First Time Barrel Aging - Any Tips?

[Jablestein]

I've got a vanilla porter that I'm about to transfer from primary into a 5 gallon used whisky barrel for aging. I have a coworker who's done barrel aging before and he's given me some tips but I thought' I'd drop by here and see if anyone has some tips or suggestions that might help me avoid any headaches or potentially ruining a batch in the process.

Currently my plan is to re-hydrate the barrel this weekend, maybe a day before hand, to get the wood to expand once again and avoid any potential leakage that may occur. I had also planned on adding some Maker's Mark Bourbon to the barrel to help flavor it a bit more beforehand.

Then just transfer it from the carboy to the barrel with an auto-siphon and cap it with a blowoff and let it sit for the next 6 months or so.

Seems pretty easy but if there's something I'm missing here, I'd love to know ahead of time.

 

[NateLTB]

How new is the barrel and when was the last time any bourbon was stored in it? I got a new 8 gallon barrel last year and asked the seller (Woodinville Whiskey in Washington) for some tips. They said that since it was such a new barrel to only let my first beer age for about a week or the whiskey flavor would be overpowering. I went about ten days and the whiskey flavor was too strong. After I let it age a while the flavor mellowed and it's a delicious beer now. Six months may be too long for aging IMO.

I've aged a barleywine, two imperial stouts and a big scotch ale in my barrel and I've gone too long almost every time. After some bottle-aging the beers have turned out amazing. If you crack a bottle and the flavor is too strong let it age a while longer. You'll be happy with the results.

Cheers!

 

[Jablestein]

How new is the barrel and when was the last time any bourbon was stored in it? I got a new 8 gallon barrel last year and asked the seller (Woodinville Whiskey in Washington) for some tips. They said that since it was such a new barrel to only let my first beer age for about a week or the whiskey flavor would be overpowering. I went about ten days and the whiskey flavor was too strong. After I let it age a while the flavor mellowed and it's a delicious beer now. Six months may be too long for aging IMO.

I've aged a barleywine, two imperial stouts and a big scotch ale in my barrel and I've gone too long almost every time. After some bottle-aging the beers have turned out amazing. If you crack a bottle and the flavor is too strong let it age a while longer. You'll be happy with the results.

Cheers!

Man, that's a really good question. I'll have to find that out, I hadn't even thought about that. I found it on HomebrewFinds.com (This is the actual listing for the barrel)

So you've just been letting your's bottle condition and mellow out? Roughly how long as it been? Are you getting enough of the oak flavor from it just being in the barrel for a week?

 

[dcp27]

definitely don't put it in anywhere near 6 months, it'll be like wooden hooch. the small barrels have a much higher surface area of contact than the big barrels, it doesn't take that long to get the notes in the first few beers. like Nate mentioned, i woudlnt go over a week in the first batch unless you want to blend it.

 

[Jablestein]

That's great information guys! Thanks for the heads up.

 

[bethebrew]

That's great information guys! Thanks for the heads up.

I aged a big stout in a Woodinville Whiskey 8 gallon freshly dumped 100% rye whiskey for one month. The half I added real organic vanilla beans soaked in vanilla extract to at bottling was almost heaven.

You need a freshly dumped barrel I think. Otherwise, use hot 180 deg water and set it on end. Let sit to swell and sanitize. Dump. Add your Makers Mark good idea. Fill it up. Maybe only go 1 week aging then bottle. I would add more vanilla at bottling time.

Cheers!

 

[Jablestein]

I aged a big stout in a Woodinville Whiskey 8 gallon freshly dumped 100% rye whiskey for one month. The half I added real organic vanilla beans soaked in vanilla extract to at bottling was almost heaven.

You need a freshly dumped barrel I think. Otherwise, use hot 180 deg water and set it on end. Let sit to swell and sanitize. Dump. Add your Makers Mark good idea. Fill it up. Maybe only go 1 week aging then bottle. I would add more vanilla at bottling time.

Cheers!

Thank you very much for the tips! So far I've added two whole vanilla beans that I soaked in vanilla vodka (added the vokda as well). The beer is a little light on the vanilla flavor right now, so I thought about maybe adding an additional bean to it once it's transferred into the barrel, but not sure if that would cause any issues. Out of curiosity, how much extract did you use in yours? Last time I tried that I got way too much vanilla flavor and it sort of ruined the beer for me.

Also, when you say sanitize, you're talking strictly about the hot water correct? I assume it wouldn't be wise to use a sanitizer (Star San is what I usually go with) on the interior of the barrel.

 

[bethebrew]

Thank you very much for the tips! So far I've added two whole vanilla beans that I soaked in vanilla vodka (added the vokda as well). The beer is a little light on the vanilla flavor right now, so I thought about maybe adding an additional bean to it once it's transferred into the barrel, but not sure if that would cause any issues. Out of curiosity, how much extract did you use in yours? Last time I tried that I got way too much vanilla flavor and it sort of ruined the beer for me.

Also, when you say sanitize, you're talking strictly about the hot water correct? I assume it wouldn't be wise to use a sanitizer (Star San is what I usually go with) on the interior of the barrel.

Yes just the hot water at around 180 poured in to fill, bung it, and turn it on end and allow to sanitize/swell.

I would wait to add the vanilla at bottling. Just add extract save your bean. I think I used about a tsp of bean soaked extract in about 4 gallons (1/2 the 8 gallon barrel). It's been a while.

 

[2BeerSpeer]

I only go 7 days the first time using a barrel and go 10 the second batch....been working good for me.

 

[NateLTB]

Man, that's a really good question. I'll have to find that out, I hadn't even thought about that. I found it on HomebrewFinds.com (This is the actual listing for the barrel)

So you've just been letting your's bottle condition and mellow out? Roughly how long as it been? Are you getting enough of the oak flavor from it just being in the barrel for a week?

My last batch I barrel-aged was a RIS. Three weeks after bottling and the whiskey flavors were over-powering (my grandpa loved it though and said it was his favorite beer ever). It's been bottle-aging now for about four months and I think it's perfect. The whiskey notes along with the oakiness really adds a ton of depth to the roasty stout. It's become one of my favorite homebrews.

Good luck with your first batch! Cheers!

 

[LakesideBrewing]

Some good info here:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/whiskey-barrel-aging-388355/

 

[Jablestein]

Thanks a lot all, the tips helped a lot so far. I was able to successfully re-hydrate the barrel (no leaks hooray!) and it's been sitting in the basement for the past week. I'll be bottling this weekend as well, so hopefully initial tastes go well and if not, there's always letting it bottle condition and age. I'll be sure to keep you all posted. Thanks again!

 

[Jablestein]

Just bottled the beer tonight in prep for conditioning. You guys were absolutely spot on with your advice on only letting it sit for a week. The initial taste I did was extremely promising with just the right amount of oak flavor without being overpowering. Just wanted to say thanks again!