Barrel-Aging Homebrew

[JulianB1]

Seems kind of a high price for only 3 gallons. I think one of the homebrew stores had 5 gallon barrels that came out to something like $110 shipped.

 

[stakem1]

My local beer store just got in some 3 gallon barrels that held the whisky in them. They're selling them for $110. Good price?

No

My 10 gallon barrels were picked up at the source the day they were emptied and cost $100.
You can probably talk to a local brewery and hop on board when/if they make barrel purchases and get a 55gal ones at similar cost. Do you belong to a homebrew club that will help you fill it and pitch in money for the cost? If so, thats the better route to take IMHO.

 

[Rau711]

I have a Balconies 5 gallon barrel and a new american oak 5 gallon barrel. In the balconies I use Billitte Bourbon to disinfect the barrel and keep its shape when not in use. The new american oak is a scout power house. The sites I got these are at my house so I'm not 100%. I know Few also does smaller barrels for their spirits, not sire of any other micro distilleries.

 

[Beerontwowheels]

bump

 

[neorunner]

bump

Got a line on local gin barrels if you want to get freaky.

 

[Beerontwowheels]

Got a line on local gin barrels if you want to get freaky.

What size? we could collab and send it all to CharlieMurphy since that's definitely his fetish.

 

[neorunner]

What size? we could collab and send it all to CharlieMurphy since that's definitely his fetish.

35 or 55 can't remember. Gin from the barrel was pretty damn good. And I ******* hate gin.

Not turbid mashing unless CharlieMurphy comes to brew day.

 

[Snarf1]

35 or 55 can't remember. Gin from the barrel was pretty damn good. And I ******* hate gin.

Not turbid mashing unless CharlieMurphy comes to brew day.

I think barrel aged gin and gin barrel beers are both stupid, but if they're actually 35 gallons, that makes me moist.

 

[CharlieMurphy1]

What size? we could collab and send it all to CharlieMurphy since that's definitely his fetish.

Not turbid mashing unless CharlieMurphy comes to brew day.

TNGabe is the man you're looking for.

 

[nanobrew1]

I think a peach sour aged in gin barrels for a short (2-3mo) period would be great.

 

[Five28 hz]

Make my funk the gin funk, I wants to get funked up

Got a line on local gin barrels if you want to get freaky.

 

[Beerontwowheels]

35 or 55 can't remember. Gin from the barrel was pretty damn good. And I ******* hate gin.

Not turbid mashing unless CharlieMurphy comes to brew day.

If it's 35g, I'd be very happy to collab with you. Maybe a spelt saison with a mixed culture?

 

[neorunner]

If it's 35g, I'd be very happy to collab with you. Maybe a spelt saison with a mixed culture?

Let me get home from the land of tosh es and we can hammer out the details.

 

[tosh1]

Let me get home from the land of tosh es and we can hammer out the details.

I can only imagine how horrible a land full of me would be. *shudder*

 

[harrymel1]

Gonna fill a freshly emptied 55g Tritacale barrel in November with stout hopefully.

Have two 15g barrels that I am running a solera type wild/sour project. Going well so far. Goal is to have soured blonde ale on tap 24/7 and to refresh barrels every 3 months or so. First pull for keg should be ready in a month or so. I've given up on bottle conditioning soured beers, never worked for me. Will counter pressure any bottles moving forward.

 

[drgarage1]

oddapter brought a freshly emptied 2.5-ish gallon pechuga mezcal barrel back from Mexico a few years ago. Aged an imperial stout and then a barleywine in it. Both turned out REALLY good.

 

[preacher1]

Just got a freshly dumped white port barrel that was filled in 08 in new fresh oak. Smells like cognac. I am going to sulfer it today and fill with saison base in the next few weeks. Solera it until I add bugs.

If I don't report back it means that the barrel blew up on me.

 

[preacher1]

new *french oak

 

[Snarf1]

Just got a freshly dumped white port barrel that was filled in 08 in new fresh oak. Smells like cognac. I am going to sulfer it today and fill with saison base in the next few weeks. Solera it until I add bugs.

If I don't report back it means that the barrel blew up on me.

If it's fresh and smells good, why sulphur?

 

[rcubed1]

If it's fresh and smells good, why sulphur?

Yeah, at most a hot rinse or two and then add in the beer.

 

[preacher1]

If it's fresh and smells good, why sulphur?

The cellerman at the winery suggested it since I will be storing it for a while in the coolish barn. Possibly to avoid VA?

 

[Beerontwowheels]

Possibly to avoid VA?

VA = Volatile Acidity, for anyone else who didn't recognize that acronym.

 

[Skittle34]

I mean he could also be avoiding Virginia
¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Snarf1]

I mean he could also be avoiding Virginia
¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Or the Veterans Administration.

 

[bayonetwork]

Got a line on local gin barrels if you want to get freaky.

I'd love to know if these barrels are available. I've got two 15 gallon gin barrels which have produced a couple of the best beers I've ever consumed not to mention the best I've ever made myself (gin barrel mixed fermentation saison aged on Missouri peaches and gin barrel golden sour aged on Ataulfo Mangos). I need more gin barrels!

 

[bayonetwork]

I think barrel aged gin and gin barrel beers are both stupid, but if they're actually 35 gallons, that makes me moist.

I could send you a bottle of my gin barrel peach saison that would change your mind.

 

[anteater1]

I'd love to know if these barrels are available. I've got two 15 gallon gin barrels which have produced a couple of the best beers I've ever consumed not to mention the best I've ever made myself (gin barrel mixed fermentation saison aged on Missouri peaches and gin barrel golden sour aged on Ataulfo Mangos). I need more gin barrels!

+1 on gin BA beer. I added gin soaked oak to raspberry and peach berliners and both turned out awesome. Not to mention all the great gin BA stuff from Upright and de Garde.

 

[bayonetwork]

+1 on gin BA beer. I added gin soaked oak to raspberry and peach berliners and both turned out awesome. Not to mention all the great gin BA stuff from Upright and de Garde.

It works so well with my mixed fermentation Saison and the peaches just take it to a new level. Think botanical gin soaked peach-os, slight lacto tartness, brett funk, all at 8% abv. It's easily top three beers I've ever brewed.

 

[neorunner]

I'd love to know if these barrels are available. I've got two 15 gallon gin barrels which have produced a couple of the best beers I've ever consumed not to mention the best I've ever made myself (gin barrel mixed fermentation saison aged on Missouri peaches and gin barrel golden sour aged on Ataulfo Mangos). I need more gin barrels!

Yep, I believe they wanted $150-175 per 33gal barrel iirc.

 

[anteater1]

I've got a few experiments going with strong ales aging on oak cubes to try to see how close I can get to actual barrel aged flavors. My best result so far has been aging on 0.2 oz/gal american oak boiled a few minutes for ~6 months. I've been adding spirits separately once I'm happy with the oak character. Nothing to compare to actual barrel flavors yet, but getting slightly closer to that woody vanilla goodness.

• Barleywine
  • 0.2 oz/gal american oak cubes boiled 3 min vs. no oak (control)
• Imperial stout
  • 0.2 oz/gal american oak cubes boiled 3 min vs. 0.2 oz/gal french oak boiled 3 min
• Next imperial stout
  • 0.2 oz/gal american oak cubes boiled 3 min vs. 0.2 oz/gal american oak boiled 30 seconds
• Future ideas for experiments
  • 0.3+ oz/gal
  • oak cubes with a small amount of oak chips towards the end
  • oak cubes for 1 year+
  • oak cubes vs. oak cubes split in half
  • oak soaked in spirits vs. oak & spirits added separately
  • cubes vs. spirals