Strong AlesBrett Goldstock

Mike Habrat

September 24th, 2013

BJCP Guidelines

Category 1919A Old Ale

OG 1.060-1.090ABV 6 - 9%

• Fills space between strong bitters/porters and barleywines.• Sweeter/maltier balance; strength/character vary widely. • Winter Warmers, Strong Dark Milds, Strong Bitters.

• Can have age character (lactic, Brett, oxidation, leather)

BJCP Guidelines

Category 19

19B English Barleywine

OG 1.080-1.120ABV 8 - 12%

Rich and strong.Can show character from aging.

Less emphasis on hops than 19C.

BJCP Guidelines

Category 19

19C American Barleywine

OG 1.080-1.120ABV 8 - 12%

Well hopped, but balanced.American hop varieties.

Less extreme hops than IIPA; more malt and body.

Mike’s American Barleywine• Brewed November 2012• Grain Bill

– British Pale Malt (2-row) 83.8%– Crystal 60L 5.4%– Cara-Pils 5.4%– Crystal 90L 3.1%– Crystal 120L 2.3%

• Hops– 1.5 oz. Chinook@90min.– 1.3 oz. Chinook@60min.– 1 oz. Centennial@30min.– 1 oz. Centennial@15min.– 0.5 oz. Cascade@15min.– Dry hops: 1 oz. Chinook, 1.1 oz. Centennial, 1.5 oz. Cascade

Mike’s American Barleywine• Yeast– White Labs WLP001

• Mash– Single step– Saccharification Rest: 150F, 90 minutes– Mash Out Rest: 160F– Batch Sparge

Brewer’s Association Guidelines

Old Ale

OG 1.058 – 1.088ABV 6 – 9%

Suggest that Brettanomyces/Sour versions can be treated separately.

Brewer’s Association Guidelines

Strong Ale

OG 1.060 – 1.125ABV 7 - 11%• Minimal hops• Low roast is ok

• Rich, sweet, complex esters

Brewer’s Association Guidelines

British-Style Barley Wine Ale

OG 1.085 – 1.120ABV 8.4 – 12%

• High residual malty sweetness• Usually low hops

• Oxidative aromas/flavors

Brewer’s Association Guidelines

American-Style Barley Wine Ale

OG 1.090 – 1.120ABV 8.4 - 12%• Hops

• No oxidative aromas/flavors• Complex alcohols

Brewer’s Association Guidelines

Other Strong Ale or Lager

Double AltTriple IPA

Quadruple Cream AleImperial Anything

American Barleywine vs. Double IPA

American Barleywine Imperial/Double IPAOG: 1.080 – 1.120 OG: 1.070 – 1.090FG: 1.016 – 1.030 FG: 1.010 – 1.020IBUs: 50 – 120 IBUs: 60 – 120SRM: 10 – 19 SRM: 8 – 15ABV: 8 – 12% ABV: 7.5 – 10%

American Barleywine• 11 gallon recipe• Single boil kettle, 2 fermenters• OG: 1.100• Fermenter 1

– WLP001, 5 vials– Aerate with O2– 68-72F fermentation– FG: 1.014

• Fermenter 1– WLP001, 2-liter starter– Aerate with O2– 68F fermentation– FG: 1.026

Accidents Happen

History of Strong Ale

• Old Ale– Predates Barleywine – 17th/18th century– “Strong” not used until 18th century as descriptor– Designator of “old” denoted that beer was “vatted” for 1

year or more– Character influenced by wood vats used for storage

• More than just oxidation (Brett and bacteria)• Acidic, horsey, leather-like, and solventy character• Speculation that lactic acid sourness balanced low attenuation• Not strongest of ales at the time

History of Strong Ale

• Old Ale– Today’s character

• Not usually brewery aged for extended periods• Lower gravity• No Brett/bacteria character• Can vary from sweet to dry with moderate to high alcohol• Ex: Gale’s Prize Old Ale, Theakston Old Peculier, Alesmith Old Ale

