Can you "barrel age" your beer in primaray only?

[hardman]

I just recently had a couple of Ballast Points barrel aged beers, and they tasted great and I wanted to get some of that bourbon flavor in some of my stouts and porters. However I only have one fermentation vessel (carboy) and was wondering if I could throw some bourbon soaked wood chips in there with out racking it to a secondary, because I know you are suppose to age it with the wood chips in the secondary only.

 

[Revvy]

sure

 

[BierMuncher]

I'd wait until active fermentation dies down so the aroma you're looking for doesn't get carried away with the voluminous amounts of CO2 bellowing out.

I'd also spend $20 for another brewing bucket...but that's just me.

 

[tennesseean_87]

5 gallon foodsafe buckets are $5 or something like that at Lowes. Wouldn't the reduced headspace be good for secondary?

 

[DMartin]

Yeah you wouldn't even need a real secondary, just a food-safe container to rack the beer into, hold it while you clean out your fermenter, and rack it back in.

 

[azscoob]

I would also recommend a second fermenting bucket, soak your wood in some bourbon and rack on top of them.

I ended up buying a 5 gallon whiskey barrel to age in, I love it!!

 

[hardman]

Sounds good, thanks.

 

[hardman]

oh, and one more thing, how long should you soak the chips in the bourbon before you toss them in? 24 hours, a week?

 

[azscoob]

oh, and one more thing, how long should you soak the chips in the bourbon before you toss them in? 24 hours, a week?

How much wood and bourbon flavor do you want? my barrel on its first batch was pretty intense in both oak and whiskey flavor, a week in the barrel gave the beer a notable whiskey flavor with pretty bold oak, the batches after that were more subdued.

 

[hardman]

I want a good balance, not too bold or over powering. I just brewed an imperial stout and its been fermenting for almost a week now. This is my first time trying the barrel age by throwing in soaked wood chips, so any input or advice would help.

 

[pdxkale]

I would also recommend a second fermenting bucket, soak your wood in some bourbon and rack on top of them.

I ended up buying a 5 gallon whiskey barrel to age in, I love it!!

Out of curiosity, where did you get the barrel? I've been looking on and off for one for a while. Just curious.

 

[azscoob]

I want a good balance, not too bold or over powering. I just brewed an imperial stout and its been fermenting for almost a week now. This is my first time trying the barrel age by throwing in soaked wood chips, so any input or advice would help.

I would soak the chips for a few days,( I always liked medium toast oak) maybe even until they sink, then toss them into the secondary for a few days, or up to a week. taste it every couple days with a wine thief, and rack off the chips when you like the profile. I say taste it every couple days because it can get overpowering pretty fast, then lots of time in the bottle to mellow it out to whee you like the taste.

Out of curiosity, where did you get the barrel? I've been looking on and off for one for a while. Just curious.

I picked it up in our brewclub group buy from a distillery in Texas. I might hit up Steelers77 (Farmhouse brewing supply) he usually has barrels available.