Putting together two beers to be brought out next Christmas and the Christmas after that or the following year - a vintage IPA next year and an RIS2-4 years from now. I'm venturing into brett land for secondary on both, using B. clausseni as recommended by @Northern_Brewer here and many other places as well as other members and places, including here. I am , definitely seeking the background funk and nothing approaching a sour beer.
Both beers will be following the extreme IBUs as shown by Ron Pattinson in his books and on his blog. I'm experimenting with trusting the long aging will dull this extreme bittering to make for good, literally classic, brews (accepting I have no idea what a 19th century ale even tasted like). Using Beersmith, the IPA projects at OG 1.070 and 187.5 IBUs for BU:GU 2.68. The RIS comes in at projected 1.100 OG and 220.5 IBU for 2.21 BU:GU.
I could use some guidance on the use of wood. I am guided by @DBhomebrew on the fermentation regime here. I presume. "no," but is there any kind of issue leaving the beer on wood for months, even years? Any particular cleanup regime different from s/s, normal fermentation equipment? Finally, bit of a dumb question but an important one, do we continue to vent during the brett secondary (e.g., airlock), or do we seal up the wood barrel at some point and allow a long, slow, essentially cask or "vat" conditioning, before bottling months or year down the road?
Both beers will be following the extreme IBUs as shown by Ron Pattinson in his books and on his blog. I'm experimenting with trusting the long aging will dull this extreme bittering to make for good, literally classic, brews (accepting I have no idea what a 19th century ale even tasted like). Using Beersmith, the IPA projects at OG 1.070 and 187.5 IBUs for BU:GU 2.68. The RIS comes in at projected 1.100 OG and 220.5 IBU for 2.21 BU:GU.
I could use some guidance on the use of wood. I am guided by @DBhomebrew on the fermentation regime here. I presume. "no," but is there any kind of issue leaving the beer on wood for months, even years? Any particular cleanup regime different from s/s, normal fermentation equipment? Finally, bit of a dumb question but an important one, do we continue to vent during the brett secondary (e.g., airlock), or do we seal up the wood barrel at some point and allow a long, slow, essentially cask or "vat" conditioning, before bottling months or year down the road?