Empty South Dublin barrel & future plans if any

[Shanna]

Hi there

Tried in vain to initiate a discussion on the barrel last night but it was awkward given the different chats that were going on. Thinking about we empty it on the May bank holiday weekend. Not sure if there is interest in doing another group beer but if there is I would think we need to delay doing it assuming nobody has another place they can store it
as I won't be able to store the barrel full as I need to replace the roof of my shed & I don't want the hassle of having to work around it.

A few schools of thought on how to preserve the barrel if we can't fill it straight away.

1. Buy 3-4 bottles of cheap whiskey , chuck in to empty barrel & roll it around every few days to keep it wet.
or
2. Fill with water & citric acid crystals and leave it

Shanna

[David]

I'm on for option 1

[Shane Phelan]

Probably option 1.

[imark]

When we stored the liffey brewers barrel we dosed it with sodium metabisulfite and citric acid. It will keep it in good condition for an extended period but it will be full so could limit moving it about.

[Bubbles]

Sorry for not replying to this earlier. Both of Shanna's suggestions are sensible, given the cirumstances.

But I wouldn't be keen on the cheap whiskey route, to be honest - to me it seems wrong to put all this effort into making and aging great beer only to adulterate it with cheap whiskey. I know the whiskey will be decanted out before filling, but a lot of it is going to soak into the barrel and end up in the finished beer. To me, it just doesn't seem right - one reason for the success our first fill of this barrel was the premium cask-strength whiskey that was already in the barrel.

I'd be more in favour of going with imark's suggestion of campden and citric acid. I'm wondering would this affect the flavour though?

I think I'm only going to be up for another refill if the style is something new and different. I'm just not interested in another stout or barleywine. I'd be in favour of a sour red or maybe an old ale spiked with brett. Rossa (surprise, surprise!) has a historical brett porter that is absolutely outstanding. Would love to have a crack at that.

It's a pity we don't have an alternative site for the barrel. I'd gladly take ownership of it, but my shed is as big as a phonebox, and anyway, it's already chokka with fridges and crates of beer.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents.

[imark]

I'd be more in favour of going with imark's suggestion of campden and citric acid. I'm wondering would this affect the flavour though?

From first hand experience I can say that it doesn't affect the flavour 

[Bubbles]

Cheers Mark, good to know.

[TheSumOfAllBeers]

We made a Belgian quad and put it in a bourbon barrel.

If you are looking for alternative barrel fills, give that one a go.

[Bubbles]

Sounds nice, but I personally already have a quad on the go.

Where did you source a bourbon barrel in Ireland??

[Shanna]

But I wouldn't be keen on the cheap whiskey route, to be honest - to me it seems wrong to put all this effort into making and aging great beer only to adulterate it with cheap whiskey. I know the whiskey will be decanted out before filling, but a lot of it is going to soak into the barrel and end up in the finished beer. To me, it just doesn't seem right - one reason for the success our first fill of this barrel was the premium cask-strength whiskey that was already in the barrel.

Happy to put expensive whisky in to it but somehow I suspect cost might be a limiting factor I suspect also that I was not clear with respect to the 2nd approach also. If we are to go with the citric acid route then the barrel itself would have to be relocated to outside my shed as my issue here is having to get my shed roof redone. I would be covering the barrel but its going to be exposed to the elements even if I cover it with a tarp by virtue of being physically relocated to outside.

Shanna

[Shanna]

Added a poll to capture peoples preferences as I am too lazy to create a list and I have never used a poll before.

Shanna

[TheSumOfAllBeers]

Sounds nice, but I personally already have a quad on the go.

Where did you source a bourbon barrel in Ireland??

This was in the uk. Lots of distilleries to choose from.

Quad + bourbon was amazing. Not subtle by any stretch, but really likeable. Nice addition to the usual barrel fillers of RIS, barley wine etc.

If you have used the barrel for multiple goes, and have taken most of the spirit out, you could have a go at a genuine historical IPA or export porter, with some Brett of course.