My birthday is 12-12-12 this year and somehow that translated in my mind that I need to brew a beer on that day that needs to be aged for quite a while. I have pretty much decided that I want to brew a framboise lambic. I have never brewed a a lambic before so I've got several questions.
-I can get a 5 gallon barrel from a local distillery/brewery that was a bourbon barrel, but has also been used to age a belgian trippel. Will this be acceptable as a fermenter and aging in for 1 year or more? Or should I just use a glass carboy with oak chips/cubes?
-Also, for those with experience with barrel aging, how likely are they to leak/seep? I live in an apartment and only have a couple places where I might be able to put the barrel.
-I want to go with just pilsner malt and wheat, but don't have the ability to do all grain yet. I have been doing partial mashes with up to 6-7 pounds of grain. What would be a good partial mash recipe for this?
-I plan on using Wyeast 3278. Will this work well enough to get a good lambic flavor in a year or so, and should I make a starter with this blend?
-I know you add the fruit after fermentation, but how long before bottling this would you add the fruit, and can you do it in the barrel (if I use a barrel)?
-How well does making fake aged hops in the oven work, what are the best conditions to do it, and how much should I use?
I'm sure I'm not the first noob to ask all of these questions, but I couldn't find the answers to some of them easily anywhere.
-I can get a 5 gallon barrel from a local distillery/brewery that was a bourbon barrel, but has also been used to age a belgian trippel. Will this be acceptable as a fermenter and aging in for 1 year or more? Or should I just use a glass carboy with oak chips/cubes?
-Also, for those with experience with barrel aging, how likely are they to leak/seep? I live in an apartment and only have a couple places where I might be able to put the barrel.
-I want to go with just pilsner malt and wheat, but don't have the ability to do all grain yet. I have been doing partial mashes with up to 6-7 pounds of grain. What would be a good partial mash recipe for this?
-I plan on using Wyeast 3278. Will this work well enough to get a good lambic flavor in a year or so, and should I make a starter with this blend?
-I know you add the fruit after fermentation, but how long before bottling this would you add the fruit, and can you do it in the barrel (if I use a barrel)?
-How well does making fake aged hops in the oven work, what are the best conditions to do it, and how much should I use?
I'm sure I'm not the first noob to ask all of these questions, but I couldn't find the answers to some of them easily anywhere.