The Barrel Project - The Schedule

[Shanna]

Hi Shiny

Plan is to do a tasting and fill session in my place over the bank holiday exact date and time to be confirmed.  As fire Tuesday need to confirm collection with beerfly for Tuesday night.

Shanna

[beerfly]

was worried mine might not have finished yet since i only did it on the 8th but just took a measurement and its at 1.022 so i'll keg it tomorrow
abv is about 8.9%. pretty tasty too

[Shanna]

Hi there,

Confirmed with Beerfly and Shiny collection is on Tuesday night. Anybody else planning on dropping the beer over Tuesday night is out along with Wednesday as I have a work night out.

Shanna

PS: Mashed in the 2nd batch of stout this evening will sparge and boil in the morning.

[Bubbles]

Howya lads, sorry for the late reply on all this.

Shanna, your beer will be fine. Might be a bit under-gravity, but it's a small proportion of the total volume anyway, so nothing to worry about. I actually thought we were already at total volume anyway? Great to have your beer to top-up with if not.

I never got a chance to rack mine at the weekend, but I'll be doing so tomorrow evening. I'll be in touch about dropping it up to you some evening during the week if that's alright? Thur or Fri suit?

The tasting and fill session on the bank hol weekend sounds great. I particularly like the "tasting" part of your suggestion!! I'll bring a few bottle of my new IPA. Just don't operate any heavy machinery afterwards...

Just let me know a few days in advance what day & time you're thinking of. I'll bring a camera and we can document the filling of the barrel, for posterity. Remember to wear your colours everyone!

[Rossa]

I have to keg  mine yet but at the moment I have no spare  kegs. I need to empty one by bottle  gunning the lot first.

[Ciderhead]

I have to keg  mine yet but at the moment I have no spare  kegs. I need to empty one by bottle  gunning the lot first.

remind me again why we are cornying and not straight in from a glass carboy/bucket?

[Shanna]

Hi paddy bubbles

Thursday night after 8:30 should be fine. Might even sneak a taste of yours just to check the gravity.  Mine is in the shed since Friday night I am hoping it drops another bit. I tasted it already and it was surpringly smooth,  very bitter but not burning like I would have expected. There is coffee and chocolate going on in it.

Shanna

I never got a chance to rack mine at the weekend, but I'll be doing so tomorrow evening. I'll be in touch about dropping it up to you some evening during the week if that's alright? Thur or Fri suit?

[Shane Phelan]

Both of my fermenters are just transferred to secondary, 1.021 and 1.020. I also really enjoyed the samples, great coffee aroma coming though.

[Rossa]

I have to keg  mine yet but at the moment I have no spare  kegs. I need to empty one by bottle  gunning the lot first.

Actually, bad news. That day has come that I need my two cornies back!

they are full. Will I just buck the stuff out ?

[Rossa]

I have to keg  mine yet but at the moment I have no spare  kegs. I need to empty one by bottle  gunning the lot first.

remind me again why we are cornying and not straight in from a glass carboy/bucket?

I have no glass. They are in 30l kegs. Maybe  I'll just bring that.

[Bubbles]

Thursday night after 8:30 should be fine. Might even sneak a taste of yours just to check the gravity.  Mine is in the shed since Friday night I am hoping it drops another bit. I tasted it already and it was surpringly smooth,  very bitter but not burning like I would have expected. There is coffee and chocolate going on in it.

Grand. I haven't tasted yet, but it smells awesome.

[Bubbles]

A quick update on the SD barrel for those who missed my tweets last Friday night. Myself, Shanna and Ciderhead took a wee sample from the barrel and had a sneak preview.

My own impression is that the porter is currently very smooth, lots of caramel, toasty, bit of chocolate, very restrained on the roast flavours. The whiskey flavour is very definitely there (gets stronger on the finish) but it's very complementary to the beer and not at all overwhelming. Shiny, you will be happy with this one!

I think it's relatively medium-bodied, but CH thought it was very light bodied, for such a high ABV beer. We all agreed that it was dangerously drinkable. We also agreed that there wasn't a whole lot of oak showing at this stage, so with everyone's blessing we are looking at aging for at least another few months.

We also filled a bottle which is currently chilling in Shanna's fridge and he will be bringing it along to Thursday's meet in the Dark Horse in Blackrock. It would be great to see a few more of the barrel contributors at this meet so that they can voice their opinions on the progress of the beer. Hope to see ye there lads.

In short, it's a good 'un. Really tasty stuff.

Cheers.

[Bubbles]

By the way, even though very little has evaporated/seeped into barrel, we also did a top-up brew, which Shanna can upate you all on - cos I was half asleep for most of it! 

[andrewL46]

Sounds good, I'd say the mouthfeel will change dramatically once carbonated.
I have read a good bit that getting the full characteristics from the barrel will
take at least a year, I'd say the oak may start shinning through with a bit more time.
Gonna come along on Thursday for a chat and a few beers as I haven't been contributing
much on here

[Bubbles]

Great stuff, Andrew. Looking forward to tasting one of those fantastic beers of yours!!