I am pulling the trigger on a new 5 gallon oak barrel, and given the smaller size/ higher surface contact with the beer inside, I will probably only be aging a beer for a couple months to get a nice, subtle oak flavor.
Planning on keeping a series of Flander's Red style going consistently, where I will secondary ferment/ age in the barrel with the bug blend. After the oak taste is where I want it, I'm thinking I'll take it out and continue extended aging in a glass carboy, so I don't get too much oak or oxygen from the small barrel. I want to then rack a newly brewed Flander's back into the barrel.
My question is: should I rack the new beer directly on the trub in the barrel without any rinsing, or should I give it a good hot rinse beforehand and introduce new Brett? My thought is that racking on the old yeast cake would be fine, but I have only done this in glass. I am not sure if the barrels need a hot rinse/ steam to avoid unwanted bacteria.
Planning on keeping a series of Flander's Red style going consistently, where I will secondary ferment/ age in the barrel with the bug blend. After the oak taste is where I want it, I'm thinking I'll take it out and continue extended aging in a glass carboy, so I don't get too much oak or oxygen from the small barrel. I want to then rack a newly brewed Flander's back into the barrel.
My question is: should I rack the new beer directly on the trub in the barrel without any rinsing, or should I give it a good hot rinse beforehand and introduce new Brett? My thought is that racking on the old yeast cake would be fine, but I have only done this in glass. I am not sure if the barrels need a hot rinse/ steam to avoid unwanted bacteria.