The Project: Preparations

[Will_D]

The casks have been collected and are in the process of distribution.

Here are some notes on the casks, how to store, how to use them:

1.   The casks are wet, fresh and have been inspected prior to loading for the journey south.

2.   The strength of the whiskey is around the 50% to 60% abv. mark. See photo! One test I did was 60% t'other was 50%. The casks should be considered sanitary (well NCBers do) and it would be a shame to add anything like water or a sanitiser

3.   Until ready for filling they need to be kept upright, ideally seal over the bung hole plastic plug with gaffer tape, and periodically roll them around a bit (avoid the bung hole) to keep the inner surfaces wet.

4.   Along with the cask you will be given a new bung. This is for when the cask is full of beer. Lightly fit the bung, do not hammer it in as you will destroy the bung when trying to remove it.

5.   Also you will be given a template for the stillage (on back of MRFC calendar) This allows you to cut two pieces of timber from about say 6" x 2" stock to evenly support the cask at each end. Do please make these as resting the cask on the floor or a pallet and using "chocks" to stop it rolling will put all the 200 plus kilos load on one stave. NOT recommended.

6.   Raise the cask up of the ground wherever possible using a pallet or two and even some blocks. This allows for easier siphoning at the end of maturation.

7.   When ready for filling drain out the whiskey! This is a tricky 3 or 4 man operation and you want to save as much as you can! The reason? It is easier to add whiskey/alcohol at the end of the brew than to remove it. Entrust this bottle of liquid gold to a teetotal maiden aunt or someone you really trust!. If you don't need to add it at the end when the cask is drained THEN you can drink it! It will be  acold winters day after all!

8.   At what stage of fermentation to fill the cask? I would suggest about half way through secondary as a bit of gentle CO2 production during the conditioning phase is probably a good idea but on this I am not sure

9.   You are now ready to fill. Check each batch is ok then siphon into cask. Keep some of the mix for bottle conditioning and evaluation at the next 5 or 6 monthly meets.

10.   Keep an eye on the temperature during the summer (Oh Yeh!) and if needed cool the cask with wet towels or whatever else you have. The NCBers are just going to rent a BOC supplied glycol cask cooling jacket system for our cask, coupled up to a very expensive digital data logger and controller. This has full wi-fi, blue-tooth and web-cam inter-operability.

11.   Top ups may be needed! If so a quick spray of Starsan, remove bung, top and refit bung. See #4 above.

12.   Above all relax and enjoy the process. Remember this is how our great grandfathers matured beers before the advent of stainless steel and hygiene

May the best team win!

[Shane Phelan]

10.   Keep an eye on the temperature during the summer (Oh Yeh!) and if needed cool the cask with wet towels or whatever else you have. The NCBers are just going to rent a BOC supplied glycol cask cooling jacket system for our cask, coupled up to a very expensive digital data logger and controller. This has full wi-fi, blue-tooth and web-cam inter-operability.

May the best team win!

Seriously?

[Rats]

10.   Keep an eye on the temperature during the summer (Oh Yeh!) and if needed cool the cask with wet towels or whatever else you have. The NCBers are just going to rent a BOC supplied glycol cask cooling jacket system for our cask, coupled up to a very expensive digital data logger and controller. This has full wi-fi, blue-tooth and web-cam inter-operability.

May the best team win!

Seriously?

Yes they are ready to be set up

[Shane Phelan]

Impressive. 

[Ciderhead]

10.   Keep an eye on the temperature during the summer (Oh Yeh!) and if needed cool the cask with wet towels or whatever else you have. The NCBers are just going to rent a BOC supplied glycol cask cooling jacket system for our cask, coupled up to a very expensive digital data logger and controller. This has full wi-fi, blue-tooth and web-cam inter-operability.

May the best team win!

Seriously?

Yes they are ready to be set up

Thats a very fancy description for Will sitting there with his ostrich feather fan, a Nokia in one hand and typing numbers into a ZX81 and a video 8 camera recording the process.

[Will_D]

Bugger me my "distraction tactic" has been rumbled by a superior intelligence!

I heard on the grape-vine that the Wikkla lads are going to employ hives of bees for the A/C

Bee hives can regulate their temperature very effectively IIRC

So really leaving the comfort of my box:

Now if only we could morf a beehive with a mead fermentor. As the gravity drops or the temperature rises or falls the little workers sort things out: More honey please, Fan like F**k, or swarm round the fermentor!

Now, where is my copy of genetic engineering for beginers??

[Ciderhead]

time when none of us ever wants to smell or taste another imperial stout remember all the "12's"
12 Barrels
1200Kgs of Grain
120 starters
12 months conditioning
just shy of 12%
2 x 1,200L of Imperial something or other

Any other 12's I missed?

[Ciderhead]

 

12 brewers contributing to the Wicklow Barrel

[CARA]

12 (ish) litres of whiskey sloshing in the bottoms

[Ciderhead]

12 hour day to go up load and deliver

[Padraic]

12th post on this topic