First Barrel-Aging. Advice appreciated.

[Labradork]

Folks,

Yesterday I filled an 8-gallon rye whiskey barrel with two batches of a Russian Imperial Stout I brewed up. The stouts were huge beers, with OGs of 1.095 and 1.122 respectively. They were aerated for an hour, each got a 2L starter of WLP 001 and were left to ferment for about a month. After the barrel showed up and was sanitized, about 4 gallons of each batch went in, with the remaining gallon and a half being combined in a single container and set aside to secondary. I took SG readings on both batches and the one which had started at 1.095 had fermented down to 1.016. It was tasty, if not quite as thick as I would have liked. The one which started life at 1.122 had stopped fermentation early, and was still at 1.048. It was very tasty- smooth, roasty, complex, and not overwhelmingly sweet, but with lots of mouthfeel. Both of these beers started with the same grain-bill, btw. So between the two, the SG is probably right around 1.032. I put on an airlock and have been watching it. No far no bubbling.

So here are my concerns: Will I be able to bottle condition this beer, or is the yeast just done?

Is there so much extra sugar in it that I will get bottle bombs?

How long should I leave it in the barrel to get that oak flavor?

Is there anything else I should know?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Labradork

 

[MarkO22]

Our Home brew club just did this but in a 25 gal. barrel. We are only leaving it in for 3 months because we didnt want to pull all the flavor out of it for 1 batch of beer . The day we empty the barrel we are putting in a tripel or quad we havent decided yet. When we take out the stout it going to go into kegs to carb and then into 750 ml. capped and waxed bottles. I am not sure about botlle conditioning you should have enough left over viable yeast to do it but if you are able to keg i would go that route

 

[Brewenstein]

I would check it after a month to see how the flavor is coming along. I've done this twice now, and both times the initial checking / tasting was heavy on the oak and char. I gave it more time, and the flavors began to meld and change. The first use of my barrel (3.5 gallons) took 3 months, and the second time took 7. So don't be afraid to let it ride awhile. It's like cooking a sauce - flavors blend and meld the longer it goes. Within reason of course.

I will second the kegging first to carb, and then bottle if you are able. I had a barleywine at 12% last year has not really carbed at all and it has been 9 months. I did 3.5 gallons of it in the bourbon barrel. I kegged that portion and then bottled, so no issues there.

If you do bottle carb, I would recommend some additional yeast.



Just my $0.02. Good luck!