Old school Brew Cat… just a siphon hose… Sneezles61
I’ve seen people put in a solid bung, put a ratchet strap around it to keep it in place, and then stand the barrel upright. Then cut the new hole through one of the staves in the head. It takes up a smaller footprint that way, although I haven’t done it myself. Maybe something to consider if you’re planning on drilling a new hole anyway?
I tasted some of the bourbon out of my barrel. It’s not Jim Beam anymore. Smells oaky and tastes hot but not in a bad way
Ok the BW has been in the fermenter for 3 weeks. .018 which is lower than predicted could be the molasses and raisins. I always get above average attenuation so I’m not surprised. Looks clear and tastes nice. I’ll cold crash it then rack to the barrel. I’m thinking 1 month. You experienced people think that’s to long. Of course I’ll sample it weekly
1 month is a bit on the high side, but should be ok for a big beer. I wouldn’t go any longer than that. If you rack to a keg for storage, the oak should fade somewhat over time. Just make sure you have another beer ready to go in right away - you don’t want it stored dry once it’s had beer in it.
Yea I picked up some fresh Belgian Ardennes yeast. Gonna do a trip
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I do try to keep similar yeasts in my barrel. I honestly don’t know what impact it may have to mix clean and phenolic yeasts in a barrel, if any. I’d think that they might colonize the inside of the barrel, and a highly attenuative yeast might end up dominant. Just something to consider.
Didn’t think of that. If I only leave it for 2 weeks it will throw my timeline off. I was thinking rinse out the trub then put the bourbon back in to keep it wet
The spirits would kill any yeast anyway I believe. I was hoping to leave beer in long term and just keep blending in fresh beer as I take some out. But first I figured to pull out as much oakiness as I can
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Well change of plans. I have a good Baltic Porter recipe I’ll do next only because I have the ingredients and I can pitch it to the fermenter when the BW is racked. I’ll get that trip up next. Want to do something like allagash crueix
I like that idea! I bet lager yeast would do well in my barrel, nice and cold in my cellar this time of year. I might have to think about doing something like that. Guess that would make my ipa barrel a bottom fermented India pale beer. BFIPB. Nah, not catchy enough.
When you say it out loud you sound like you may have imbibed in a bunch of 'em.
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Racked the BW to the barrel and put a Imperial Porter on the cake yesterday. The airlock has been burping away in the barrel. I thought it was done. Needless to say the IP took right off. Pitching on a fresh cake is the best.
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Did you go with the 1968? That’s a high floculator and it’s not uncommon for that beer to continue to ferment when racked and the yeast is resuspended. I had a buddy use it on an RIS. He kegged it and started the force carb. A week later it seemed over carbed so he pulled it from his kegerator and pulled the PRV. It blew RIS all over his ceiling, walls, and carpet. His wife handled it remarkably well despite that deep rich color!
I did pitch the 1968. The gravity was.018 it was predicted .020 but I usually get above average attenuation. It’s a big beer so I’m not surprised it started up again. Hope it doesn’t go to low
Tasted it after a week and I think it has alot of bourbon flavor. The imperial Porter has only been fermenting a week so its not ready to rack it in. I’ll let it go another week.
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Racked the BW to a keg ended at .014 taste is very good oaky bourbon malty about 11.5 abv. She’s a beast. Probably keep it in the keg and bottle some and blend some. I gave the barrel a quick rinse and racked the imperial Porter into it that’s also at .014 started burping a bit.
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Holy Moly! That would be an excellent one for the cellar! !0 years from now you’ll open a bottle and be very thankful! Sneezles61
I’ll keep it in the keg under carbonation but not carbonated then add it to different beers in different ratios just get some layers. It’s quite good on it’s own and I was drinking it flat but it is wine strength so I’ll have to be careful.
I would think at the end of the day, sitting by the wood stove sipping a snit glass… Great ending of the day… Sneezles61
