Help with bourbon barrel with aged maple syrup

[Spin711]

Hi all,

I have three 5 gallon bourbon barrels that held maple syrup in them for a year, and were freshly emptied yesterday. There is still a bit of maple syrup in each of the barrels and still has the aroma of bourbon and maple syrup.

I'm looking for brew recipe ideas. My thought is to do a stout similar to Founders Canadian Breakfast Stout. One of the 5 gallons I'm thinking of adding vanilla beans at secondary, while the other two I could experiment with coffee types. Thinking of Chico yeast, WLP007, or Nottingham. Any other yeast recommendations are welcome.

Any other ideas for recipes that may work well with these barrels to add some additional flavors for the first round of use?

A few questions on the barrels:

1. Since I haven't brewed yet (most likely this weekend), should I keep rolling the barrels counting on the leftover maple syrup to keep the barrel hydrated so it doesn't dry out and leak? Or fill with water and either KMS or citric acid to store until filling at secondary? I know it's always a good idea to at least leak test a barrel once received but the person I bought them from said they did not leak at all with the maple syrup. Could I just soak the outside of the barrel?

2. Do I need to sanitize with hot water prior to filling them? They have only been empty for a day so far, so could I fill with CO2 temporarily until I fill? I'm worried that adding water to the barrel will get rid of a lot of the maple syrup that's currently in the barrel and impact the barrel's flavor to the finished beer. I know that a lot of the flavor is absorbed in the wood but it would be nice to keep the maple that's in there. I guess I could empty as much maple out of them now and add it back in at the time of filling as long as it's sanitary. It will be at a minimum a few weeks until I'm able to fill the barrel after primary.

3. What would be the recommended aging time in these barrels for a high abv (>10%) Canadian Breakfast Stout beer? Since they are smaller barrels would that speed up the flavor extraction time? I was originally thinking of using them as a secondary for 8 months or so.

4. Gordon Strong advises to be careful with wood aging since there is a lot of dark malt and that the wood can add astringency. Is this a concern with longer aging? Founders has a lot of success with their barrel aging.

I appreciate any help in advance since I'm going to be brewing this soon. Thanks!

 

[cactusgarrett]

I actually got a bourbon barrel that held maple syrup also. First batch i did in it was an oatmeal stout, then a smoked brown ale. Neither had maple character at all. I would not plan to get ANY maple characteristics from the barrel at all. Hell, whenever I've used actual maple syrup itself i don't get that flavor, either.

1. Keep rolling the barrel - you could even put a handle of cheap bourbon/whiskey in it to keep it hydrated and "charged" with that flavor, too. If it was JUST emptied and you're going to fill it within a week, you shouldn't have to hydrate.
2. It's not a bad idea, but be mindful that the hotter the water, the more barrel and previous contents flavor you could lose.
3. A bolder beer could stand to use 6-8 weeks of aging, but that's up to your taste. Bear in mind, that the oak flavor will subside a bit in the weeks/months after packaging. For the first use for beer out of these barrels, 8mo would be way too long.
4. I wouldn't sweat astringency.

 

[Spin711]

Thanks for the responses.

1. It makes sense to add some whiskey so that there’s enough fluid in there for hydration.

2. I think I will skip this step for now and count on co2 and whiskey since it’s a quick turnaround.

3. My thought was since the barrel had maple in it for a year and I think another maple infusion before that, that a lot of the bourbon flavor would be subdued. Unless beer extracts more bourbon than maple syrup does because of acidity or other.

4. Thanks I won’t consider it.

 

[cactusgarrett]

2. You should be able to skip CO2, also.
3. That didn't matter for mine. My 10gal barrel had maple syrup and it oaked up an oatmeal stout and subsequent smoked brown ale in heavily in under 8 weeks. Plan for shorter, and taste routinely - that's the only way to be safe.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Smaller barrels impart more flavor etc in less time. If you can refill your barrel within 2 weeks you should be good. Hot water is a good way to pasteurize and check for leaks before filling. If you happen to use tap water, also use campdon to neutralize chloromines. If your climate is dry wrapping the outside with plastic wrap may slow moisture loss, or one could invest in bees wax to coat the outside.

 

[Spin711]

Thanks for confirming. I will taste after 4-6 weeks and see if it needs more time.

Good idea on wrapping with plastic wrap or using bees wax. The humidity has been high so I think spraying the outside with water/star san and covering is a great option with rolling the barrel to keep the insides in contact with the maple syrup.

Should be filled in a week so that should keep the barrel relatively hydrated. I’m not too concerned with bugs and contamination at this point since it’s a quick turnaround and the beer will be at >10% abv.

Now I need to think about what to fill the barrels with next. Think I can do two dark beers with bourbon and then possibly a sour for it’s last go? Any recommendations on a sour? Is a sour even a reasonable brew to consider in a bourbon barrel?

Thanks!

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

That seems to be the general thoughts for barrels, 2 “clean” brews to age then naturally it goes sour... I don’t have much to offer about that, but I’m sure people who are fans will jump in.