55 gallon brew day

[bb239605]

Well the idea started when the homebrew club I am in happened to inherit an old whiskey barrel that was then used as a wine barrel by a member's uncle.

Anyway he passed away, so we got the barrel. It has been used for whiskey and wine, and now we wanted to do a beer in it. So the idea was born.

Well we procrastinated about a year, and finally this past weekend got got to it. We scaled up the 08.08.08 RIS, and did 2 separate series of mashes with 6 different mash tuns. The day began at 9am on Saturday and ended at 8pm. One heck of a long day of brewing. Everything went with out a hitch and we ended up with 60gallons at a higher SG than we were aiming for.

We are thinking of doing a primary for 2 weeks followed by putting it into the barrel for 4 weeks then bottling.

I will have to post some pics, and initial tasting notes. I think it will be about a year before it is even good to drink.

 

[michael.berta]

I will have to post some pics, and initial tasting notes.

Pics or it didn't happen

 

[bubbachunk]

Pics or it didn't happen

We are waiting for them from the photographer

 

[Mischief_Brewing]

I'd leave it in the barrel for much longer.

Just sayin'

 

[shortyjacobs]

That is SO awesome. And like drat said, why only 4 weeks? It's a big beer, why not let it condition in the barrel instead of the bottle?

 

[withak]

Maybe so everybody can take some home instead of one person keeping and distributing it for however long it takes for the group to drink 55 gallons.