Worts of Wisdom Barleywine TechTalk
By Richard Pedretti-Allen

AROMA: Hop aroma minimal to very high.  Low to high ester character.  
Diacetyl aroma should be very low.  A caramel and vinous or 
sherry-like aroma are part of the character.

APPEARANCE:  Tawny copper to dark brown.  Chill haze allowable at 
cold temperature.  Head retention is typically on the low side.

FLAVOR:  High residual maltiness and/or sweetness counterbalanced by 
low to assertive bitterness and extraordinary alcohol content.  
Alcohol and fruity-esters characters are often high.  Hop flavor may 
be minimal to high.  Diacetyl flavor should be very low.  A caramel 
and oxidative vinous or sherry-like flavors are part of the character.  
Smoky phenolic characters are sometimes found at low levels.

BODY:  Full, rich bodied.  Low to moderate carbonation.  A warming 
effect from the alcohol may be found.

SUMMARY: English versions tend to be a bit softer with lower alcohol, 
esters and hop character.  There is a significant overlap with the 
"Old Ale" style as well as an accepted breadth of style that is 
rivaled only by the Pale Ale category.  Many deviations outside of 
the established parameters are accepted (and some cherished).

* Any quantitative comments are in reference to a five gallon batch.

WORT:  Use first run from mash (use spargings for Mild or Bitter) 
or bump the OG with malt extract.

WATER:  Mimic the water of Burton or London.  Moderate to hard water.

HOPS: English styles use East Kent Golding, Fuggles and Challenger.  
American styles use Chinook, Nugget, Cascade, Columbus and Willamette.  
(almost all of these hop varieties are of Goldings or Hallertauer descent.)  
Hop utilization is decreased in high gravity worts.

YEAST:  Most yeasts will work but they must periodically be put back 
in suspension.  No Champagne yeast is required.  Use 2 quarts of 
active starter.  Try to keep fermentation in the lower portion of the 
yeast's working range.  This maintains steady fermentation, controls 
yeast and alcohol production.  Rapid ferments cause yeast stress.  
Aerate the wort more than you typically would.

FERMENTATION:  Use a secondary.  Dry hop with East Kent Golding, Columbus, 
Cascade or even noble varieties.

BOTTLING:  Minimal priming sugar (1/3 to 1/2 cup) is needed unless the 
secondary has been going for several months.  You might try racking off a 
couple bottles worth and try different levels of sugar.  Condition with 
fresh yeast.  Extended aging will smooth out the flavor.

SERVE: Between 50 and 60°F, in a snifter or wine glass 
to concentrate the aroma.	

ENJOY!  	-Richard
	


STYLE	OG	FG	ABV%	IBU	COLOR/SRM	Source
Old Ale	1060-90+	1015-22+	6.0-9+	30-60	12-16	BJCP
Barleywines	1080-120+	1020-30+	8-12+	50-100	10-22	BJCP
OVERLAP	1080-90+	1020-22+	8-9+	50-60	12-16
AHA 1997	1085-120	1024-32	8.5-12.2	50-100	14-22	AHA


OLD ALE 	OG	FG	ABV%	IBU	COLOR/SRM	Source	Style Fit (a)
Hart's-Snow Cap Ale	1074	1018	7.0	46-53	6.5	F	O
Gale's-Prize Old Ale	1094-5	1025-6	9			M, G	O, B
Hair Of The Dog's Adambier	1094	1017	10.05			C	O, B
Marston's-Owd Roger	1080	1021	7.6			M	O
Mendocino's Eye Of The Hawk(b)	1065(?)	1001 (?)	8.3			C	O
Theakston's-Old Peculier	1057	1014	5.6	28-29	35-37	M	--
Young's -Winter Warmer	1055	1017	5.0			M	--

BARLEYWINES 	OG	FG	ABV%	IBU	COLOR/SRM	Source	Style Fit (a)
Anchor-Old Foghorn(c)	1100-5	1012-34	8.0-8.7	65	5	F, M	B
Full Sail-Old Boardhead 			10.6	91		C	B
Magnolia's Old Thunderpussy	1099	1022	10.1	120(d)		C	B
Pike-Old Bawdy	1098-100	1022	9.8-9.9	80 (e)		C	B
Rogue-Old Crustacean	1104	1017-25	10.25-11.3	120(f)		Z	B
Sam Adams-Triple Bock(g)	1152-71	1018-37	17.5			C	B
Sierra Nevada-Bigfoot	1092-102	1015-9	10.1-11.06	80		F, M, C(h)	B
Thomas Hardy Ale(i)	1124-7	1033-70(j)	8.6-12.48(j)		7	F, M, G, C	B
Whitbread-Gold Label	1095	1011	10.9			M	B
Young's-Old Nick	1084	1028-32	6.8-7.25	50-55	7	F, M, Z	O



F=Fred Eckhardt
M=Michael Jackson
Z=Zymurgy

G=CAMRA's Good Beer Guide
C=Company or Distributor Literature / Label Information
Note:  Most OG data was calculated

(a) This beer fits into a category based on Original Gravity and Alcohol 
    Content (O=Old Ale, B=Barleywine)
(b) Saaz, Cluster and Cascade hops.	C
(c) Uses the first run for producing Old Foghorn.   Cascade hops.  
    Cold conditioned for 9 - 18 months.   M
(d) Noted here for the extreme hopping (this year's version was lowered a bit).  
    East Kent Golding are used for dry hopping.  C
(e) Magnum, Hersbrucker, Mt. Hood and Saaz hops.  C
(f) Chinook and Centennial hops	C
(g) Fermented with 2 top-fermenting yeasts.  Tettnanger and Hallertauer hops.
(h) Bittering: Nugget/Finishing: Cascade/Dry Hop: Centennial & Cascade.	C
(i) Prior to 1996 was brewed by Eldridge Pope.  Since 1996, brewed by Thomas 
    Hardy Brewery.  Michael Jackson classifies Thomas Hardy Ale as an "Old Ale" but 
    does concede that the distinction between the classifications 
    "...is perhaps academic."	M
(j) Fred Eckhardt was either misinformed or miscalculated as the numbers that 
    he presents (FG=1033, A/V=8.6) do not mathematically factor out.  He indicates 
    that the final gravity is 1070.  To achieve that FG with 12% alcohol would take 
    a OG of 1162! (higher than Sam Adams Triple Bock)