– Compared to Barleywine• Lower OG• Lower alcohol• No late hop character• Sweeter/lower attenuation

History of Strong Ale

• Barleywine– Originated out of Burton-on-Trent in second half of 19th

century– Designator not employed until 1903 – Used as a marketing ploy by Bass– Bass No. 1 (1868)– Employed partigyle brewing process

History of Strong Ale

• Barleywine– Compared to Old Ale

• Bigger than Old Ale (OG, alcohol)• Increased hop character (bittering & late additions)• Lactic acid may have balanced low attenuation in early days as in Old Ale

– English version emphasizes malt and fruity esters– EX: Thomas Hardy’s Ale, JW Lees Vintage Harvest Ale, Fuller’s Golden

Pride– Amped up by Americans in late 20th century

• Increased bittering and flavor/aroma hop character• Ex: Anchor Old Foghorn (1975), Sierra Nevada Bigfoot (1983), Alesmith Old

Numbskull

Brewing Strong Ale

Brewing Strong Ales

Generally Speaking…

• Grain Bill– British Pale Malt (for Old Ale/English BW)– American 2-row (for American BW)– Caramel (Crystal) Malt– Some dark malts– Adjuncts (Molasses, Treacle, Invert Sugar, Dark Sugar)– Starchy Adjuncts (Maize, Flaked Barley, Wheat)

Brewing Strong Ales• Hops– British (EKG, Fuggles, etc.) for Old Ale/English BW– Citrusy American Hops for American BW– Less hopping for Old Ale/English BW vs. American BW– Dry hopping for American BW

• Yeast– Less attenuative British Ale Yeasts (Old Ale and English BW)– Attenuative American Ale Yeasts (American BW)

Brewing Strong Ales

• Extract Beers– Large amount of malt extract (~10-15 lbs. for 5 gallons)– Adjuncts to raise alcohol– Steeping grains (Crystal Malts)

Brewing Techniques• Hopping

– Use flavor, aroma, and dry hop additions for American style BW– Dry hop after primary, post yeast flocculation (Secondary)– Hop freshness counts (American BW)– Not very relevant for Old Ales and English BW

• Attenuation– Avoid producing too much unfermentables (cloying)– Mash between 148 – 153 F depending on type and amount of specialty malt

• Higher OG = lower mash temp– Use alcohol tolerant, higher attenuative yeasts at proper pitch rates

• Large starter• Multiple vials and/or multiple yeast strains• Yeast cake from previous brew

– Old Ales usually employ lower attenuative English yeasts– Supplement with adjuncts

• Old Ale can employ treacle, molasses• Increase BW fermentables by adding sugar

Brewing Techniques• Fermentation

– Temperature control important to keep fusel alcohol and ester production in check

– Ferment cool (64 – 70 F)• Higher temps for Old Ale and English BW• Cooler temps for American BW

• Aging– Time is on your side – or is it? English vs. American– Warm vs. cool aging– Let complexity develop in Old Ale and English BW

• Carbonation– Low to moderate (1.5 to 2.5 volumes)

Brewing Challenges

Brewing Challenges• Achieving high gravity

– All grain brewing• Mash thick (1 qt./lb.)• Increase grain amount as efficiency usually lower• Supplement with extract• Make smaller batch• Brew twice

– Top off fermenting wort– Make small beer from remaining sugars

• Boil longer (> 2 hours)

• Boiling• Avoid boil overs – messy & loss of hops• FermCapS very handy

Brewing For Competition

What we like to see as judges

Old Ale• Malty, sweet.• Alcohol, but not sharp.• Optional character:

Oxidative, Esters, Light Roast/Chocolate, Lactic, Brett

Brewing For Competition

English Barleywine• Very rich and sweet.• Intense and complex malt.• Toast, caramel, toffee, molasses.• Oxidative/vinous• Plenty of alcohol, but not harsh or solventy.• Low hops

Brewing For Competition

American Barleywine• Hops! (Citrus)• Balance the hops and malt. Let malt

sweetness come through, but always bitter.• Smooth alcohol

Thanks!