Preparing Used Wine Barrel for Beer Solera

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I have a lead on a barrel that's been empty for the last 6 years.

How serious is the risk of acetobacter? If there's a large acetobacter colony, is the barrel completely useless or can you still make it work for something like a Lambic?
 
I have a lead on a barrel that's been empty for the last 6 years.

How serious is the risk of acetobacter? If there's a large acetobacter colony, is the barrel completely useless or can you still make it work for something like a Lambic?


If it's been empty for 6 years I probably wouldn't even consider using it. Acetobacter will turn your beer to vinegar and unless you really like malt vinegar it would be totally wasted.
 
How did the first batch in the barrel turn out andy??


I've done a couple pulls from it so far and it's been good so far. Several beers blended from the barrel won medals, most recently at Beer & Sweat in Cincinnati.

It's neat being able to guide the flavor profile with what you add back after a pull. By itself it's a little lacking on the malt character so I made 5 gallons of just Munich and aromatic malt wort to increase the malt foundation.
 
Reading this thread has given me an itch. A barrel may be in my future. I just need to rearrange the fermentation closet to house a barrel. Someday.

:mug:
 
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