Apfelwine was the first liquid in and out of my barrel. I had it in there for 2 weeks then bottled (no tasting yet, but I will tonight). The second batch in was a 8%ABV old ale. It's been in there almost 4 weeks and the sample I theifed last night tells me it's ready to be bottled. Then the barrel will get the big Christmas ale (10% ABV) for at least 4 weeks (probably longer).
Question:
My understanding is that temperature fluctuations are what make barrels work and after the spring is over here, it's going to just be hot. I don't plan on using the barrel for beer during the summer and plan on putting some storebought bourbon in there (a fifth or a qt, not the full 5 gallons $$$!). Will the evaporation of volatiles and occasionally changing the barrel poistion be enough or do I need to do somethig else?
I have a single sulfur strip, but don't know what to do with it.
TIA
It's my first barrel (and first brew in that barrel) and I wasn't confident I'd be able to taste green, flat beer and tell when it was 'ripe'. Especially since the whisky flavor/aroma are in the beer pretty quickly. So my plan was to age the first brew 3 weeks, second brew 5 weeks, and after I get the third brew in there to taste the first brew. I'll prob let the third brew go for a while. Hopefully having all these different variations of the same beer will help me to 'learn' what these flavors in beer are all about. Blending is always a possibility.
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