I've germinated the grain, dried, and had spot on conversion only once. All other tries were not up to that level. Haven't tried toasting or smoking the malt.
I've germinated the grain, dried, and had spot on conversion only once. All other tries were not up to that level. Haven't tried toasting or smoking the malt.
Oh, I don’t go to that level. I buy malted grain from the local home brew store.
My wife and I are visiting her sister near the twin cities this weekend. We have been to almost every craft brewery in the state (really) over the last couple years. Polished off a few more this time around. Had a couple decent NE IPAs and a pretty good hefe (middle). Further proof of my love for yellow beers I can’t see through!
In England they have competitions to brew the strongest beers: not sure what sort of music you would listen to with them, perhaps 'The Basement Tapes' given that the participants seem to be a little 'refreshed' at times.
My favourite named brews were "Uncle Igor's Famous Falling Over Water" (about 14%, I think) and "Bazz's Bonce Bonker" which won with about 18%: no idea how you could get that much alcohol, except by adding sugar and fermenting out.
Not that I know anything but ... I'd use different yeast, good nutrients, watch ph, keep an eye on temps, and try to keep the little buggers happy. The higher the alcohol content the harder they are to keep happy and the more likely you'll get weird or down right nasty off flavors.
no idea how you could get that much alcohol, except by adding sugar and fermenting out.
Geoff
Yeah, I think there's a legitimate reason these brews are often called "barley wine". There's a bunch of local craft brewers here that make stuff with 10%+ alcohol content. Some are very good, some are a bit of a slap in the teeth. I think once you get beyond 8% you have to put a lot of care into the recipe and process to keep the flavours in check.
One brewery here called "Howe Sound" makes something called "pothole filler" imperial stout that's 9% and you might not know it right off the bat. Another by the same brewery for licorice lovers, "Megadestroyer" Imperial stout has got a real bite to it, at 10% alcohol.
I've got one on the shelf I haven't tried yet, "Wobbly Bob" English Strong Ale from Red Collar Brewing, 10.6% yikes!
There are some pretty exotic and expensive strains of yeast out there, but most yeast I come across in the ~11%-13% range would be champagne yeasts, above that would be distiller's yeast. With the right luv and care dady can consistently get into the 20% range. I'd wager many of the prepackaged distiller 'turbo' yeasts are dady, diammonium phosphate, urea and some b-vitamins with small amounts of other minerals which may be nothing more than brewer's yeast. Yeast are cannibalistic. Distillers doing vodka washes like to use tomato paste as a yeast nutrient because it's cheap, it adds some acidity to the wash, it doesn't add initial or off flavors, and it works.
Now when getting into the expensive and more exotic yeasts, I got no clue ...
no idea how you could get that much alcohol, except by adding sugar and fermenting out.
Geoff
Yeah, I think there's a legitimate reason these brews are often called "barley wine". There's a bunch of local craft brewers here that make stuff with 10%+ alcohol content. Some are very good, some are a bit of a slap in the teeth. I think once you get beyond 8% you have to put a lot of care into the recipe and process to keep the flavours in check.
One brewery here called "Howe Sound" makes something called "pothole filler" imperial stout that's 9% and you might not know it right off the bat. Another by the same brewery for licorice lovers, "Megadestroyer" Imperial stout has got a real bite to it, at 10% alcohol.
I've got one on the shelf I haven't tried yet, "Wobbly Bob" English Strong Ale from Red Collar Brewing, 10.6% yikes!
I love Pothole Filler! I had a bottle of PF that was barrel aged - wished I had bought more than one, was simply amazing after sitting for about 2 years. Howe Sounds barleywine is pretty good too, but my favorite is Driftwood's Cellar Dweller. I have quite a few bottles dated back to 2013 - it cellars really well.
Pothole Filler was one of the best Stouts I've had as well, but I think my favourite from Howe Sound was the Log Diver Juniper Rye IPA. Really hope they bring that one back.
I've actually had the Cellar Dweller as well, very good! Besides Howe Sound, Driftwood and Four Winds are currently my favourite BC brewers, can't go wrong with "Fat Tug" and "Raised by Wolves". For higher alcohol content Id also recommend "Fog Zombie" from Four Winds if you haven't had it.
Pothole Filler was one of the best Stouts I've had as well, but I think my favourite from Howe Sound was the Log Diver Juniper Rye IPA. Really hope they bring that one back.
I've actually had the Cellar Dweller as well, very good! Besides Howe Sound, Driftwood and Four Winds are currently my favourite BC brewers, can't go wrong with "Fat Tug" and "Raised by Wolves". For higher alcohol content Id also recommend "Fog Zombie" from Four Winds if you haven't had it.
Drank lots of Log Driver - that was a good one. Pretty much can't go wrong with anything from Driftwood. I will look for Fog Zombie next time i'm at the store.
Very good, I'd recommend it if you like a white IPA. Can be a bit dangerous at 9.2%, doesn't have that "barley wine" flavour that many high alcohol beers do so you might not notice immediately.
Haven't seen the driftwood 20 pounder, I'll keep an eye out for it as I love Driftwood. I did find a bottle of Howe sound megadestroyer licorice stout though, for when I want to fall over
Some how I forgot to mention, but for my bourbon drinkers, Widow Jane 10 year is my #1 right now for the last year or two. Starting to push the cnote boundary, but I feel is justified for the quality.
Comments
Do-si-Dos, Royal Nepalese, Cookie Breath, and Fruit Loops...
In England they have competitions to brew the strongest beers: not sure what sort of music you would listen to with them, perhaps 'The Basement Tapes' given that the participants seem to be a little 'refreshed' at times.
My favourite named brews were "Uncle Igor's Famous Falling Over Water" (about 14%, I think) and "Bazz's Bonce Bonker" which won with about 18%: no idea how you could get that much alcohol, except by adding sugar and fermenting out.
Geoff
Actually, I looked up the brews in my post above on Google, and I was wrong: the alcohol levels were over 20% in each case!
"Officer, I only had one beer..."
Geoff
A couple local stouts and aguamiel.