The WHALES Flanders red barrel is born.
We want the funk, 60 gallons of funk.
- Thread starter Bobby_M
- Start date
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Sweet.
Who's is it and how long in the wood?
Who's is it and how long in the wood?
OP
OP
It's the Jamil Z recipe based on the concept of a near full fermentation on WLP001, then a healthy dosing of Brett in the barrel for about 10 months. I think we're going to take our shares out next December. Incidentally, the winery we bought the barrel from also gave us a bottle of the Cabernet that just came out of the barrel. We're going to sample both on the same day.
Hope it's someone you trust that's acting as custodian of this beaut! Hate for December to roll around, and the "angel's share" turns out to have been twenty gallons.... 
Looks sweet, definately an interesting project.
Looks sweet, definately an interesting project.
OP
OP
That's my basement so if anyone is going to be sneaking some out, it will be me. Actually, we have to brew up another 5 gallons because we anticipate plenty of evaporation in the year's time.
Ought of curiousity, how much did that barrel run you? Our homebrew club (still somewhat fledging) is being run by a couple of guys who have the capacity to make a HUGE batch, so I might suggest a project like this to them. Maybe not doing a Flanders, but it could be cool to brew up something like an old ale and oak it for a long time.
OP
OP
We've bought Applejack barrels for $25 and this Cab barrel was $50.
Brewtopia
"Greenwood Aged Beer"
That's great Bobby! Defiinitely keep us posted on the beer's progress.
Jekster
Well-Known Member
Bobby_M said:
That's an amazingly nice price for that barrel. You guys got one heck of a deal!
Brewtopia
"Greenwood Aged Beer"
That is a great deal. I thought I got a great deal when I paid $85 for a used 60 gallon wine barrel. The barrel is currently in Oregon full of Belgian Quad!
OP
OP
The original price was going to be $80 but we brought a couple sixers of homebrew over and the guy felt like it was a good trade. It was the first time someone wasn't buying a barrel for making a planter or for rainwater collection. Not only did he drop the price to $50, but threw in 3 bottles of $20 port and the bottle of cabernet that came out of the barrel. We basically got the barrel for free.
OP
OP
Just a quick update on this; I stole off about a quart to bring to the brewclub meeting for progress sampling. It's been 3 months and there's a substantial pellicle. The grav went from 1.010 to 1.005 and it's got a pleasant sourness but it's obviously not quite there yet. We plan to take our shares out by late November so it should be awesome by then. The great thing about Jamil's method is that you can ferment out new batches and feed the barrel to make up for evaporation without introducing too much new sugar that might turn a planned Rodenbach red style funk into a full on Grand Cru.
Farmer
Well-Known Member
That's a pretty cool idea.
I just contacted my local brew club, you guys make it look fun. : )
BTW, the guy in the top right... Does he always look like he's holding a beer?
I just contacted my local brew club, you guys make it look fun. : )
BTW, the guy in the top right... Does he always look like he's holding a beer?
Soulive
Well-Known Member
He's holding one of the small sampler cups that Bobby usually has on hand...
Farmer
Well-Known Member
Whew, I thought maybe his hand had frozen that way out of sheer habit.
OP
OP
Yeah, he's got Carapils Tunnel syndrome... budump Chhht.
OP
OP
Clearly even more free time than me. No wait, that's impossible.
Who's looking at the guy in the upper right? My eye can't leave the girl in the lower left!
Alamo_Beer
Well-Known Member
OP
OP
The fruits of funky labor has been rewarded. 60 Gallons of Flanders out, 60 gallons of Kriek back in.
The flanders hit 1.000 and it's wonderful even warm and flat. It's a little less sour, but also drier than Rodenbach's.
The flanders hit 1.000 and it's wonderful even warm and flat. It's a little less sour, but also drier than Rodenbach's.
eriktlupus
Well-Known Member
that's sweet bobby!
OP
OP
OMG. I cannot stop drinking the Flanders Sour. It's so complex and delicious.
Reverend JC
2500 gallons year to date
very nice. Im jealous.
A few chaps from my HBC are talking about trying to find a nice used barrel for some funk-tastic beer. This makes me want to work harder at finding one.
A few chaps from my HBC are talking about trying to find a nice used barrel for some funk-tastic beer. This makes me want to work harder at finding one.
OP
OP
I sent this over to the Buzz Off comp in PA last month and it scored 28/29 and mostly got hit for tannic, over oaked flavors. I guess the barrel was too fresh for an 11 month aging.
OP
OP
You can get small barrels but they are hardly ever sold used at a discount because the commercial side has no use for them. There's also a LOT of oak exposure on small barrels too so you really can't age too long in them. Applejack's are 54 gallon I think. Getting in on projects is the biggest sell for joining a homebrew club.
Tonedef131
Well-Known Member
So how much angel share did you lose over the months that it spent in the barrel? I recently made 15 gal of flanders red and put it in a barrel for 12-28 months of aging. I am wondering if I will lose enough to require topping off or if I should just forget about it.
OP
OP
It's not really bad at all. My personal share was 5.5 gallons going in and I got a full 5 gallons out and that included evaporation and trub losses. Call it 10%
OP
OP
We just finished up a impy porter but I think they used an applejack barrel just to keep the costs low. It spent two months in the barrel and now the batches will future age in bottles and kegs. I think the club has an average of 4 barrels going at once between sours, porter/stouts, meads and ciders.
