New here

[muddypuddle]

Hope to learn some and contribute some.

Been brewing for about 10 yrs, extract to all-grain to partial and back. Love the experimentation aspect of brewing and enjoy Belgian styles and hopped out IPAs and imperial stouts.

My latest brewing project is trying to figure out what to brew to put in a 53-gallon bourbon barrel. Any suggestions? RIS? Barleywine? Some sort of Belgian? A combination of beers?

 

[homebrewer_99]

Greetings! Allow me to buy you a round...

 

[DragonTail]

Welcome

 

[yummybeer]

welcome to the forum! after brewing you for 10 years, i'm sure i'll be asking you some question.

 

[Zen_Brew]

Welcome. Glad you found HBT. It's a great community.

As to the barrel, depends a bit on what was in it previously. We have a member in Oregon who has a big wood barrel innoculated with some bugs. When he empties it he posts it is time to refill. They decide on a style and local members brew and contribute 5 or 10 gallons in that style. He puts them all in the barrel, the bugs sour it up some and then everyone who contributed returns and fills their cornies up. I'm pretty sure he is taking stout or porter contributions now for his latest fill. I think it is a pretty cool way to fill a big barrel without having to brew your arse off. Beats having to drink 50 or 60 gallons of one stlye as well.

Here is a link to his latest group brew
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f20/wa-group-brew-v3-0-a-144054/

 

[muddypuddle]

Thanks guys.

The barrel aged bourbon for 8 years. The beer dude at the local market knows i brew. So when the distillery that makes a private label for them asked him if they wanted an empty barrel, he secured it for me. Buffalo Trace is the name i believe.

Anyway, i like the idea of a group brew- especially since i only have the capacity to brew 20 gallons in a session. As i mentioned, I would really like to try an RIS, but am drawn to try and figure out how to make something similar to Hair of the Dog's Fred or Adam. Thoughts on either of those going into a bourbon barrel?

 

[bankerbrewer]

muddy, hi there. I have a similar backstory. started brewing in 1994-1995, started with a start-up kit and a Brewers Best american micro. went all-grain with good success, but I "go both ways" still.

anyway, I live in Frankfort, KY, home of Buffalo Trace. your profile says Cali but if u are in my area, please let me know. not too many other homebrewers in frankfort, to my knowledge anyway.

btw, when I was a kid, my dad took a bourbon barrel and cut off about the top third and fastened it as a cover/lid. he put in a fairly deep cast iron insert in it, found a grate, put on some casters and made the coolest bq grill I have ever seen. (i was 6 or 7, so I have no specifics) Probably just sentimental, but I recall that thing producing the best steaks!

lexington brewing co makes a bourbon barrel ale, which is served in a snifter if on tap. (pardon the wrong terminology - somebody correct me but they look like snifters.) it is pretty good, but the bourbon profile is not subtle. kind of like a weak Boilermaker IMO.