OVHA Chat

I have the opportunity to get a used Bourbon barrel for free. I do not know how long the barrel has been empty. I do not know if it will be dried up or not. I have a few questions regarding the process and possible problems.

1. Are there limitations to the age of a barrel when using it for beer?
2. If it is dried up, can it be rehydrated so that it will seal back up? If so, what is the process?
3. Does it have to be sanitized prior to filling?
4. What other questions should I answer before attempting this?

Any other additional advice is greatly appreciated. I am sure that I will have other questions, but this should get me started.

Thanks
Zac

Suggested First-Use Barrel Prep List
• Inspect the barrel for damage or leaks.
• Fill barrel with 140-185°F water.
• Soak barrel for 60 mins.
• Clean exterior of barrel.
• Dump and fill with wort/beer.

Barrels are an ideal breeding ground for wild yeast and bugs (bacteria), so when a new barrel arrives at your doorstep you need to hit it with hot water to keep the microorganisms under control. The hot water bath will kill off some surface bacteria and wild yeast, but not those found deep in the porous wood. You don't want to get rid of all of them anyway.

If your barrel is dried out or leaking you can submerge the barrel in water for 24 hours and the wood should swell back up.

use the barrels 1 or 2 times on clean fermentations and then 5 or 6 times for sours

Once the beer is happy in the barrel it is best to keep the barrel bung closed as much as possible. You can use a stainless steel nail in the barrel head to create a sampling port. (Pre-drill the hole, so you don't split the wood.)

Drill a hole using a 7/64" drill bit on the bottom of the barrel head (6 o' clock position). Have two sizes of stainless steel nails on hand from McMaster-Carr.

1–½” 4d smooth common nail – 316 stainless steel #97990A502
2” 6d smooth common nail - 316 stainless steel #97990A504

Use the smaller nail, but keep the larger one around just in case a hole gets bored out too large.

Between beers you should rinse and disinfect prior to every new filling. Try not and let the barrel run dry between fillings. This gives bacteria, mold and other critters time to grow. If your barrel does dry out you can fill the barrel with water and potassium meta bisulfate, which will release sulfur dioxide into solution. You can either store a barrel empty or with a sulfite solution to try and retard contaminants before they take hold.
If the barrel is wet then it's probably ok. I like to get a barrel within 2 weeks of it being dumped. I flush the barrel with 180° F water for 45 minutes and clean the outside of the barrel with PBW.


"Ratchet straps are your friend. Have loose staves? Ratchet strap. Using the barrel as a pressurized cask for serving? Ratchet strap the heads

taste the beer one week after filling to see where we are and leave beers in the barrels for 2 - 2 1/2 months on average

source:
http://www.homebrewing.com/articles/hom ... l-tips.php

Good tips. Thanks! So soaking the inside with water won't dilute the bourbon flavors?

Correct, the flavor actually comes from the oak, not what was previously in the barrel