Firestone Walker Brewing Co.’s Sucaba clone

Firestone Walker Brewing Co.’s Sucaba clone

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.094   FG = 1.018
IBU = 45   SRM = 20   ABV = 10%

This English-style barleywine from Firestone Walker (Paso Robles, California) is aged in recently emptied Bourbon barrels to pick up flavors and alcohol from the Bourbon. While this beer goes into the barrel around 10% ABV, it comes out above 12%.

Ingredients

14 lbs. (6.3 kg) pale malt
1.38 lbs. (0.63 kg) Munich malt
0.75 lb. (0.34 kg) crystal malt (60 °L)
0.25 lb. (113 g) crystal malt (120 °L)
0.25 lb. (113 g) roasted barley
1.25 lbs. (0.57 kg) dextrose sugar (10 min.)
1⁄2 tsp. yeast nutrients
4.9 AAU German Magnum hops (90 min.) (0.35 oz./10 g at 14% alpha acids)
9.7 AAU Willamette hops (30 min.) (1.85 oz./52g at 5.25% alpha acids)
1.25 oz. (35g) Willamette hops (0 min.)
1 oak barrel or 1-2 oz. (28-57 g) medium toasted oak chips, soaked in spirits
Wyeast 1098 (London Ale) or White Labs WLP013 (London Ale) or Lallemand Nottingham yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step
Use reverse osmosis water and adjust with equal parts calcium sulfate and calcium chloride to achieve a minimum of 100 ppm finished calcium. Begin heating 5.2 gallons (19.7 L), about 1.25 qts./lb. (2.6 L/kg) strike water, up to 157 °F (69 °C). Mash in at 145 °F (63 °C), rest for 30 minutes to aid in creating a high attenuation wort. Ramp up to 152 °F (66 °C) and rest for 15 min or until fully converted (or employ a single infusion mash at 152 °F/66 °C). Ramp up to 168 °F (76 °C) to begin lautering. Sparge with about 4 gallons (15 L) water to collect roughly 6.75 gallons (25.4 L) of wort. The gravity of the pre-boil wort should be roughly 1.065 SG. Boil 90 minutes, adding hops and dextrose at times indicated. Brewmaster Matt Brynildson suggests, instead of a longer boil, using malt extract to make up any additional gravity points if needed.

Chill, aerate, and pitch yeast at 62 °F (17 °C). Ferment at 66 °F (19 °C). Pitch a healthy and viable yeast starter or freshly harvested yeast.Near the end of fermentation, raise the temperature a few degrees. Transfer the beer into a Bourbon barrel if you can and allow to age until the taste is to your liking. Otherwise, using 1-2 oz. (28-57 g) of medium toasted oak chips, soaked in a favorite spirit for several weeks during primary fermentation can help mimic those barrel flavors in secondary. Carbonate to 2.5 volumes CO₂.

Firestone Walker Brewing Co.’s Sucaba clone

(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.094   FG = 1.018
IBU = 45   SRM = 20   ABV = 10%

Ingredients
8 lbs. (3.6 kg) golden light liquid malt extract
2 lbs. (0.91 kg) Munich dried malt extract
0.75 lb. (0.34 kg) crystal malt (60 °L)
0.25 lb. (113 g) crystal malt (120 °L)
0.25 lb. (113 g) roasted barley
1.5 lbs. (0.68 kg) dextrose sugar (10 min.)
1⁄2 tsp. yeast nutrients
4.9 AAU German Magnum hops (90 min.) (0.35 oz./10 g at 14% alpha acids)
9.7 AAU Willamette hops (30 min.) (1.85 oz./52g at 5.25% alpha acids)
1.25 oz. (35g) Willamette hops (0 min.)
1 oak barrel or 1-2 oz. (28-57 g) medium toasted oak chips, soaked in spirits
Wyeast 1098 (London Ale) or White Labs WLP013 (London Ale) or Lallemand Nottingham yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Tips for success:
“We barrel age all of our barleywines here at Firestone Walker. Typically, the beer ages one full year in spirits barrels (bourbon, rum or Scotch) at 50 °F (10 °C). Barrels must be freshly dumped (recently emptied at the distillery). They are received at the brewery and put into service as soon as possible. The barrels are purged well of any air (oxygen free) and filled to the top, then hard bunged and put into the cool cellar to rest. We typically pick up some alcohol from the barrels, which along with the beautiful wood flavors and mellowing effect, helps to balance the beer. We would typically see a 2.5–3% increase in ABV from the time the beer went into the barrel.

At home, you could use toasted or charred oak chips that have been soaked in good bourbon. If you are not barrel aging or conditioning the beer on wood chips, consider dry hopping the beer. You can get creative here. Staying classic would mean utilizing English or classic continental European hops. Crossing style lines allows for new flavor-forward hops. Make sure to rub and smell the hops before dry hopping with them to ensure the quality is good. 14–20 grams per gallon will provide assertive hop character, 5–7 grams per gallon will give balanced hop notes. Look for Experimental hop HBC 472 for an extra special Barleywine dry hopping experience.”  – Matt Brynildson, Brewmaster