Virgin oak barrel

[gaburko]

I got my hands on a virgin oak barrel (30l) medium toast, French oak. Has anyone use a virgin one to age beer? I understand that it will provide oak flavor really quickly so planning to leave the first couple of beers only for a short time. My ultimate plan is for this to become a souring vessel. However before that I plan to:
1. fill with hot water and rinse a couple of time to clean it
2. fill again with hot water for 24 hours to swell
3. fill all the way with a belgian dubel currently done fermenting and sitting in primary. I plan to taste every few days until ready
4. Once dubel is ready I plan to keg and immediately add another beer (have a chocolate RIS)
5. hope that after 3-4 beers I should be able to age long-term my brett/sour beers in it

anyone with any experience with virgin oak?
thanks!

 

[cactusgarrett]

No experience with new wood, but I've got some with young wood (bourbon, whiskey, rye barrels). You're plan seems solid and your plan to taste frequently up front is a good one. The oak characterisitic in those first couple batches out of this barrel might not be as quality and complex as you're hoping, though, as it takes a bit of time for the "raw" oak flavor, tannins, etc. to settle down in new barrels.

I will offer that 3-4 clean beers might be on the short side - you may want to consider extending this out. This all depends on how much oak character you want coming though to your sours, though, and it'll be up to your personal taste. I'm prefer and am used to minimal, so i lean towards running a number of beers through before turning clean barrels sour.

You'll know by batch 3 whether you should be extending it out more, though. It'll be completely up to your tastes.

 

[gaburko]

Thanks,it makes perfect sense what you say. I am not a huge fan of random beers with oak, I like oak very much in RIS and subtle oak in my bretts/sours, but not in my lager for example. So i guess I will have to brew quite a few RIS to mellow the barrel out. Well, if i HAVE to brew, then I will brew Thanks!