I love a good barleywine style ale. They are malty, for the most part quite hoppy (and I do love me some hops) and a little bittersweet. Sierra Nevada’s Bigfoot is one of my favourite examples, so I decided to try my hand at making a version of my own. Everything was going swimmingly till someone gave me unsolicited advice about how I was going about my beermaking. Instead of telling him to mind his damn business like I usually do, I questioned my technique and added the extra gallon and a half of water he suggested…thus reducing my efficiency and the original gravity by a good amount. Bummer.

Oh well. It will still be delicious and hop-filled, just not high enough in alcohol to be considered a barleywine style ale. Hoping for around 7% abv instead of 9.6%.

So, we call him “Littlefoot”

16lbs American Two-row Pale
1lb American Crystal 70-80L
8oz Carapils
4oz Wheat Malt
2.5oz Cluster plugs (7.4%aa)90 minutes
2oz Centennial pellets (5.0% aa)30 minutes
1oz Cascade pellets (6.0% aa)30 minutes
0.5oz Cluster plugs (7.4%aa)dry hop
0.5oz Cascade pellets (6.0%aa)dry hop
0.5oz Centennial pellets (5.0%aa)dry hop
Wyeast American Ale II (1272) 2 packs.

On a side note, we saw Wilco at the Fillmore last night in Miami. It was fantastic. Really, really great. Best show in a long time!