Barrel Project - Summary Thread

[Ciderhead]

darts arrive at 20:15 + 20:45 from city center
and if any are coming from the bray side 20:10 + 20:25

so i would imagine some time between 20:30 and 20:45 would be good

ok will be parked outside the station for 20:45 and wearing pink carnation, shiny are you out on Dart as well?

[Bubbles]

As I'm only down the road, I'll bring up a few litres of StarSan for all the sanitising that will be going on.

Would it be possible for a couple of the attendees to bring a siphon along? It will be good to have a couple of siphons going at the same time, as was suggested above. I don't think my siphon tube is going to be long enough for the job.. 

I'll bring up a couple of beers for tasting too. As a reward for all the hard work we'll be doing.

I'd like to take away a tiny sample of the residual spirit (for a couple of people to taste) so I'll bring a little bottle for that purpose also. Myself and Shanna agreed there was definitely plenty sloshing around in there.

Can anyone think of anything else?

[Ciderhead]

Myself and Shanna agreed there was definitely plenty sloshing around in there.

Can anyone think of anything else?

I'm bring a sample so don't touch what is in there already

Money to pay you for the barrel

[Bubbles]

But we're going to be removing it from the barrel anyway? And I want to take a sample away?

What's it taste like?

[Ciderhead]

No you don't! 
There is between 500ml and a litre, I am bringing a sample along with me so the more you leave in the barrel the better!

[Ciderhead]

Shanna have you drilled the bung and have you a spare bubbler?

[Bubbles]

Ehh, yes we are! This has already been discussed at length at the various meets.

There's no way we'll be leaving a litre of 60% liquor in the barrel before racking in. We'll end up with whiskey that tastes a bit like beer, and not the other way around. We can always add extra whiskey to taste later if we think it needs it.

Have a read of this:
http://nationalhomebrewclub.com/forum/index.php/topic,2236.0.html

[Ciderhead]

Ehh, yes we are! This has already been discussed at length at the various meets.

There's no way we'll be leaving a litre of 60% liquor in the barrel before racking in. We'll end up with whiskey that tastes a bit like beer, and not the other way around. We can always add extra whiskey to taste later if we think it needs it.

Have a read of this:
http://nationalhomebrewclub.com/forum/index.php/topic,2236.0.html

EEEEEhhhhhhh
Unfortunately the caretaker didn't understand that he has to swirl around the barrel every couple of days before filling (nobodys fault) and parts were very dry when I inspected during the week, the net effect is that the barrel has sweated more out than is ideal, if you pull this also, whiskey flavour will be diminished.
The 500ml in 200L wont make any difference, some of the barrels we saw had 3-5 litres sloshing around, that would have a bearing on final flavour and yeah I would have drained a couple of litres from those.
I am going to bring 2 samples along and you will understand why I say leave it in when you taste them.
We can drain and throw back in Sunday night, but there really isn't enough to put to one side

[Bubbles]

All very good points that you raise CH, but ultimately the decision won't be made by either you or I. We'll have to see what the consensus is among everyone else who's contributing to this thing.

We don't know how much liquor was in the barrel originally. We don't know how much has evaporated since we took delivery. We don't know how much whiskey flavour is going to be extracted from the barrel during the aging process. So I think to dump all our beer into the barrel without knowing this is a bit silly, after all our efforts. I think WillD's advice in the thread I linked to above is the most sensible way to do things. Hope others agree.

Looking forward to finding out what that whiskey sample of yours tastes like, in any case.

Let us know what you'd rather do folks. 

[Shanna]

Ciderhead

Have not drilled the bung yet as it is a 30 second job. 

Yes I have a spare bubbler.

I also have a solar pump and approx 2 metres of tubing to go with it.  I would suggest using this to fill the barrel as it can transfer approx 6 litres per minute.

Will need help on Sunday evening to drain the barrel of the residual whiskey before we start to fill it. Have read two other posts ans suggest sensible compromise is to drain barrel to see quantity left in the barrel and make a call on the night depending on how much is ìn it.

Shanna

Ps: was wondering what we should do with any beer that is left over over and above say 10% required to top up the barrel.  My suggestion is to bottle or else keg it and distribute it among us all.  PaddyBubbles if you have a capper plus caps would you bring along 10. I will provide the bottles.

Sha

Shanna have you drilled the bung and have you a spare bubbler?

[Shanna]

Caretaker was a bit pissed off with himself that he had missed the nugget to rotate the barrel.  Hope it won't spoil things too much.

Shanna

Ehh, yes we are! This has already been discussed at length at the various meets.

There's no way we'll be leaving a litre of 60% liquor in the barrel before racking in. We'll end up with whiskey that tastes a bit like beer, and not the other way around. We can always add extra whiskey to taste later if we think it needs it.

Have a read of this:
http://nationalhomebrewclub.com/forum/index.php/topic,2236.0.html

EEEEEhhhhhhh
Unfortunately the caretaker didn't understand that he has to swirl around the barrel every couple of days before filling (nobodys fault) and parts were very dry when I inspected during the week, the net effect is that the barrel has sweated more out than is ideal, if you pull this also, whiskey flavour will be diminished.
The 500ml in 200L wont make any difference, some of the barrels we saw had 3-5 litres sloshing around, that would have a bearing on final flavour and yeah I would have drained a couple of litres from those.
I am going to bring 2 samples along and you will understand why I say leave it in when you taste them.
We can drain and throw back in Sunday night, but there really isn't enough to put to one side

[Ciderhead]

absolutely not an issue, and Bubbles can call it as he sees it on Sun.
A fermenting bucket to tip into would be good too if you had one spare.

[Shanna]

Yes I have a spare fermenting bucket also.

Shanna

[Shanna]

Updated McGraths contribution to 19 litres, just Rossa left now

1) Ciderhead - 22L
2) AndrewL46 - 19L
3) Bubbles - 26L
4) Beerfly - 19L
5) Shiny - 43L +
6) Shanna - 45L
7) McGrath -19L
Running Total - 193L

[Ciderhead]

btw anyone else want a lift thats local? no point in us all being sober?