Lambic project 2010

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pipapat

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Just thought i would check in with you guys and gals.
My 3 5 gallon batches are ready to be added to my 15.5 gallon wine barrel.

The dregs from my Cuvee and bugs are all going in the Barrel today.
I had to built a make shift barrel holder out of some scrap wood.

I'll post pics when i get a chance later.

All the advice has been very helpful.

:mug:
 
Here we go some pics.

P1010255.JPG


Cleaning was easy in the tub.

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Freshly cleaned barrel ready for 15.5 gallons of lambic.

P1010256.JPG


Bugs!

P1010261.JPG


took a while too fill it.

P1010262.JPG



Filled and bugs added.

P1010269.JPG


Lambic's new home for the next year and a half or so.
 
BAD ASS :rockin: Can't wait to do one of those. What were your 3 base batches?

Be sure to keep us updated with pics (of course:D)
 
I did a full turbid mash on all 3.
4 hour boils.

grain bill was 6lbs pilsner.
4 lbs raw wheat.
.25 dried malt extract.
and about 2 oz dextrin a batch.

I used 1056 yeast.
Last batch was still bubbling a bit when i added bugs.

I used 2 oz of sazz pellets at 1.4 alpha a batch.
 
i would get more batches going but i only have 1 barrel at the moment.

I think my girl friend would be a little mad if i spent 3 more weeks not brewing her a blackberry wheat beer.

Though i may get 1 more flanders going.
 
Awesome! This is pretty much what I'd like to do.

Where'd you get the wine barrel?
 
The barrel was from a friend. He had done several batches of red wine in it so it was time for fresh oak for him.

The first time i cleaned it it smelled like vanilla in my house for days.
 
The barrel was from a friend. He had done several batches of red wine in it so it was time for fresh oak for him.

The first time i cleaned it it smelled like vanilla in my house for days.

Nice!

I'm hoping to find one myself, that same size and used would be perfect. If you don't mind, could you ask him where he found it?

Thanks!
 
Nice!

I'm hoping to find one myself, that same size and used would be perfect. If you don't mind, could you ask him where he found it?

Thanks!

Something you can do is check with local vintners and see if they have any oak casks or barrels they are retiring. They might let them go pretty reasonably if they're just going to get rid of them anyway. If you are having trouble locating local vintners, ask about them at your favorite wine shop. They might have some contact info they can pass on. Hell, they might even be able to secure the barrel for you and save you the trouble.
 
Nice!

I'm hoping to find one myself, that same size and used would be perfect. If you don't mind, could you ask him where he found it?

Thanks!

His was custom made some time ago.
He is now using full size barrels.

You could always buy a oak barrel from northern or morebeer, do some wine, then retire it for sour beers.

Down side is i over filled it ever so slightly and now im getting a tiny bit of blow off in my air lock.

A little early for angles share.
lol
 
His was custom made some time ago.
He is now using full size barrels.

You could always buy a oak barrel from northern or morebeer, do some wine, then retire it for sour beers.

Down side is i over filled it ever so slightly and now im getting a tiny bit of blow off in my air lock.

A little early for angles share.
lol

That's typically how "real" lambics are made in Belgium. They use the crusted over, blow-off to act sort of like an airlock.

Custom-made, eh?! Wow. The problem with the smaller ones is that they are just too small to allow for years of fermentation without imparting a ton of oak character. Thanks for the info.
 
cool project. i've got something similar going thats been sitting for close to 8 months. havent tried it in a while but am thinking of racking it off and possibly blending soon. how long do you plan on letting yours get all funked and soured up for?
 
I planned on 9-15 months for the first batch and getting a second going so i can make a kriek and a Gueuze.
 
That is awesome.

the scary thing is my dad and i are the only ones i know that enjoy sour beer.
So ill have LOTs of beer to age.

The price of bottles and cages is going to cost me a bunch.
:drunk:
 
The price of bottles and cages is going to cost me a bunch.
:drunk:

Start collecting and drinking sours. Clean the bottles (and pour the dregs into your barrels) and you'll have more than you think. You can also put a standard cork and a larger cap on if you don't want to cork and cage. Other sources are bars around New Year's, weddings, nicer restaurants, country clubs, etc since they are the same thing as Champagne bottles. Some labels will slip right off in hot water... And if you're not particular about them all being the same, Duvel-type bottles (and several other Belgian brands) can withstand a lot of pressure, comparable to gueze.
 
Good too know for saving some cash for the next barrel purchase.
 
