Bourbon Barrel Old Ale

[mixmasterob]

1.105! Damn, how much DME did you add?

 

[Mischief_Brewing]

1.105! Damn, how much DME did you add?

1# brown sugar
1# wildflower honey
2-3# DME

Best I can come up with from memory. My notes weren't that good back then...

 

[craig_reed]

1# brown sugar
1# wildflower honey
2-3# DME

Best I can come up with from memory. My notes weren't that good back then...

I have never made a starter to date, and as far as I can tell I haven't had any issues with that.

Mischief, you said you have never gotten around to making starters either - is that true with this recipe as well?

 

[TheWeeb]

this was supposed to be the Christmas brew, but the family is getting together for Thanksgiving instead. So, I went ahead and bottled it yesterday, one month early. I drew a large sample and put it in the 'fridge, last night did a side by side tasting with one of my favorite Bourbon ales, the Full Sail Top Sail Bourbon Barrel porter. Yes, a bit of a different style, but close. It is not bragging to say that even in its un-carbonated state my Old Ale tasted better than the Top Sail! I liked the added layer the vanilla beans gave it, the bourbon was not overpowering at all, and there was a slight hoppy bitter taste up front. More complex than that from Full Sail.

Only problem now - which is a good one - is that I have to come up with a new winter warmer that does not take six months to condition!

 

[TheWeeb]

zQuick update, just drank a bomber, no carbonation after two weeks, but I get that since this is a high grav beer and I used the minimum amount of priming as per style. Very good but the next time only one vanilla bean, as that flavor is most up front right now. Of course, the flavor profile will no doubt change as it conditions.

EDIT: Opps! Only one week! Man, I am impatient !

 

[mixmasterob]

zQuick update, just drank a bomber, no carbonation after two weeks, but I get that since this is a high grav beer and I used the minimum amount of priming as per style. Very good but the next time only one vanilla bean, as that flavor is most up front right now. Of course, the flavor profile will no doubt change as it conditions.

EDIT: Opps! Only one week! Man, I am impatient !

Quick question for you. I am three weeks in, I am about to rack to secondary on the oak chips. Did you try to keep the bourbon out of the fermenter when adding the chips? How did you go about doing this if so. Thanks buddy.

 

[Mischief_Brewing]

Quick question for you. I am three weeks in, I am about to rack to secondary on the oak chips. Did you try to keep the bourbon out of the fermenter when adding the chips? How did you go about doing this if so. Thanks buddy.

I dumped all of it in. That amount of bourbon will not be noticeable in 5 gallons...

As for the starter questions above, nope, no starter. I've never done one...

 

[TheWeeb]

I dumped it all in and racked the ale on top of it. Most excellent!

I am entering this photo - a larger version of it - into an abstract photo contest here in Denver. These are of course the bourbon soaked oak cubes in the bottom of the glass carboy, just before racking. The flash reacted with the glass neck creating the yellow to red ring.

 

[mixmasterob]

So leaving this one on the bourbon/oak chips for 4-6 months is the way to go? After the long term bulk aging did you guys notice any signs of oxidation? Does the bourbon mellow with age? I took a sample after a week on the bourbon/oak and it was pretty aggressive. I am sure months with cure this...

 

[Mischief_Brewing]

So leaving this one on the bourbon/oak chips for 4-6 months is the way to go? After the long term bulk aging did you guys notice any signs of oxidation? Does the bourbon mellow with age? I took a sample after a week on the bourbon/oak and it was pretty aggressive. I am sure months with cure this...

I use glass carboys for secondary and never worry about oxidation in extended aging as long as I remember to keep the airlock full. When you transfer from primary, the beer has some CO2 in it that comes out with the agitation. That will push most of the oxygen out. 6 months on the oak and 6 months in the bottle resulted in a perfect level of oak flavor IMO.

 

[mixmasterob]

Just took a sample. Its been on the oak/bourbon for just 23 days. Already it has an amazing mix of vanilla and bourbon, nothing agressive, everything in subtle put perfect amounts. What can I expect to change given a few more months?

