Wooden mini-cask

Hey!

I just bought some of these mini wood cask.

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/2L-Brass-Hoo...982?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27b0b3dc9e

The idea is to put a little part of our batches (at least our stouts, porters, brown ales), and keep this ''brewer's reserve'' for our brewing nights ...and enjoy an old style cask ale.

Some questions about it.

1- I know we can carbonate a bit cask ales when this is in stainless steel casks, but since is wood porous, is it still possible? I was thinking about 3g/L (0.4oz/gal), just to put a bit of gaz in it.

2- I heard about venting 24h before serving by putting a porous wood spile. Whit a low carbonation and a porous barrel, is it still usefull?

3- I also heard wood spigot aren't safe or good. Is it true? Since it's only a 2L that will be emptied in... 1 serve (we are 4 brewers, so a pint each and that's it). If it leaks a bit, it's not a problem since it won't be used for a long time.

4- About that spigot. I have to plug the hole when it's ''aging'', then hammer in the spigot on serve day, but how? I flip the barel, then take out the plug to plug in the spigot?

5- I will fill it with water for several weeks, changing water everyday, to saturate the wood of water, to prevent leaks, and also to mellow out the oak flavor, that could be really heavy when brand new, and even more with a really small barrel (lot of contact surface). I'm right?

6- What about sanitizing? I get that we should not use oxy based sanitizer, not to oxides wood, then wear it. I heard about citric acid (lemon juice). So fill it with preboil water and the juice from a few citrus, for a day before fill it with beer will be enough? Beer will be completly fermented and aged before added to the barrel, and won't stay there for so long, so i can infection propagation risks will be reduced.

Thanks a lot friends!

Generally with cask ales you would use something around 1-3psi... this is primarily just to replace the space removed when the beer is drawn... A porous wooden spile is used to allow co2 to vent... I have always used plastic spigots... There will be a very large amount of surface per oz of beer... Be careful with how long you leave it in contact...I recommend something big and dark to start, and later batches can be lighter...Look around about cleaning... Boiling water may be a good idea...

benbradford said:

Generally with cask ales you would use something around 1-3psi... this is primarily just to replace the space removed when the beer is drawn...

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Well, I have no Co2 tank. I was talking about adding primming sugar. It's a wood barrel, not a keg. I can't force a high carbonatation. And I don't need to replace the place removed, since it's gonna be a 1 serve=empty barrel, as I said.

benbradford said:

A porous wooden spile is used to allow co2 to vent...

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I know. I said that. My question was, since my barrel will be a bit porous (oak), is it still useful to vent it or not? Because this technique is used on steel keg that keep pressure in.

benbradford said:

There will be a very large amount of surface per oz of beer... Be careful with how long you leave it in contact...I recommend something big and dark to start, and later batches can be lighter...QUOTE]

I said everything I was conscient of all that.

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