RIS or Barleywine recipe

[RobD]

Howdy!

It's turning to Christmas season, and it's time for me to put a batch of strong beer on for a buddy of mine. Last year, I made him a Barley Wine from the NG recipe, with some additional hops for flavour. He let it age until July-August, and then plowed through the batch (23L) in about a month. His only recommendation was to add more flavour/aroma hops.

For this year, I'm thinking of doing a RIS (and/or a different barleywine) for him. I don't have a whole lot of experience tasting/making either style, so I'm curious if anyone has a "go to" recipe for either, or a particular brand that I can try to find a clone recipe for.

For a RIS, I'd certainly consider adding things like bourbon, vanilla, or oak..etc to jazz it up a bit. (I picked up a light and a medium oak spiral from NCM a while back)

Any recommendations?

[akr71]

The problem with adding more flavor/aroma hops is that they're just going to fade the longer you let it age. I don't have a go to for an RIS, but that's the direction I'd lean.

However, since your buddy did enjoy last year's barleywine, I'd brew the exact same recipe (with more hops as requested), but hold back a sixer or two of bottles. Next year, do the exact same thing, but also give hime the aged bottles for a comparison.

just my.02

[mr x]

I've been brewing this recipe lately, but I haven't had a sample.

http://beerdujour.com/Recipes/Jamil/Jam ... lStout.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This one is one the list:

Mike Riddle's Tricentennial Stout
5 gallons, all grain
OG=1.100 (23.8*P)
FG=1.037 (9.2*P)
IBU=100 SRM=100 ABV=8.5%

Ingredients

14lb Crisp British pal ale malt 3*L or similar
2.25lb Great Western chocolate malt 475*L or similar
2.25lb Great Western roasted barley 575*L or similar
1.88lb Great Western wheat malt 2*L or similar
0.75lb Great Western crystal malt 120*L or similar
13.97 AAU Northern Brewer hops (2.15oz at 6.5%AA) 60 min
10.73 AAU Northern Brewer hops (1.65oz at 6.5%AA) 30 min
5.46 AAU Northern Brewer hops (0.84oz at 6.5%AA) 15 min
8.25 AAU Kent Goldings hops (1.65oz at 5% AA) 15 min
12.5 AAU Kent Goldings hops (2.50oz at 5% AA) 3 min
8.25 AAU Kent Goldings hops (1.65oz at 5% AA) Dry Hop
White Labs WLP004 (Irish Ale) or Wyeast 1084 (Irish Ale) yeast

Step by Step

Mill the grains and dough-in targeting a mash thickness that will enable your system to achieve the necessary pre-boil volume and gravity. Hold the mash at 149*F until enzymatic conversion is complete. Infuse the mash with near boiling water while stirring or with a recirculating mash system raise the temperature to mash out at 168*F. Sparge slowly with 170*F water, collecting wort until the pre-boil kettle volume is around 6.5 gallons and the gravity is 1.078 (18.8*P). If your system loses efficiency on big beers, start with an additional 4-5 lbs of base malt or make sure you have a couple of pounds or more of malt extract on hand to make up any deficiency in efficiency.

The total wort boil time is 90 minutes. Add the bittering hops with 60 minutes remaining in the boil. Add the other hop additions according to the schedule. Add Irish moss or other kettle finings with 15 minutes left in the boil. Chill the wort to 70*F and aerate thoroughly. The proper pitch rate is 17 grams of properly re-hydrated dry yeast or about 4 packages of liquid yeast, or 1 package of liquid yeast in a 6.3 liter starter.

Ferment at 70*F until the yeast drops clear. Allow the lees to settle and the brew to mature without pressure for another 2 days after fermentation appears finished. Transfer to secondary and add dry hops. Allow it to finish fermenting until completely settled, about seven additional days. Rack to a keg and force carbonate or rack to a bottling bucket, add priming sugar, and bottle. Target a carbonation level of 2 to 2.5 volumes. Once carbonated, store the beer in a cool, dark place and allow to age. The beer will improve over time and should mature one to three years before drinking.