I like "big beers and I respect the effort of brewing a fine ale like that.
What was the damage for the barrel, if I may ask?
$75 for a 10gal picked up at the distillery. Good for 2 stout batches and some wood aged batches after that as it will lose the whiskey flavor. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Marcellus:
$75 for a 10gal picked up at the distillery. Good for 2 stout batches and some wood aged batches after that as it will lose the whiskey flavor.
Do you have to do anything to the barrel from a sanitation standpoint before it's 2nd use? Revolution Brewing routinely makes their used barrels available for $50 up here. Sounds tempting but I'm not sure if I need to do anything to prep it for another use. [Reply]
Originally Posted by KCUnited:
Do you have to do anything to the barrel from a sanitation standpoint before it's 2nd use? Revolution Brewing routinely makes their used barrels available for $50 up here. Sounds tempting but I'm not sure if I need to do anything to prep it for another use.
I was questioning the 2nd brew too but I would guess that after a steam/ hot water flush you could use it again, with limited results, then make staves, planters, or furniture from it [Reply]
Originally Posted by KCUnited:
Do you have to do anything to the barrel from a sanitation standpoint before it's 2nd use? Revolution Brewing routinely makes their used barrels available for $50 up here. Sounds tempting but I'm not sure if I need to do anything to prep it for another use.
You don't do anything before first use but want to get the barrel fairly fresh from being emptied, within a few months.
Second use you have 3 options-
Since the beer will be in the barrel for a few months plan ahead and have another brew ready to go into it when you empty it.
Short term you can fill it with clean water as far as you can between uses so it doesn't dry out. 4-6 weeks I would say.
They make barrel cleaner you can use after the second use to clean it and kill any potential mold growth which is all you are looking to stop. I wouldn't do this before the second use because you will likely strip a lot of the booze out of it and its already weaker after the first use.
Second use I have aged stuff 1.5 to 2x longer than first use to get more flavor.
Also worth noting the smaller the barrel the less time you need. 55gal barrels are aged a year usually in a commercial brewery.
A 5gal barrel only needs about 6 weeks a 10gal barrel 2x as long.
The smaller the barrel the more surface area of wood vs liquid. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Marcellus:
You don't do anything before first use but want to get the barrel fairly fresh from being emptied, within a few months.
Second use you have 3 options-
Since the beer will be in the barrel for a few months plan ahead and have another brew ready to go into it when you empty it.
Short term you can fill it with clean water as far as you can between uses so it doesn't dry out. 4-6 weeks I would say.
They make barrel cleaner you can use after the second use to clean it and kill any potential mold growth which is all you are looking to stop. I wouldn't do this before the second use because you will likely strip a lot of the booze out of it and its already weaker after the first use.
Second use I have aged stuff 1.5 to 2x longer than first use to get more flavor.
Also worth noting the smaller the barrel the less time you need. 55gal barrels are aged a year usually in a commercial brewery.
A 5gal barrel only needs about 6 weeks a 10gal barrel 2x as long.
The smaller the barrel the more surface area of wood vs liquid.
Good to know, thanks.
I know pre-2016 Bourbon County Barelywine was aged in barrels which previously held Bourbon County Stout, which gave it a different dimension than other BA barleywines, imo. I'd be interested trying something like, for the BA stout flavors and not necessary the bourbon heat. Maybe with a barleywine or quad. [Reply]
Had some friends over for a football game. Had 6oz of quality bourbon, a margarita, one craft beer and then finished the afternoon off with the Michelob Ultra. Must say, for a light beer, it was very good. Friends bought a 12pk of bottles for $7.99.
My apologies from our previous interaction on this subject. [Reply]
