Filling a barrel

[tarmenel]

Beggars can't be choosers they as the saying goes. Over here in Israel finding barrels under 220l is either very difficult or very expensive, most of the times both. So I've come top the conclusion I'll need to fill a 220l barrel if I want to barrel age. I like a challenge so just want to find out if what I'm thinking about doing would be viable.

I'm going to get 7x35 liter plastic jerrycan's. This works out as my setup at the moment means I can brew one batch per jerrycan. I'll then pitch my sacc for primary fermentation and after 2 weeks pitch my sour mix. I can do this over a period of time to get me up to the 7 jerrycan's. Once I have enough beer I'll get the barrel and move the beer into the barrel and allow it to age.

Does this sound within reason or am I missing something here?

 

[Agate]

Why not just do primary fermentation in the barrel, and continue to top it up with fresh batches until it's full?

 

[bonsai4tim]

sounds like a plan. Doing it this way will keep most of the trub out of the barrel too.

 

[tarmenel]

Why not just do primary fermentation in the barrel, and continue to top it up with fresh batches until it's full?

Worried about oxygenation. Also from the sour hour I've heard them talking about putting beer into the barrels to age. I think it was from Rodenbach.

 

[broadbill]

Worried about oxygenation. Also from the sour hour I've heard them talking about putting beer into the barrels to age. I think it was from Rodenbach.

You can flush the headspace with CO2

 

[Grannyknot]

Worried about oxygenation. Also from the sour hour I've heard them talking about putting beer into the barrels to age. I think it was from Rodenbach.

Wouldn't the continued fermentation from additions of fresh wort consume & drive out any oxygen? I'd actually be more concerned with oxygenation if primary fermentation was finished and you were racking 7 different containers into 1.

 

[Agate]

Wouldn't the continued fermentation from additions of fresh wort consume & drive out any oxygen? I'd actually be more concerned with oxygenation if primary fermentation was finished and you were racking 7 different containers into 1.

Yep, that's where my head was going as well.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

I've filled a 60L sankey with the output of several smaller batches. The trick is to either flush the headspace with c02 after each fill and/or have at least one of the carboys still wrapping up primary in order to purge the remaining oxygen (maybe with a spunding valve unless you are good with measurements and math). i.e. purge or krausen

 

[tarmenel]

So I will need to setup for CO2 purging either way?
Will need to see how to get this setup.