Start collecting and drinking sours. Clean the bottles (and pour the dregs into your barrels) and you'll have more than you think. You can also put a standard cork and a larger cap on if you don't want to cork and cage.
regular wine corks and cages to reinforce them work well if you don't wanna drop $150+ for the legit corker. actually just today i bottled 3 gal blended, 1:2 ratio of cranbic & oud bruin all with wine corks & champagne cages. start a collection and age a bunch, you'll be happy you did!! it's too bad you couldn't save a portion of each of the three individual batches for a before & after the big blend in your barrel.
 
that doesnt do the champagne corks, to do those the corker must squeeze the cork on the sides while pushing down into the bottle, and those are 150$, the one you posted wont do them, it will do the plastic champagne corks, but you can put those in by hand

I used to cork and cage, but its too much $$, now i just cork and cap like cantillon does, its clean looks nice and is cheap
 
that doesnt do the champagne corks, to do those the corker must squeeze the cork on the sides while pushing down into the bottle, and those are 150$, the one you posted wont do them, it will do the plastic champagne corks, but you can put those in by hand

I used to cork and cage, but its too much $$, now i just cork and cap like cantillon does, its clean looks nice and is cheap

I have not had cantilon, i have seen some cuvee with over sized caps like that.
Any regular bottles that will work under such extreme pressure?
I tend to go over board with hobbies, i could see myself buying that type of corker, but 150 seems like a bit much for the 90 bottles i might do every 1.5 years.
 
i started with a plastic gilda corker works great for a few bottles..say 10 or 15 but 15.5 gallons is going to run you about 75 Belgium/ champagne bottles and trust me when i say a crappy plastic corker is going to get old quick!

i use an Italian bench corker costs 100 bucks from more beer and well worth the money...check your local home brew supply many rent quality corkers for less than a crappy plastic one. I have used champagne corks through this corker but it is a bit of a PITA.

http://morewinemaking.com/view_product/6174/103301/Wine_Corker_-_Italian_Table_Top
 
hadnt seen that before, having to remove and replace the bottom plate for each bottle seems kinda like a PITA though.....

I like the look of the bottles with cages, but i think doing it is too damn expensive

It is a pain and it is pricey. I do a few bottles from certain batches that way that are good as gifts.
 
Any regular bottles that will work under such extreme pressure?

Most Trappist bottles are designed to hold a lot more pressure than the standard ~2.5 Vol. Additionally, look for Duvel-type Belgian bottles. There are several brewers who use pretty much identical bottles and they hold a lot of pressure. They are nearly as heavy-duty as champagne bottles.

duvel.jpg


Additionally, if you're in a bind when it comes time to bottle and run out of bottles / corks / etc, you can put them into soda bottles that you've cleaned well (to remove the smell, mainly). It won't look pretty but it will work!
 
well looks like ill be drinking lots of duvel in the next year or so.
Not that, thats a bad thing.
 
St. Martin also uses the same bottle (or very close) as Duvel. And, as previously stated, most Trappist bottles are heavy duty so don't limit yourself to just Orval if you enjoy that style of beer. Chimay is probably one of the easiest Trappist beers to find...
 
I use a lot of the martinelli's cider bottles, they hold a high level of carbonation and can be had very cheap around new years/etc plus you get the juice to make a cider with

FWIW you could probably use most any bottles, I think youll find that 2.8-3.0 vols of CO2 is quite a lot in any beer youll make, and pretty much anything should hold that level, I bottle a lot of things in regular beer bottles at that level and Ive never had an issue, I do like the look of the belgian bottles and 750's though
 
At this point ill use whatever i can get my hands on.
But i do like the look of the 750 ml bottles.
I guess they make nice gifts.
 
I had to get some sour beer fix in. Had my step mom bring me back a case of La Folie to get through the next 1.5 years.

lol
 
I had to get some sour beer fix in. Had my step mom bring me back a case of La Folie to get through the next 1.5 years.

lol

Did she find the 750mL bottles or the 12oz bottles? Talking with NBB's distributor, I think he said they were going to 12ozers...
 
Did she find the 750mL bottles or the 12oz bottles? Talking with NBB's distributor, I think he said they were going to 12ozers...

oh god i hope its not the smaller bottles.
The last time i got some they where in the 750's.

Then again if the price per case is reduced accordingly i could care less.
Then i could get a case of the kriek as well.

i will know here on Sunday when i go over for family dinner.
 
I havent seen a 750 of la Folie in quite awhile, its always in bombers now...

anyone know why all of their wild beers are labeled lips of faith now??
 
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