Filling SD barrel with English Barley Wine

[Shanna]

Collectively we need to discuss/agree how to store the left over barley wine going forward as it will be used to back fill the barrel to replace samples taken out. Kegs are at a premium at the moment so if somebody wants to volunteer one to remain in my place I am all ears.

How much have you left over ?

It might be an idea to freeze what you have in say 1 or 2 litre lots.

That way when the barrel needs topping up you will have a little bit of fresh wort to restart CO2 production!

Hi Will

We had a full 19ltr batch left over. Never heard somebody freezing beer like this and don't think we would have the freezer capacity to freeze that much liquid? Not sure what you mean by "fresh wort to restart Co2 production".

We just need to get hands on a spare corny to store the remaining batch.

Shanna

[John_C]

It's fine to leave it in my corny. I won't need it back until we're emptying the barrel.

[Shanna]

Whose is the leftover batch? What's it currently in?

Hi Tube,

We originally thought that the barrel had a capacity of 220 litres as that is what we put in last time. General consensus was that the barrel might have dried out some first time around and that we as a result had to put in about 217 litres. This time we brewed an extra 10 litres to have used for top up. As it transpired though this time the barrel was filled to the brim with 210 litres. The 19 litre batch remaining was from Shiny.

Shanna

[Shanna]

John confirmed in an earlier post that the excess can stay in the keg until we go to drain the barrel so it should be cool.

Shanna

[Shanna]

Saw that, but said I'd offer too as I have spare DJs anyway.

Just out of curiosity how would you store beer in demijohns long term? Would you not have problems with not being able to carbonate it and also issues with light?

Shanna

[Will_D]

My point about freezing the beer is that assuming its not fully fermented out it will have a bit of residual fermentables left.

If frozen it will stay in this state. When in 3 months or 6 months time you take out a few litres for tasting you now have a head space in the cask. Fill up with a bit of thawed out beer and you may get a little bit of refermentation which may generate a bit of CO2 for you.

Probably not worth doing though!

[Shane Phelan]

It was my beer that was left over and it's completely fermented out. I don't really see the point in freezing it when we can just leave it in Johns keg and top up when necessary.

[Shanna]

It was my beer that was left over and it's completely fermented out. I don't really see the point in freezing it when we can just leave it in Johns keg and top up when necessary.

Agreed my original post was as I was unsure what was the story vis a via the use of John's  keg. Interesting point about the freezing.

Shanna

[Rossa]

My corny came back with this lid. It leaks with my corny and may work with whoever owns it.

Who has mine?

[Bubbles]

I'm pretty sure it wasn't me anyway.. I was watching my keg and lid like a hawk while my beers was going into the barrel and the lid went straight back on it.

Everyone should be able to compare the writing on this lid with the writing on the other kegs in their collection?

Rossa, are all your kegs of the same vintage by any chance? Can you post a picture of what your lid should look like?

[Rossa]

Yep. All Norm's  corny kegs purchased in 2008 or the new safer ones. This is an old lid. Not corny but had the S on it.

[Shanna]

Hi there

We had the first taste of the Barley wine on Thursday night in the dark horse. General consensus is its coming along nicely. There is a slight trace of whiskey still but I think this will fade over time.A nice mixture of beers that should be superb in six months.

Shanna

[Shanna]

Hi there,

Had the 2nd taste of the barrel aged barley wine last Thursday night in the dark horse. Its a good bit darker than the last sample and its coming along nicely. Before it was had a taste of Shiny's top of effort that was also pretty good. Now I asked the question how much longer should we leave it in for and I did not get any consensus on this. For those of you who were not present have you any opinion on when we should take it out?

Shanna

[Shane Phelan]

Shanna are you going to the Craft beer festival?

[Shanna]

Shanna are you going to the Craft beer festival?

Yes manning the stand on Saturday night.

Shanna