Quote:
Originally Posted by Bearcat
Oh, shit... Monster's Park has been available to me for several months, but didn't see the 'brewed once' for this one. Sadly, I've only seen Xocoveza once around town... that one was the least expensive of the three ($18, IIRC).
I have considered buying my own barrels, but unfortunately don't have a basement that's a constant 68 degrees like I did in KC. |
You don't really need much temp control for barrel aging. Fermentation has already stopped. You actually want the temp to fluctuate so the wood expands and contracts a little.
Even that wont make a huge difference as when you use smaller barrels, 5gal or 10gal, you wont have the beer in them but a few months, not a year like a 55gal barrel.
Smaller barrels have more oak surface area for the liquid than larger barrels (less liquid in the middle) so it takes way less time to get the flavors. If you aged a 5 or 10gal barrel for a year it would taste like a block of oak.
I have done 2 5gal barrel aged Imperial Stouts and have a 10gal going right now.
The whiskey barrel I am currently using is from Restless Spirits in Kansas City.