Score of the century!!

[Speyedr]

These barrels are already charred on the inside. Do they still need the woody flavor soaked out of them?

If they've been refurbished (removing a layer of wood and then charring them) then there WILL be the woody flavors. I searched on Oak Barrels using google and I thought I read that you can leave water soaking in them to remove SOME of this.

However, if you're gonna fill it with a bunch of guys and each of you ends up with 5 gallons before you all refill it you may just want to brew a few BIG beers to age in it the first few times. After aging 2 or 3 batches in there most of the woody flavors should be gone and the BIG beers will mask alot of it. Make a Scottish ale and the wood may even help. As I understand it the wineries only age 2 or 3 batches per barrel before they have them refinished.

I put my name on the Russian River Buggy Barrels List (see Vinnie Archives). You ca e-mail Vinnie and he'll put your name down and contact you when they're ready (he said about a year). I have no idea how much they will cost when they finally become available but for a 5gal barrel innoculated with Brett and other bugs, I'll start saving now.

[GooberMcNutly]

There is a local club south of me that does a Russian Imperial Stout that way every year. 55 gallon barrel, 10 gallons out, then 10 gallons in every year. It is some amazing stuff. It has been running that way for 10 years now.

Once you have brewed 10 batches to get it started up, you could do another 5 gallon batch every 6 months and do the same thing.

I want to make a gueuze the same way, but not with oak, just a good holding tank. I wish I had a nice cool basement or root cellar to age it in, too.