excess space / filler ??

[davarei]

Been trudging around and enjoying recipes and tips and...
So I'm deploying in the near future and my sister (brewing adict) want to get together and do a special brew.
She knows my weakness for strong stouts... And decided to try her hand at a barelywine / imperial stout custom batch. Euro barelywine... So not too hoppy

We roughed out a recipe and her surprise was that she scored a whisky barrel from one of my favorite distilleries.
And its 55 gal!

My normal batch size is 2.5 / 5 gal ~ she's knocked out a couple in the 7-8 gal range = but lower ABV.
We could knock out back to back to back and be 1/2 there. And given the target OG over 1.140, we're really pushing the bounds.

My question is; is there something we can fill the barrel with to reduce its volume?
The opening is 3" diameter
If ping-pong balls were food grade, I'd fill it 60%-70% full with them and then knock out 20-30 gal to age.

She's picking up the barrel next week and planning on making it a 4 day brew fest.
I told her we need to stick the brew in a primary (or 10) for a good month before it goes in the barrel.
So my 2nd question (as I've never brewed that size batch / or used a 55 gal barrel), how long should it be in the primary before it goes in the barrel?

With a smile, she said we'll just fill it with whiskey till we're ready...

 

[davarei]

Question answered by a biologist brew guru that I work with at my normal job...
He said, as long as I fill the 55 gal barrel 1/3 full with barley wine (or other), the 2/3's of barrel of air won't make a diff.
So, 20 Gal of barley wine it is!

 

[chocotaco]

Invite a few friends to brew the same barleywine and age them all together. Once it's done, divvy it back up.

 

[gstrawn]

Question answered by a biologist brew guru that I work with at my normal job...
He said, as long as I fill the 55 gal barrel 1/3 full with barley wine (or other), the 2/3's of barrel of air won't make a diff.
So, 20 Gal of barley wine it is!

Consider oxidation. I don't really have any experience with barrels, but 30 gallons of air may be risky. Consider flushing with CO2, maybe putting some champagne yeast and sugar like the bottling process. Just something to consider. Also thank you for your service. I hope this beer is delicious when you get home.

What's your recipe??

Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[WI_Wino]

I would not leave any airspace if possible. Oxidation is definitely a concern, especially with long term barrel aging. You'll need more beer than the 55 gallons for topping off as well.

Can you brew multiple batches and multiple days in a row? Consider adding DME to a batch to up the gravity if your system doesn't allow you to easily hit the target OG.

Also flushing with CO2/argon/some inert gas is a short term band aid. Even in an air tight container you would still have oxygen (ideal gas law). Your best bet is to fill it with beer.

 

[davarei]

Consider oxidation. I don't really have any experience with barrels, but 30 gallons of air may be risky. Consider flushing with CO2, maybe putting some champagne yeast and sugar like the bottling process. Just something to consider. Also thank you for your service. I hope this beer is delicious when you get home.

What's your recipe??

Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

Its a brew brothers sasquatch barleywine with some extra grain to hit the #'s.
My "fingers crossed" recipe is on another thread.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/citrus-braggot-attempt-468471/

 

[Cyclman]

Where are you at? For someone serving my nation, I'd be willing to kick in a number of gallons to fill a barrel. Contact a local brew club, maybe you'd have to share some final product, but this is what us homebrewers can get together behind!

 

[davarei]

I'm in Portland OR...

My sister has a friend that runs a couple full scale pubs in WA, and I suggested she see if he'd hook us up (if we provided everything including labor)...

She wants to be the control queen bee...

 

[gstrawn]

Wrong link perhaps? Doesn't matter. But I do think a DME approach and then topping off the barrel may be helpful. Maybe having extra speciality grains in the mash, and using DME to replace 2 row and the like. You may only need to store it in the barrel for a few weeks, instead of months in order to prevent oxidation. But I digress, I would love to see a thread on this brew and I hope it goes well.





Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[davarei]

That link is the recipe I'm making separate from the 55 gal batch.
...probably has a similarity or two as its a test batch