American Barley Wine Recipe

If you’re a fan of strong, flavorful beers, American Barley Wine Recipe is an excellent choice. This style of beer is known for its intense hop flavor, robust citrus aroma, and bittersweet aftertaste. It’s perfect for sipping on a cool evening, or for enjoying alongside a hearty meal.

American Barley Wine

Far hoppier than its English counterpart, American Barley Wine is a strong and intense style of beer with a bittersweet aftertaste and robust citrus aroma
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time1 hour 15 minutes
To Ferment28 days
Course: Beer
Cuisine: Ale
Keyword: American Barley Wine
Servings: 40 Pints
Calories: 330kcal
Author: Dan Smullen

Equipment

  • 1 Mash tun
  • 1 Brew kettle
  • 1 Fermenter (with airlock)
  • 1 Hydrometer
  • 1 Thermometer
  • 1 Bottles or kegs for conditioning and carbonating
  • 1 Siphon or tubing for transferring the beer
  • 1 Bottle capper or kegging equipment (depending on how you plan to package the beer)
  • 1 Heating source (such as a stove or propane burner)
  • 1 Mash paddle or spoon
  • 1 Sanitizer solution (such as StarSan) for sanitizing equipment
  • 1 Grain bag (if you are doing a partial mash or brew in a bag method)

Ingredients

For the Mash – Liquor 26 Litres (46 Pints) – Mash Time 1 hr – Temperature 67°c/153 °F

  • 22.1 oz Pale Malt Quantity 10kg
  • 14 oz Medium crystal Malt Quantity 400g
  • 1 oz Carafa special III Malt Quantity 30g

For the Boil – 27 Litres (47½ Pints) – Boil Time 1 hr – 10 mins

  • oz (Hops) Chinook 13.3% When to add – At start of boil (IBU 61.7)
  • 1 oz (Hops) Cascade 6.6% When to add – For last 10 mins of boil (IBU 4.3)
  • oz (Hops) Cascade 6.6% When to add – At turn off (IBU 0.0)
  • 1 tsp Protofloc Other – When to add – For last 15 mins of boil

To Ferment – 4 days at 18°C (64°F), then 22°C (72°F) until completion – Conditioning 13 weeks at 12°C (54°F)

  • 1 Wyeast 1056 American Ale

Instructions

Mash:

  • Heat 26 liters of water to 67°C/153°F in the mash tun. Add the 10kg of Pale Malt, 400g of Medium Crystal Malt, and 30g of Carafa Special III Malt to the water and stir to combine. Let the mash sit for 1 hour at the same temperature.

Sparge:

  • Once the mash is complete, drain the liquid (wort) from the mash tun into the brew kettle. Rinse the grains with hot water (around 76°C/170°F) to extract all the sugars. Collect the rinsed liquid in the brew kettle to reach a total of 27 liters.

Boil:

  • Bring the wort to a boil and add 2.5 oz of Chinook Hops. Boil for 50 minutes. Add 1 oz of Cascade Hops and boil for another 10 minutes. Then, add 3.5 oz of Cascade Hops at turn off. During the last 15 minutes of the boil, add 1 tsp of Protofloc.

Chill:

  • Once the boil is complete, chill the wort to around 18°C/64°F.

Ferment:

  • Transfer the cooled wort to a fermenter and add the Wyeast 1056 American Ale yeast. Ferment for 4 days at 18°C (64°F), then raise the temperature to 22°C (72°F) until fermentation is complete.

Condition:

  • Once fermentation is complete, condition the beer for 13 weeks at 12°C (54°F) in bottles or kegs.
  • Enjoy: After conditioning, your American Barley Wine is ready to drink!
Makes 🍻Ready to Drink 🍺Estimated ABVBitterness RatingColor Rating
23 Litres (40 Pints)15 Weeks10.9%66 IBU25.4 EBC

Intense Flavor Profile

If you’re looking for a beer with bold, complex flavors, this American Barley Wine recipe is a must-try. With a combination of pale malt, crystal malt, and Carafa special III malt, along with generous amounts of Chinook and Cascade hops, this beer has a rich, intense flavor profile that is sure to impress.

High ABV

At 10.9% ABV, this American Barley Wine packs a punch. It’s the perfect beer for sipping on a cool evening or for enjoying alongside a hearty meal.

Mellowed by Conditioning

After fermentation, this beer is conditioned for 13 weeks at 12°C (54°F). This extended conditioning period allows the flavors to mellow and blend, resulting in a smooth and well-balanced beer.

Impress Your Friends

If you’re looking to impress your friends with your brewing skills, this American Barley Wine recipe is sure to do the trick. It’s a challenging recipe that requires some skill and attention to detail, but the end result is well worth the effort.

FAQ on Making this American Barley Wine Recipe

What is American Barley Wine and how does it differ from other beer styles?

American Barley Wine is a strong and intense style of beer with a bittersweet aftertaste and robust citrus aroma.

What are the main ingredients in this recipe, including type and quantity?

The main ingredients in this recipe are Pale Malt, Medium Crystal Malt, Carafa Special III Malt, Chinook and Cascade Hops, and Wyeast 1056 American Ale yeast.

What type of yeast is used in this recipe?

The ideal serving temperature for this beer is around 12-14°C (54-57°F).

What is the ideal serving temperature for this beer?

This recipe can be adapted for a smaller or larger batch size by adjusting the quantities of the ingredients accordingly.

Can this recipe be adapted for a smaller or larger batch size?

It takes approximately 1 hour to prepare the ingredients for this recipe.

How long does it take to prepare the ingredients for this recipe?

Yes, this recipe can be modified to include different types of hops for a unique flavor profile.

Can this recipe be modified to include different types of hops?

The mash time for this recipe is 1 hour, and the boil time is 1 hour 10 minutes.

When should the Protofloc be added to the boil?

Protofloc should be added to the boil during the last 15 minutes of the boil.

How long does it take to ferment this beer?

It takes 4 days at 18°C (64°F) followed by 22°C (72°F) until completion to ferment this beer, and 13 weeks at 12°C (54°F) to condition it.

Dan Smullen Beer is my life profile

Hi, I'm Dan, founder of BeerIsMyLife. I've been an avid homebrewer for over ten years, and beer is my true passion. I've traveled all over the world, visiting breweries, tasting beer, as well as making my own batches. I set up this blog to share that experience with you.

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