barley wine question

[bbushmaster]

O.K. I have a recipe I am thinking about doing and have a question about it it says....
Low Mash Add 30.00 qt of water at 165.6 F 150.0 F 40 min
High Mash Decoct 5.10 qt of mash and boil it 158.0 F 40 min

Mash Notes: Started Decoction at 40 min so Low mash was held for 60 minutes

I am not sure what that meens

my book says that I start with low mash 60% of my grain mash at about 120-25 degrees or should I raise the low mash temp the recipe says 150 then do the other 40% high mash in a seperate pot with that mash at about 158 steep for ten mins gradually raise to a boil then boil for 15 mins add that to low mash to raise temp to 154-58 then do a normal rest does that sound about rite I want to make sure this is my first decoction

and could i do like 70%/30%

[Bob McGill]

Jason: I understand your concerns on the instructions, but I know what they mean. Talk with you tomorrow. You have taken a good first step in brewing a starter tomorrow.

[Bob McGill]

Jason: I can interpret your decoction recipe, but if you want to make a barley wine, I can simplify it. Richard, Eric ,& I used decoction because I wanted a second beer. If you are only brewing a barley wine in the systems most club members use, there is a simplifier way.
I suggest a recipe using a total of 20-22 lbs of grain. Start heating your sparge water tank to 200+, avoiding boiling, and hold. Heat about 6 gallons of water in your mash/lauter tun to 165-170F, and mash in. You should get a mash temperature of 148 - 152. If it exceeds this, add room temperature water to correct. If low, add from your sparge tank to get 150F-152F.
Let sit for at least 60 minutes, and then slowly add the 200F water to increase the temperature to 155-158. Let set for at least15 minutes.
Add water to your sparge water tank to drop the temperature to 175 and turn off heat.
Drain the lauter tun slowly until the water level is at the grain level, and start the sparge. You want at least a 60 minute sparge to give you about 8 gallons in your boil pot. If the sparge still taste sweet, continue, you will need a longer boil.
Boil and add hops after the foam stops. Boil till you get about 6 gallons, and cool and whirlpool. You have a high density viscous fluid, so let it sit covered for about 1 hour before racking.
You will need a big yeast addition. A starter or at least two yeast additions of a high alcohol tolerant yeast (Whitelabs, WYeast, or dry yeast). Then you should sparge with oxygen.
If I haven't discouraged you enough, I am willing to help if you do it at my house. If you are willing to chance a 4th generation yeast (brewerys use it more before cleaning the yeast), I will prepare the starter from the same yeast we used. My requirement will be that I share the cost of a six pack and get an equivalent amount of your brew.

[bbushmaster]

that sounds great Bob but I dont no when I will beable to brew my mother has had just about every complication that could happen in this situation she went through a 4 hour surgery yesterday, when surgery was not supposed to happen, had problems breathing and waking up from anasthetic so is now on a machine and sedated in CVICU, also her surgical incision is going to be left open for a week because of infection risk and now has a colostomy I guess its gotta get worse before it gets better I will get with you later I am going to brew this damb thing if its the last thing I do