Beer Forum

I want to try aging beer in oak-barres. I get a lot of good ideas when going through the arcives. My neighbour here in Norway have some not used, couple of years old Spanish oakbarres, different size, the biggest approx 5 gallons. Is there someone out there who can give me advice on this matter?
Thanks!

A barrel that has never been used can add a LOT of oak flavor in a very short amount of time. Plus- a 5-gallon barrel has a much higher oak:beer ratio than a standard 53 gallon wine or whiskey barrel. So if you age some beer in these small barrels, taste it VERY often to ensure you don't overdo it. You should also fill any barrel that's been stored dry for a while with hot water and allow it to soak until it no longer leaks. I would sanitize as well (maybe fill with Star-San in lieu of an acid wash?)

Let us know how it turns out!

Edited to add a link to MoreWine's Barrel care guide

Thank You. My neighbour will sell a barrel for about 300$ so I have to consider the costs.
When You say very short amont of time, is it days or weeks?

janh wrote:Thank You. My neighbour will sell a barrel for about 300$ so I have to consider the costs.
When You say very short amont of time, is it days or weeks?

I would try a small sample once a week at first just to get a feel for how fast it's picking up oak flavor and tannins. Once the barrel's been used once, it won't add so much oak to the next beer.

$300U.S. for a 5-gallon barrel seems high to me.They're available here for $165. Of course shipping to Norway may make it just as expensive. There may be more local sources for barrels, though. I know I wouldn't pay that much for one in the U.S.

Elbone wrote:$300U.S. for a 5-gallon barrel seems high to me.They're available here for $165. Of course shipping to Norway may make it just as expensive. There may be more local sources for barrels, though. I know I wouldn't pay that much for one in the U.S.

+1
Also, I saw a supplier in Spain that sold 10-15 gallon barrels made from French oak for about $150. Shipping to the U.S. made that not worth it, but shipping to Norway might be cheaper.