5 gal Whiskey Barrel, jealous!?

[azterik]

Okay okay calm down :cross: I'm planning on adding a wake-n-bake clone to it fairly soon. Haven't made any coffee additions yet and was looking for some advice with it. Experimenting with cold steeping right now, so that is an option. I do have an espresso maker which i regularly grind and make good espresso with. So one or both of these options and/or adding a couple of beans to the barrel when I transfer it over. This is a fresh whiskey barrel so aging will be fairly short, so the few coffee beans will only be in there a maximum of 3 months. It will prob be shorter too because of the high surface to volume ratio, making the oaking and oxidation fairly rapid. Might add vanilla beans and cocoa nibs too ... maybe ...

FYI The barrel comes from a local distillery that's just starting up and makes awesome whiskey. I work at a bar/liquor store and was able to get this at cost for $50 and plan on getting mutiple uses out of this. Progressing from dark to lighter beers and then eventually saisons to sours i guess

Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[SPR-GRN]

Short answer - yes, I'm jealous
long answer - yesyesyesifreakinghateyousendittomeiwantthebarreldamnitwhyhasntitarrivedyetcomeonmandontholdoutonme!!!
I suggest you taste it regulalry - virgin barrel = quick oak release.
As far as beers, vanilla bean or extract, bitter orange peel in a scotch ale.
If you get more of them I know people on the forum will want them.

 

[scottatdrake]

I know your profile says FL, but is that barrel from the distillery in Woodenville WA? I want one bad but they want WAAAY more than $50.

 

[azterik]

I don't see anything on it that says it is. It only has "Florida Farm Distillers" stamped on it, although they might outsource their barrel from another location.

 

[MonkeyWrench]

We just had a Distillery open up here, they are still in the "soft opening" phase. I might have to swing in and see if they will have barrels to sell. Great idea!

 

[weirdboy]

I suggest you taste it regulalry - virgin barrel = quick oak release.

I don't think it's actually a virgin barrel according to the OP. If I read things correctly, it's already been used for aging whiskey. I could be wrong about that, though. I cannot disagree with regular tastings, though.

 

[azterik]

He might of meant virgin whiskey barrel, as in it hasn't seen beer yet?? But, yes it is a fresh whiskey barrel that smells like pure amazingness Charred interior with no liquid left. I just transferred it over and there is a bit of head space as i had a little under 4.5 gallons. Should i add a little sugar water (corn or dme) to build up a lil yeast for the month age I'm planning and to help with the oxygen present in the barrel (ie purge and absorb the o2)? The gravity went from 1.092 to 1.020 so it is a tad on the dry side with at least 9.5% abv. It went for around 2.5 weeks in the primary and I plan to bottle fyi.
Thanks!

 

[JeepDiver]

I belive you need to put some high.proof alcohol in it until you get ready to use it or you will end up with a sour beer