What are you brewing?

[nzbrewer]

Since this is the most popular thread on the RealBeer.co.nz forum I thought I would start it here just to see what happens

[jt]

No complaints so far - however I don't have a very sophisticated palette

[Soren]

Thinking about brewing a barley wine this weekend. How does this sound:

50% Pilsner
50% Munich I

mashed at 66C and brewed to 1.100-1.110

Too much munich?
Any suggestions for a small speciality grain addition?
Hop suggestions welcome as well, but I'll take it to about 100 IBU

[Reviled]

Yummy, im not sure how it would turn personally, but there can never be too much Munich ;o)

[Soren]

oh, and fermented with 1968

[Reviled]

Wont that drop out way too early? I heard it can pack up even on a small beer??

[Soren]

hmmm, maybe. if it does I'll start up a more manageble yeast and finish it off...

[JoKing]

My advise is to make a 1.050 beer 1st with a Liter starter - then you can harvest the correct amount of slurry to ensure full attenuation. This yeast can totally attenuate high gravity brews without any issues... Fullers Vintage Ale is 8.5%abv and is 75% attenuated (by my calculations)... and it is one of the best beers I've ever had. I have no idea how those guys got it to attenuate so strongly - but I guess thats whet makes them pro's and what keeps us brewing at home.

All I could guess, is that they used some simple sugar in there too, mashed around 64 - 65 for well over an hour and pitched a phenominal amount of yeast.

In the past when I've used 002 (1968) I would start rousing the fermenter when the activity looked to be ceased. After that - fermentation seems to kick back into life again. I have managed 78% attenuation with it in a smaller beer.

Your recipe looks like the business - I dont think you need too much specialty in there at all... unless you use white sugar, then you'll want to add some caramel malt... maybe some light crystal. Hops? I'd love to see someone using a good amount of Cascade in a big beer like this - especially with 1968... I reckon it'll detract away from UK Barleywine in style - but would give soooo much to the beer. Even better Amarillo (if you have some) would kick some serious ass!

Just my 2c.

Sorry about the rant!

[Soren]

Thanks for the advise guys!
I also have some 1272 and 1332 (northwest they call it) I can use. 1272 is what I would normally use but I wanted to try and get some more english esters going on. I'm doing an IPA with 1332 at the moment and was gonna rack it on the weekend, could pitch the new one on top of it but since this IPA is the frst beer I brew with it, i'm not sure how it'll be (the IPA has too many hops to taste the yeast at the moment:).
Hops I was gonna keep new world. maybe cascade, maybe nelson sauvin, not sure yet.
Any more imput greatly appreciated.

[jt]

I'd say, gut feel, go with the 1332 if you have a nice healthy yeast cake ther to use. but don't just do a dump on it, check how much you need - use www.mrmalty.com to give to an idea how much you need.

I did a dump on a whole yeast cake a few years ago and it was poor beer, which is often the case. To much yeast is not good

cheers, jt

[Stu McKinlay]

I'd echo Jokings thoughts... all good ones.

I've used 1968 more than any other liquid yeast and found attenuation fine - you just need to keep ferment temps really warm nearing the end. I've never roused but I'm a warm ferment kind of a guy... very rare for me to go under 20c.

I'd go Northwest out of those two. Not that I've ever used it!
London Ale III is a great wee yeast and I've heard it is used in the US a fair bit too. Go for loads of hop flavour and bitterness. Don't try to overpower the aroma... unless you're planning to drink it all soon (and that would be a shame).

Can I ask why you're going with that malt bill? Experimentation or do you know something? I'd personally go with a UK pale malt and would definitely like to see a wee bit of caramel in there. No problems with your malt choice, just interested.

[jt]

very rare for me to go under 20c.

It's been ok under 20 for me Stu, though I used it "un-hydrometered" for most of my extract days so every condition isn't tried & tested

I know it cops some flack for finishing early, but it clears so well and I reckon it's technique / conditions, not the yeast

[Soren]

yeah, I've made 9% beers with 1968 before and they have attenuated well. as you say the trick is to keep it warm, when it gets down to like 16-17 it quits and is hard to get back to work...

trust me, hops are gonna be abundant:) I really like NS these days but I think it may get too fresh and fruity, and I don't know how well it ages. what do you guys think? if I had any american citrus hops available i'd use them but i dont at the moment.
maybe I should go with saaz (or riwaka it would be), use a clean yeast and call it a municher-helles-wine:)

stu: i've been experimenting with pilsner instead of pale lately so my preference was there. also when I had the idea of 50% munich i figuered it would be good to keep the remaining color as neutral as possible, plus i suspect the subtle complexities from a british pale malt would get lost in there. its the first time i use that malt bill so it is an experiment but the mental picture I have of the product looks right...:) may put a few percent of some kinda cara in there but no more.


anyways, I am exited about this brew but I think it'll have to wait a couple of weeks and i'll brew something that'll be ready for the case swap tomorrow, but keep the input coming