Barley wine w/El Dorado

If using 002 mashing really low might help with sweetness, though 007 may be better in this situation. What is your expected OG/FG? Also make a big starter which I am sure you are well aware of.

 

I am having a Joint Brew Day with a homebrewer friend and we're using WLP099 Super High Gravity Ale yeast with a 2L Starter stepped up with another 2L Starter. Attenuation >80%. Think that will rid any sweetness in our barleywine. Based on a Jamil recipe in BYO magazine. Going to brew Presidents Day Weekend and then age in secondary all summer and bottle in the fall: http://hopville.com/recipe/1672856

 

What batch size and OG are you shooting for? Just remember that the bigger the grainbill, the lower the efficiency generally, unless you are willing to boil off at least 50% of the volume.

 

I think that you have too much crystal in your recipe. Barly wines tend to be sweet on there own. I do like the complexities of using different levels of crystal in Barly Wines. I also feel that Belgian Candy Sugar is not worth the money. I would switch to Brown or Dark Brown Sugar. Take care.

 

Not just the C90, the Special B is also a crystal malt. I like a pound total for a 5 gallon batch.

 

WLP099 is the Thomas Hardy's yeast... I've heard they make some good barleywines. Personal experience with it, really dependent on how much you pitch and temp you ferment at, as its a bit temperamental.

Don't be afraid to mash higher for dextrins, especially since you're using some candi sugar. The last barleywine I did (English), I mashed at 150 for 60 min (82.5% MO, 5% Eng. Med Crystal, 2.5% Eng. Extra Dark Crystal, 2.5% Aromatic, 7.5% Turbinado; WY1469), and its just too thin (O.G. 1.115, F.G. 1.016).

 

The Special B and the C90 impart color, mouthfeel, and some residual sweetness, you want the mouthfeel to balance the hops. I would keep the 2 pounds of Crystal but lighten on the color. Say a pound of 30-37 and 1/2lb 50-60 and the 1/4lb of B(1 3/4)lb. Since you have a high gravity wort you're boiling alone will bring a lot of color to the beer. What I would take out is the sugar. It is not going to contribute to body and since it will be the first thing the yeast will ferment it's just alcohol and will end up lightening the body of the beer(unless that is what you want).

 

A lot with a high FG beer like a barleywine. I'd rather be too dry than too sweet. You can generally get away with more crystal in an RIS.

 

something to think about would be Turbinado sugar instead of the Belgian candi sugar, may reduce the sweetness a bit and add to the fermentables and get the FG up a bit

 

What is your goal with using them and/or their contribution to the beer?

 

Then bitter it to 75% of your desired IBU total, then do a big flameout addition with a hop stand and dry hop it with another couple ounces. El dorado are supposedly very candy like and sweet, however I've not hand the chance to brew or taste a single hop beer with them so can't comment from experience. If the description is true they might be interesting in a barleywine.

 

I have had a single hop beer made with El Dorado. It was OK, but good. Had these too -I liked the Meridian better, and the Mosiac was my favorite, the LR was my least favorite.

These were served at Stan Hieronymus's talk at the NHC last year. All brewed by the same brewer using the Hop 2 It recipe you can find in Stan's Hops book.