serving from a barrel!?

[hungry4hops]

So i brewed two batches of oktoberfest for a friends wedding that was originally going to be bottled but now he is thinking that he wants to serve it from a 20L / 5.28 gallon barrel that he has so my question is can this be done and how to thanks in advance guys

 

[hungry4hops]

This is the one he has!
http://www.barrelsonline.com/(X(1)A...idb243weao55bxk4ym55))/ShowProduct.aspx?ID=30

 

[beaksnbeer]

Yep cask-conditioned you'll need to prime . Make sure that it holds had friend fill his ony to find as pressure built 20psi or so it would leak out of small split/crack not visible till it built up pressure gummed itself to seal after he lost about a gallon or so.

 

[hungry4hops]

Cool ok I have a couple of questions
1. What type of beers are typically served from a cask
2. Is priming a cask different than priming bottles (5oz corn sugar/dme)
3. What is the time period between putting it in the cask and serving it
4. Does it impart any flavors

Again thanks for your time, my apologies for being a cask noob but I am eager to learn!

 

[DPBISME]

1. What type of beers are typically served from a cask
DPBISME: I only know of some German "fest" beers.

2. Is priming a cask different than priming bottles (5oz corn sugar/dme)
DPBISME: Yes: I would cut back on the priming sugar... I do 5 oz when doing a "Real Ale" but I know that this is way to much and get the first gallon or so out with ptichers ready.... After it has settled down I put it on a Beer Engine or gas... I suggest 3 to 3.5 oz

3. What is the time period between putting it in the cask and serving it
DPBISME: I have found that my kegs are ready faster than bottles... say 10 days... but 2 weeks is safe.

4. Does it impart any flavors
DPBISME: From the description of the keg YES! "Kegs are charred on the inside to medium+" the longer it is in the barrel the more taste it will pick up.

 

[hungry4hops]

2. Is priming a cask different than priming bottles (5oz corn sugar/dme)
DPBISME: Yes: I would cut back on the priming sugar... I do 5 oz when doing a "Real Ale" but I know that this is way to much and get the first gallon or so out with ptichers ready.... After it has settled down I put it on a Beer Engine or gas... I suggest 3 to 3.5 oz

Without using a beer engine or gas what can I expect, if not using those methods is even possible!

 

[phoenixs4r]

This is the one he has!
http://www.barrelsonline.com/(X(1)A...idb243weao55bxk4ym55))/ShowProduct.aspx?ID=30

Yep cask-conditioned you'll need to prime . Make sure that it holds had friend fill his ony to find as pressure built 20psi or so it would leak out of small split/crack not visible till it built up pressure gummed itself to seal after he lost about a gallon or so.

Does anyone else have experience with this company? I've been eyeing the 1 liter barrel for a while now thinking about doing some traditional cask ale beer in small quanities so it doesn't all spoil. I've emailed them asking how much pressure they hold and they never responded.

beaksnbeer - did your friend order from that company or another?

 

[beaksnbeer]

He picked up some metric something or other while up in Canada that had aged a Whiskey for 5 years worked out to be just over 3 1/2 gallons if I remember right got 4for 100.00 from a bar that served right out of the barrel even through in the spouts solid brass had brass bands on them as well, things of beauty they were.

 

[JuanMoore]

Cool ok I have a couple of questions
1. What type of beers are typically served from a cask
2. Is priming a cask different than priming bottles (5oz corn sugar/dme)
3. What is the time period between putting it in the cask and serving it
4. Does it impart any flavors

Again thanks for your time, my apologies for being a cask noob but I am eager to learn!

1. Primarily English ales. Cask ale and real ale are very popular in the UK, and are the standard serving method for many English styles like milds, bitters, ESB's, etc.

2. Yes, cask ales typically have very low carbonation levels, often only what would stay in solution at atmospheric pressure and cellar temp. You'll want to use much less priming sugar. I'd suggest going for ~1.5 vol of carbonation, and you can use a calculator like this one to determine how much sugar that requires.

3. About 3 weeks. It should be stored at cellar temps the entire time (50°-55°F), and it should be allowed to settle in the horizontal serving position for at least 48 hrs prior to serving. You might be able to get away with less settling time if you use finings, which are common in cask ales. Once tapped, it will only be good for 2-3 days.

4. Casks, no. Barrels like the one you linked, yes.

 

[DPBISME]

Without using a beer engine or gas what can I expect, if not using those methods is even possible!

Yes, it is possible to serve from a faucet/tap.

BUT:

In the olden days what they would do was knock out the bung on the barrels and cover it with a cloth so the air could get in and allow the beer to flow.

This would work great if the whole barrel was consumed but if not the beer would oxidize a bit.. THINK an Air pump on a keg of BUD... the next day the ber is pretty flat and funky.

So if you drink it all up no problem.

If not you need to purge the "air" from it and replace it with CO2.

I at the Great Dane Brewery it looked like to me that they set up CO2 lines going to there "casks"... I guess probably just a little pressure to fill the headspace.

Having never used one;;; I don't know how those kegs are setup to equalize the pressure but there must be some method; since you will get to a point where the preassure is equal and the beer will stop following.

If this method lets “air” in you need to replace it with CO2, or purge when done drinking.

You could when finished drinking turn the thing on end and push CO2 in through the faucet to take up the headspace and then server again...

DPB