 

[MilwaukeeBrewGuy]

Weeb-
Did you find that it is too dry? You mentioned adding lactose? Did you ever end up adding any? I have a BBP that may finish close to that and am wondering if I need to add some sweetness back to it. Any updates to how yours has aged?

 

[TheWeeb]

Weeb-
Did you find that it is too dry? You mentioned adding lactose? Did you ever end up adding any? I have a BBP that may finish close to that and am wondering if I need to add some sweetness back to it. Any updates to how yours has aged?

No lactose; and the reaction has been mixed from my family and homebrew club. The usual comment is that there is too much oak up front. I think the bourbon is enough to 'trick' the taste buds into thinking sweet, I just have too much burned wood in this which I hope will age. I have put half of it in the basement for next year while keeping a couple of bottles to try around Christmas.

 

[mixmasterob]

Any updates on this one? I am about to bottle after four months on the bourbon/oak.

So I shouldn't have any carbonation issues given the long time in secondary? I plan to add 1oz of priming sugar per gallon.

 

[chazz97m]

How would you think this would taste if you used the Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey whisky?

 

[djre4orm]

Any updates on this brew after secondary and aging?

I've had a batch in primary for about a month. I brewed with extra 1# white sugar & .5# lactose. Looking to transfer to secondary but concerned about the oak chips sinking into the trub, or the length of time to oak. Kit says 6mo.

Oak has been sitting in a narrowed down, extremely delicious (peppery, caramel, buttery), barrel no. of Evan Williams Single Barrel 2000 with two Uganda vanilla beans for a little longer than primary.

Getting eager & wanna hear how others turned out!

 

[Brew_Stein]

use good bourbon like makers mark. i used a lot of jim beam in my whee heavy and it tastes fine so it's doable. def soak a vanilla bean in the bourbon with the oak cubes prior to adding and the liquor will extract the vanilla flavor better than boiling ever could. soak for a few days at least, the longer the better. don't worry about removing any hops. you can even leave them in for fermentation if you really wanted to! sounds like a promising recipe what kind of yeast are you using. 6 months aging will prob be fine for this recipe, 1 year might be over kill. 6 months in the bottle will be your best best; 6&6

Hi guys,

I wondered if you could prime a beer that has been fermenting on bourbon chips for over 6 months? or do you need to for carbonate?

If you need to force carbonate, can you fc in a barrel and then bottle are few?

many thanks

 

[TheWeeb]

Had mine on that long and no problem with priming, though carbonation took longer. I also did an Oktoberfest Marzen that had lagered for five months and again, no problem priming.

 

[Brew_Stein]

Great to know. Ageing is the way forward then. Many thanks Weeb

 

[KentuckyVol]

That kits comes out really nice. We soaked the oak in Woodford Reserve for several weeks while the beer was fermenting. I can't remember how long we kept it in secondary with the oak but knowing us it was at least a month.

The American Revolution was in another time. 26 5-6 year old children would be alive today if the guns used were illegal and the creep hadn't had them. I believe only hunting rifles and shotguns should be legal. All others should not be available.

 

[KentuckyVol]

I'm thinking about brewing this. They are recommending a 6-12 month aging in the Secondary. Does anyone have any experience with this and is 12 months necessary to get the best results? Also, Wouldn't it be better to get the Oak separately from the kit and begin the soaking with bourbon like 6-8 weeks before you brew it?

 

[moski]

The American Revolution was in another time. 26 5-6 year old children would be alive today if the guns used were illegal and the creep hadn't had them. I believe only hunting rifles and shotguns should be legal. All others should not be available.

I hope that was an accidental cross post meant for another forum, and not a drive by rant.

I would like to hear more about how Jim Beam works for someone. I was just thinking about Denny's comment that the Bourbon should be subtle and not foreward.

 

[ArcLight]

I brewed this beer last August. I brought it to the club and some of the experienced members liked it very much.
In retrospect, I should have aged it 12 months before tasting it, not 6.
Does it taste any different, I can't remember. But at least I'd have a lot more of it remaining.

I used 10 ounces of Makers Mark, not 16, because I wanted a hint of Bourbon, not a diluted Bourbon drink.