This has been bugging me for a while. Does BAing add to the abv to the brew? Barrel aging in any type of barrel bourbon/Whiskey/port/ etc... So does the time the brew soaks in the barrel add any abv besides the barrel flavors. Thanks for your help!
If the barrel is "wet," as many are when re-used, then yes, Barrel Aging will had some alcohol to the beer. (A "wet" barrel is one where there are still spririts left in the wood when the barrel is re-filled.) Many BA beers are aged in "wet" barrels so that some of the character of the spirits is transferred to the beer as well as the character added by the oak itself.
I've seen articles that it can add 1% additional ABV to the beer. To me it would seem that there may still be a gallon of Bourbon in that barrel to get that much extra alcohol.
Yes at least a gallon has been absorbed into the wood while the spirits are aging. So you can pour a gallon of water into the "wet" barrel, close it up, roll it around periodically and wind up with some reasonably strong drink..
Yes, barrel aging can add to the ABV. I recall SN Bill posting about the BA Bigfoot portion of the XXX Grand Cru coming out very high (14% maybe?). I think soaking of the spirits as well as evaporation (i.e. the "Angel's Share") will have an impact on the final ABV.
