Description
Bun Drop Barleywine
American Barleywine Ale
As a kid skiing in the mountains of Washington State we used to love flying off of jumps into fields of pristine powder snow, throwing our skis up in front of us, and landing seated in the soft powder. This move was called a Bun Drop, and we pushed it to pretty extreme limits. This is the inspiration behind the name of this Barleywine that pushes beer to the extreme!
Bun Drop Barleywine is a big strong ale. It would fall in BJCP category 22C – American Barleywine. At an estimated ABV of 11.6%, this beer carries a punch! The key to brewing this beer successfully is to use plenty of yeast, and plenty of oxygen. Flavor wise, this dark amber ale is dominated by a rich maltiness. A touch of caramel sweetness and fruity esters add to the complexity. 88 IBUs of bittering hops compliment the mountains of malt giving the overall impression a wonderful balance. Brewed properly the alcohol character will have a smooth warming quality without being sharp or overbearing.
The high ABV makes this a little more difficult beer to brew. It can be brewed with either All Grain, or Extract with specialty grains methods. When space in the mash tun is a concern this is a great candidate for a mini mash, subbing out some of the base grain for malt extract.
