Barleywine: fast fermentation question

[Neddy]

Last Thursday I brewed an APA and a Barleywine. Used Mr. Malty pitching rate calc to grow a starter from a new vial for the APA. I used a cake (saved in a sanitized mason jar for 2 wks from a blonde I brewed and looked like it had quite a bit of trub mixed with it and didn't quite make the mr malty volume for repitching yeast) + about 1/2 pack of US05 for the Barleywine. Fermented both temp controlled at 66. Both fermented like crazy for about 48 hrs then slowed quite a bit. Over the past 36 hrs or so I've slowly increased the temps to 71. Checked the gravities tonight.

The Barleywine is at 1.018 from 1.100 - the hydrometer sample tasted great. Great malt and hop flavor with some young alcohol but no astringent alcohols that I could detect.

How long should I leave the Barleywine on the yeast at this point? I'm planning on leaving it there at least another 5 days just to make sure everything's cleaned up but I'd like to get it off the yeast and out of the fermentation fridge as soon as possible as long as it doesn't adversely affect the beer. I need the fermentation space asap for more competition beers I have planned.

[Bugeater]

I've brewed at least a dozen barleywines and similar high gravity beers. I never leave the beer on the yeast cake for less than three weeks. With a big beer like that you can go 4-5 weeks with no problems. You need to let the yeast clean up the esters it produced during fermentation. The yeast is tired and weak so it takes time to clean up. You don't want to rush a big beer.

Wayne

[Neddy]

Another question on that line then. Its currently at 71 in my fermentation fridge. Do you think there would be any detriment to slowly lower the temp to around 62 (the ambient temp in my basement) over the next week or so then take it out of the fridge and leave it out in the basement to finish up for a couple weeks?

[Bugeater]

Another question on that line then. Its currently at 71 in my fermentation fridge. Do you think there would be any detriment to slowly lower the temp to around 62 (the ambient temp in my basement) over the next week or so then take it out of the fridge and leave it out in the basement to finish up for a couple weeks?

That is what I would do. I normally don't let it get above 67-68 degrees at all. Takes a bit longer to get to final gravity but the final result works out great.

Wayne

[snowcapt]

Another question on that line then. Its currently at 71 in my fermentation fridge. Do you think there would be any detriment to slowly lower the temp to around 62 (the ambient temp in my basement) over the next week or so then take it out of the fridge and leave it out in the basement to finish up for a couple weeks?

That is what I would do. I normally don't let it get above 67-68 degrees at all. Takes a bit longer to get to final gravity but the final result works out great.

Wayne

+1 Wayne
I also bring mine down to the basement and let her sit for a few weeks to do her thing. The BW I made turned out very nice and it is still evolving