Crafting a high-ABV barleywine is an exciting challenge that rewards patience and careful attention to detail. Barleywines are known for their rich malt profiles, significant hop character (especially in American versions), and, of course, high alcohol content. This recipe will focus on creating an American Barleywine with an ABV around 10-12%. It’s designed for a 5-gallon (approximately 19 liters) batch.

Ingredients:

Malt Bill:

• 15 lbs (6.8 kg) Pale Malt (2-row)
• 2 lbs (0.9 kg) Munich Malt
• 1 lb (0.45 kg) Crystal Malt (80L)
• 0.5 lb (0.23 kg) Caramel/Crystal Malt (120L)
• 0.5 lb (0.23 kg) Victory Malt

Hops:

• 2 oz (56 g) Magnum Hops (60 min from end of boil)
• 1 oz (28 g) Centennial Hops (15 min from end of boil)
• 1 oz (28 g) Cascade Hops (10 min from end of boil)
• 1 oz (28 g) Centennial Hops (5 min from end of boil)
• 2 oz (56 g) Cascade Hops (Dry hop for 7 days before bottling)

Yeast:

• American Ale Yeast (Wyeast 1056, White Labs WLP001, or Safale US-05)

Other:

• Water adjustments to match your local water profile for a balanced profile suitable for a barleywine
• 1 tsp Yeast nutrient (added 10 minutes before the end of the boil)
• 1 Whirlfloc tablet or equivalent Irish Moss (15 min from end of boil) to help with clarity

Instructions:

1. Mash: Heat your water to around 154-156°F (68-69°C) and mash the grains for 60 minutes. This slightly higher mash temperature encourages more unfermentable sugars, which will contribute to the beer’s body and sweetness, balancing the high alcohol content.
2. Sparge: Sparge the grains with hot water (around 168°F or 76°C) to collect around 6.5 gallons (24.6 liters) of wort, which accounts for evaporation during the boil.
3. Boil: Bring the wort to a boil and add hops according to the schedule:
   • 2 oz (56 g) Magnum at 60 minutes.
   • 1 oz (28 g) Centennial at 15 minutes.
   • 1 oz (28 g) Cascade at 10 minutes.
   • 1 oz (28 g) Centennial at 5 minutes.
4. Cool and Ferment: After the boil, cool the wort to around 68°F (20°C), transfer it to a fermenter, and pitch the yeast. Ferment at 68-70°F (20-21°C) for about 2 weeks, or until fermentation activity has significantly slowed.
5. Dry Hop: If desired for added hop aroma, add 2 oz (56 g) of Cascade hops to the fermenter and dry hop for 7 days before bottling.
6. Bottle and Age: After fermentation is complete, transfer the beer to bottles or a keg, adding priming sugar if bottling. Barleywines benefit greatly from aging, so consider letting it mature for several months to a year (or more) to allow the flavors to meld and mellow. High alcohol beers can continue to develop complexity over time.

Notes:

• Monitor the fermentation temperature closely. High-ABV fermentations can generate a lot of heat, which might push the yeast beyond its comfortable range.
• Patience is key with barleywines. They improve with age, and flavors that might seem harsh or imbalanced initially can become harmonious and complex over time.
• Consider taking an original gravity (OG) reading before fermentation and a final gravity (FG) reading before bottling to calculate the exact ABV of your batch.

Enjoy the process of brewing and the eventual pleasure of savoring your high-ABV barleywine.

Homebrewing Recipes

We are circling back to include more homebrew articles. We have gotten some requests for recipes, so we have decided to write them up and post them here. Be sure to check for other Homebrew articles and recipes as well!

• Brewing a Traditional Lithuanian Farmhouse Beer – Keptinis (Karl Larson)

• Nebula Nectar Hazy IPA (Homebrew Recipe)

• Titan’s Tribute Barleywine (Homebrew Recipe)

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