Barrel-aging primer, introduction, or other resources?

[DavidWood2115]

Is there a good primer or other introduction to barrel aging beers? A friend is offering me a couple of small whiskey barrels, one five gallon, one three, to use to try making a (hopefully worthy) barrel-aged beer. We both like dark belgians, and I have had a few nice barrel-aged interpretations of said beers. Is there a book, primer, HomebrewTalk forum that would be a good introduction to attempting such a beer?

Thanks!

 

[agentbud]

Did you ever find a good source for this info? I've been brewing for 15 years and have done several BA stouts using oak chips, but I finally want to try the real deal. Lots of questions regarding using an actual barrel...

 

[DavidWood2115]

The book Wood & Beer by Bouckaert and Cantwell isn’t a primer, exactly, but the best introduction that I found.

https://www.amazon.com/Wood-Beer-Br...d=c8a7a703-cb1f-4346-ba86-23218ab5b881&nodl=1

 

[Agent]

Aside from using known decent barrel aging recipes (did you know dopplebocks come out weird for some reason?), it's mostly trial, taste, and error.

 

[JAReeves]

You can find this on multiple websites, but:
1. are the barrels wet or have they been dry a while?
-If wet, go to #2.
-If dry, you need to soak the staves first. You could add a bottle of similar booze and turn the barrel every day or two to make sure they are regularly in contact with liquid (make sure you soak the top and bottom also!). Star san also works, but it doesn't really flavor the wood.
2. Is the outside waxed (this slows down the O2 transfer and aging of your contents)?
-yes, go to #3.
-no, you may want to hit your local hardware store for a small block of paraffin wax (you can use candles, beeswax). Rub it into the wood and then torch it. I'll post a pic below.
3. Dump (Drink) the liquid and add your brew. You may want to reserve some of the original beer in the fridge for topping off. I do this with wine all the time and have done this with Barley Wine, but those are big-ass brews, so YMMV.

There is a lot more to learn about this, but this is what I do with my 5G barrels.

Have fun!

Reevesie

PS: DO NOT FLAME YOUR BARREL IF IT IS FULL OF GRAIN/DISTILLED ALCOHOL!!!!!! IT IS A BOMB IF YOU DO THAT!!!!

 

[agentbud]

There is a lot more to learn about this, but this is what I do with my 5G barrels.

Where are you getting your 5 gal barrels from?

 

[JAReeves]

Where are you getting your 5 gal barrels from?

I bought a clean barrel from AIH (RIP) once upon a time. I also bought a couple from other HBT members. There are some specialist barrel sellers I have found, but have not bought from them as I am out of room at the moment for more. Some of them carry more than Bourbon barrels, too.