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You are here: Home --> Forum Home --> General Forum --> Chitchat --> Barrel aging

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peterschroder
Madison, WI
2 Posts


In May of this year I purchased a Rye Whisky Barrel, a 5 gallon version via Great Lakes in MI.
I have never been a huge fan of barrel aged beer, but to make my brewing experience wider, I decided to get one, for $ 100.00 (plus $ 25.00 shipping), I thought it was worth it.
The barrel arrived 3 days after I paid, which was awesome.

The first beer that I decided to put in there, was my Rye Barley wine (recipe in the recipe session). Again, since this was the first time using a barrel, I did not know what to expect. I first rinsed the barrel with water, to ensure it was clean, after that I added citric acid (1 tsp) and potassium metabisulfite (1.5 tsp) for each gallon going in to it.

Brewed the barley wine and had it completely fermented out. Added it to the barrel, and after 4 days I took a little taste. The whisky and wood flavor were already very much noticeable. I decided to take it out of the barrel after 1 week, as I did not want it to taste too much like whisky. This was all done in May, bottles have now been sitting for about 2.5 months.

I brought a bottle yesterday to a local brewery where 3 brewers tasted it, they thought it was perfectly balanced, with lots of rye, whisky and wood notes. Will be entering this beer into a competition soon (prob as a Specialty and in the Wood aged). 

After this first try, I already had an Imperial stout coming through it, which I let sit for 12 days. Slowly I will age it longer and longer.
Next one will be a Saison, then an IPA (which I will age for at least 1 month and then dry-hop) and I will finish it with a first try of a sour (which I do not care for, but again, need to get a wide port folio).

I had no idea what to expect from home brew barrel aging, but I enjoy it a lot and might have to change my view on barrel aged beers!

Cheers!




Posted 34 days ago.

homebrewdad
Charter Member
Birmingham, AL
2480 Posts


Cool stuff!  I haven't done any barrel aging, myself, though it does appeal to me.



Posted 34 days ago.

madcowbrewing
Portland, OR
23 Posts


I have had a barrel that size for 2 years now. I have ran quite a bit of dark beers through it, but the best one was the last one I did. A Belgian Dubbel named Kelly. Awesome beer. I have since started the process to sour the barrel for future projects.





Posted 34 days ago.

peterschroder
Madison, WI
2 Posts


I really want to do another Barley wine in there, which I prob will. After I am done (batch 5 or 6), I will give the barrel to a friend, he will sour for a while with it. 



Posted 34 days ago.

madcowbrewing
Portland, OR
23 Posts


Barley wine with a hint of wood aging...nice.





Posted 34 days ago.

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