Barely Barley Wine?

Brewing processes and methods. How to brew using extract, partial or all-grain. Tips and tricks.

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Push Eject
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Barely Barley Wine?

Post by Push Eject »

Hi, all. Sorry I've been so absent of late, but work has sucked my life away this year. To see what I've been up to watch "Taken" on SciFi next week.

Anyway, I have a barley wine in secondary I brewed 8 months ago. You read that right. The airlock is still well sealed and I'm tempted to bottle it. Here's my question:

I'm certain the yeast is long dead (the recipe was 9.4%abv) but I want to bottle condition. Should I pitch new yeast and a healthy dose of priming sugar or just the sugar and hope for a miracle?

Cheers!
Ollie
dartedplus
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toss it

Post by dartedplus »

I would just toss in a little more yeast, plus some priming sugar and let it sit for......a while. Mine is almost 8 months old and is not near ready to drink when last I checked (way too green). Keep in mind that because of the high alc. content you wont get much of a head on it.

Were you part of making that series, or were you inferring that you've been "taken"???

I have had trouble on many occasions with my yeast being too worn out to carbonate my beer, so in these instances, I have just added about 7-10 granules of dry yeast to each bottle and it seems to do the trick. Champagne yeast would probably be best due to the high alc. content.

Thats it for me
Ed
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Dry?

Post by Push Eject »

Do you reheidrate those granules or just toss 'em in?

I'm the mix tech / recordist on the series (we're mixing episode 10 as I type).

Thanks for the reply. Cheers!
dartedplus
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yes

Post by dartedplus »

yes, I use dry for this because you dont really need the good stuff because you arent trying to impart any flavor, just get a little fermentation. And I dont reydrate, in tis way you can more easily control what you are putting in. You are going to bottle I assume, so you can just put a small amount, maybe about 10-12 granules into each bottle and then cap it off. I have had very good success with doing this after my yeast have lost their ooomph.
later
Ed
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Update!

Post by Push Eject »

A sample proved to be 1.018 (OG 1.092). Taste is malty and rich, but also cidery, buttery and fruity.

Maybe salvageable.

Cheers.
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