stop enzymatic activity i.e. halt the conversion of starches to sugars.
• Removing the grain bag.
• Boiling for 10 mins to allow time for the hot break to clear.
• Continue boiling for 60 mins with the bittering hop addition #1.
• Add bittering hop addition #2 then continue boiling for 45 mins.
• Add flavoring hop addition and Irish Moss at 15 mins to help clear the beer.
• Add aroma hop addition at flame-out.
• A yeast starter was prepared comprising of 8 oz of DME (Dry Malt Extract) in two liters of water and placed in a flask on a stir plate together with one packet of yeast.
• Yeast nutrient was added to the wort once it had been cooled.
• Wort was aerated with Oxygen (60 secs) via a diffusing stone connected to an O2 tank with a regulator.
• Yeast starter was decanted prior to pitching into the wort so that most of the spent wort did not go into the beer.
• Primary fermentation was at 68 deg F for two weeks in a temperature controlled freezer.
• The beer was racked off the trub (sediment) into the secondary fermenter and held at 68 deg F for five months before cold crashing.
• Beer will be force carbonated to 2.3 volumes of CO2 after cooling the beer to 36 deg F.

Outcome

According to the style guidelines an American Barleywine should have the following characteristics:

• Appearance: Color may range from light amber to medium copper; may rarely be as dark as light brown. Often has ruby highlights. Moderately-low to large off-white to light tan head; may have low head retention. May be cloudy with chill haze at cooler temperatures, but generally clears to good to brilliant clarity as it warms. The color may appear to have great depth, as if viewed through a thick glass lens. High alcohol and viscosity may be visible in “legs” when beer is swirled in a glass.
• Aroma: Hop character moderate to assertive and often showcases citrusy, fruity, or resiny New World varieties (although other varieties, such as floral, earthy or spicy English varieties or a blend of varieties, may be used). Rich maltiness, with a character that may be sweet, caramelly, bready, or fairly neutral. Low to moderately-strong fruity esters and alcohol aromatics. However, the intensity of aromatics often subsides with age. Hops tend to be nearly equal to malt in the aroma, with alcohol and esters far behind.
• Flavor: Strong, rich malt flavor with a noticeable hop flavor and bitterness in the balance. Moderately-low to moderately-high malty sweetness on the palate, although the finish may be somewhat sweet to quite dry (depending on aging). Hop bitterness may range from moderately strong to aggressive. While strongly malty, the balance should always seem bitter. Moderate to high hop flavor (any variety, but often showing a range of New World hop characteristics). Low to moderate fruity esters. Noticeable alcohol presence, but well-integrated. Flavors will smooth out and decline over time, but any oxidized character should be muted (and generally be masked by the hop character). May have some bready or caramelly malt flavors, but these should not be high; roasted or burnt malt flavors are inappropriate.
• Mouth-feel: Full-bodied and chewy, with a velvety, luscious texture (although the body may decline with long conditioning). Alcohol warmth should be noticeable but smooth. Should not be syrupy and under-attenuated. Carbonation may be low to moderate, depending on age and conditioning.
• Overall: A well-hopped American interpretation of the richest and strongest of the English ales. The hop character should be evident throughout, but does not have to be unbalanced. The alcohol strength and hop bitterness often combine to leave a very long finish.

How did my batch of American Barleywine turn out?

Following the stuck mash problems encountered with the last high gravity beer I brewed the 1 Lb of Rice Hulls added this time resolved the problem as anticipated.

My BIAB (Brew In A Bag) system uses a 15 gallon Mash Tun/Boil Kettle and it was touch and go as to whether the whole of the grist would fit with the full volume of hot water but it did… just!

The resulting wort was 9 points short of the target Original Gravity of 1.099 and after a primary fermentation of two weeks the gravity was 1.020. Secondary ageing for around six months should help the beer attenuate to the expected 1.016 Finishing Gravity and give a resultant alcohol content of about 9.8% which is lower than the targeted 11.1% but still within style.

Here are the actual vital statistics:

• OG: 1.090
• IG: 1.020**
• FG: n/a
• ABV: 9.19%+
• Bitterness: 74 IBUs*
• Color: 14.8 SRM*

* calculated via BeerSmith software.
** Intermediate or Interim Gravity reading after Primary fermentation.

The tasting notes are as follows:

Amber in color with a cream thin head. A malty and hoppy aroma. Flavor is of floral and herbal hops with some malty sweetness. Low carbonation with a medium and slick mouth-feel.

What’s Next?

In my next article in this series I will be examining Brewing a Russian Imperial Stout which is in the ‘American Porter and Stout’ category so please check back for that article to be published.

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