60 gallon flanders red

[felixsth]

Hi, I got a used 60 gallon port wine barrel and I want to age some flanders red in it. I want to know how many packs of wyeast roeselare should I pitch? They recommend not making a starter so I cannot grow from one pack. Do I really need like 12 packs since it's made for 5 gallon batches?

Thanks

 

[Nateo]

For 60 gallons you'd need like 22 smack packs. I'd make my own blend. It's a Belgian strain, a sherry strain, two Brett strains, Lacto, and Pedio. That's only 5 different packs you'd need. Just make large starters of each, and it'll probably turn out close.

 

[spearko520]

you could make a couple of five gallon batches for your starters

 

[caiafa]

You need to fill the barrel at once anyway, so you could start by fermenting a normal batch first, use parts of it to ferment the next ones, then add them all to the barrel.

The primary fermentation should be done by the time you move the beer to the barrel anyway, as you wouldn't want a thick yeast layer in it.

 

[felixsth]

I asked directly to wyeast and they told me I would be ok with 10 packs.

 

[beerman0001]

How many batches are you going to brew to fill that 60gal barrel?

 

[Coff]

Reach out to East Coast Yeast, he will build up a large pitch for you made to order of his blend. He does this for homebrew clubs often. ECYs blends are top notch.

 

[tugbucket]

I don't have anything useful to add except damn, I wish I had room for a barrel that big.