Cedar Rapids Brewing Society

Any recommended rules of thumb as to how long to barrel age a beer?

It may be a function of Beer Style....Lager vs Stout. I am looking at getting a Bourbon Barrel for Porters/Stouts/Reds....just looking for some guidance so I can plan ahead.

Do it to taste is best recommendation. I like to taste a small sample every month at least. People often leave beer in barrels longer than they need to be (I am guilty) and can get over oxidized. Size of barrel matters. Smaller the barrel, lesser the contact time. A 5 gallon barrel does not need as much time as a 60 gallon barrel. No for sours, the game changes, but just keep tasting.

Easiest way to taste is get a stainless steel nail, drill a hole through the end of the barrel for a tight fit. You can remove the nail to drain a sample without using a thief through the bung hole. Goolge Russian River barrel stainless steel nail for more details.

In my experience you can get good spirit character out of a barrel in 5 months or less (e.g. the RIS I brought to the homebrew fest was only in the maple syrup bourbon barrel for 5 months). If you dig through the NHC presentation archives, a few breweries gave some good presentations on this topic back when it was in GR (e.g. Founders & New Holland).

https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/ ... -seminars/

There are a few very good episodes of the beersmith podcast about barrel aging.

Looks like you have to buy a whole box.

Were you able to buy them in smaller quantities?

Matt F wrote:Do it to taste is best recommendation. I like to taste a small sample every month at least. People often leave beer in barrels longer than they need to be (I am guilty) and can get over oxidized. Size of barrel matters. Smaller the barrel, lesser the contact time. A 5 gallon barrel does not need as much time as a 60 gallon barrel. No for sours, the game changes, but just keep tasting.

Easiest way to taste is get a stainless steel nail, drill a hole through the end of the barrel for a tight fit. You can remove the nail to drain a sample without using a thief through the bung hole. Goolge Russian River barrel stainless steel nail for more details.

I have not used a nail yet myself. If I need hardware in small quantities I usually have the best luck at Ace or True Value.

I do have a box of stainless steel nails I got for this purpose. I think I can part with a some

4D or 6D - smooth?

4D smooth 1.5"

Will be drawing some of my Barrel-Aged Porter from the barrel soon. And I've been thinking about what to do with the barrel next.

I have heard, that these barrels are good for about two uses, to extract barrel-aged flavoring for beer...and then you're done. At that point, most would use the barrels for sours or lambics...and I might do that.

But, I am wondering if the barrel couldn't be refreshed by buying some cheap bourbon or scotch or rye and aging it for 6-months to a year or more....and then use it again for flavoring beer.

I don't think it would hurt anything....some scotch is only aged for 36 months.

Thoughts?

daryl wrote:Will be drawing some of my Barrel-Aged Porter from the barrel soon. And I've been thinking about what to do with the barrel next.

I have heard, that these barrels are good for about two uses, to extract barrel-aged flavoring for beer...and then you're done. At that point, most would use the barrels for sours or lambics...and I might do that.

But, I am wondering if the barrel couldn't be refreshed by buying some cheap bourbon or scotch or rye and aging it for 6-months to a year or more....and then use it again for flavoring beer.

I don't think it would hurt anything....some scotch is only aged for 36 months.

Thoughts?

The best way to store a barrel long term is to keep it filled with something. You will get significant evaporation in a small barrel over 6 to 12 months. You will need to top it off regularly.

If you were using a wine barrel to impart oak into a product it would be shot after 6 months. But you are going the other way trying to soak flavor back into the barrel. I can't think of any reason it won't work.

There was a basic brewing radio podcast episode recently (03-02-17) where one of the guys discuss how he "replenished" his barrel over the years using vodka and rye whiskey. Might be a helpful listen?

- Josh Peanasky