Procured a whisky Barrel, now what

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by imtroy703, Jul 12, 2013.

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  1. hopfenunmaltz

    hopfenunmaltz Pooh-Bah (2,647) Jun 8, 2005 Michigan
    Pooh-Bah

    Gordon Strong has his story of using a sulfur stick in a fresh bourbon barrel. Don't do that, as a trip to the hospital or worse can be the outcome.
     
    #21 hopfenunmaltz, Jul 16, 2013
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  2. chodog

    chodog Initiate (0) Dec 31, 2010 California

    for a 55 gallon barrel though, how much low cost bourbon would you recommend to use? would a litre or two be enough to swirl around in there?
     
    #22 chodog, Jul 16, 2013
  3. PMR

    PMR Zealot (507) Mar 31, 2005 California

    Depending on how dry the barrel has become, 1-3 liters of bourbon should do the trick. If there are leaks between the staves (not the head), the barrel probably isn't worth saving as there's going to be a high probability of it having microbiological issues.
     
    #23 PMR, Jul 17, 2013
  4. imtroy703

    imtroy703 Zealot (717) Nov 13, 2009 Virginia
    BA4LYFE Society Trader

    Yes, thank you! If you would like, I will send you a bomber of my finished product :wink:
     
    #24 imtroy703, Jul 18, 2013
  5. imtroy703

    imtroy703 Zealot (717) Nov 13, 2009 Virginia
    BA4LYFE Society Trader

    I don't quite understand the "sanitization of the barrel discussion". Are you telling me to get a cheap bourbon, dump 3 bottles in it, and do what?
     
    #25 imtroy703, Jul 18, 2013
  6. imtroy703

    imtroy703 Zealot (717) Nov 13, 2009 Virginia
    BA4LYFE Society Trader

    BTW, it is being delivered tomorrow! I cannot do much with it just yet. So I am putting it in a dark, consistent temp basement (72 degr F). Is that OK? Should I cover it, make sure it is off floor? What? It will be about 6 weeks till we have this as a secondary (right)?

    I have a buddy with a walk in fridge that I COULD put it in. Chit is happening too fast.
     
    #26 imtroy703, Jul 18, 2013
  7. imtroy703

    imtroy703 Zealot (717) Nov 13, 2009 Virginia
    BA4LYFE Society Trader

    BOOM!

    The cider idea is a good idea. But do I have enough time to brew, primary, secondary in barrel, and have a mid october showing?

    Then, do a Bourbon Stout in time for Late March tapping?

    Decisions!!! So fookin excited!


    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    #27 imtroy703, Jul 19, 2013
  8. tngolfer

    tngolfer Initiate (0) Feb 16, 2012 Tennessee

    I've been offered a barrel but I'm not in a club and only have a couple of other friends who homebrew. In lieu of racking 50-55 gallons in a barrel, has anyone ever tried using something to displace the volume and only filling with +/-20 gallons? Any ideas on what could go in there? Does anyone purge with CO2 to reduce oxidation issues?

    Whiskey in barrels goes through seasons so the wood absorbs and returns the whiskey. When we are aging beer in a whiskey barrel, are we allowing the temperature to fluctuate or is the goal to hold it steady?

    Also, I'm assuming beer would lose "the angel's share" as well. Does anybody top off with boiled-then-chilled, distilled water or do you just go with the new, reduced volume? If you are aging for a year or less this probably isn't an issue but a multiple year age may be.
     
    #28 tngolfer, Aug 4, 2013
  9. hopfenunmaltz

    hopfenunmaltz Pooh-Bah (2,647) Jun 8, 2005 Michigan
    Pooh-Bah

    You need to keep it topped off. My club adds fresh beer. You will lose more than you think.
     
    #29 hopfenunmaltz, Aug 4, 2013
  10. imtroy703

    imtroy703 Zealot (717) Nov 13, 2009 Virginia
    BA4LYFE Society Trader

    We are starting to brew!
    Exciting fo sho!
    But we are going to do primary in a carboy/tub, and transfer to secondary to get rid of a lot of spent yeast. Then transfer into the barrel. So the barrel has very little, if any, yeast.
     
    #30 imtroy703, Aug 13, 2013
  11. ryane

    ryane Initiate (0) Nov 21, 2007 Washington


    Thousands of sanitized marbles will reduce the volume for you, but hopfen is right, your gonna loose a ton of volume due to evap during aging
     
    #31 ryane, Aug 13, 2013
  12. tngolfer

    tngolfer Initiate (0) Feb 16, 2012 Tennessee

    Or a sanitized bowling ball or two.

    Seriously, would some full gallon water jugs work?
     
    #32 tngolfer, Aug 14, 2013
  13. ryane

    ryane Initiate (0) Nov 21, 2007 Washington


    how would you get either through the bung hole?
     
    #33 ryane, Aug 14, 2013
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  14. chodog

    chodog Initiate (0) Dec 31, 2010 California

    barrelse.cx
     
    #34 chodog, Aug 14, 2013
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  15. tngolfer

    tngolfer Initiate (0) Feb 16, 2012 Tennessee

    Good point.
     
    #35 tngolfer, Aug 15, 2013
  16. imtroy703

    imtroy703 Zealot (717) Nov 13, 2009 Virginia
    BA4LYFE Society Trader

    this hasn't been answered. Should I leave some space in the barrel or fill it up as high as possible?Can I leave ANY room for air?
     
    #36 imtroy703, Aug 26, 2013
  17. hopfenunmaltz

    hopfenunmaltz Pooh-Bah (2,647) Jun 8, 2005 Michigan
    Pooh-Bah

    Air is not good. Top it up. Keep it topped up with beer.
     
    #37 hopfenunmaltz, Aug 26, 2013
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  18. kjyost

    kjyost Initiate (0) May 4, 2008 Canada (MB)

    Fill it right up. Oxygen is beer's enemy
     
    #38 kjyost, Aug 26, 2013
  19. hopfenunmaltz

    hopfenunmaltz Pooh-Bah (2,647) Jun 8, 2005 Michigan
    Pooh-Bah

    Too much headspace in invites acetabacter=vinegar. You get micro oxygenation through the wood, which is a controlled aging.
     
    #39 hopfenunmaltz, Aug 26, 2013
  20. imtroy703

    imtroy703 Zealot (717) Nov 13, 2009 Virginia
    BA4LYFE Society Trader

    Awesome, thx for teh replies gize. I am assuming it'd be ok to top off with boiled and cooled water right?
     
    #40 imtroy703, Aug 26, 2013
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