Hybrid "barrels" for aging beers

[J A]

I've been looking at small-batch distilling techniques and one of the cool bits of technology used in the process is a more modern replacement for small barrels. These vessels are made of stainless steel tapered pots (called Bain Marie pots and used for restaurant kitchen steam tables). A round insert is fashioned from white oak, either new air-dried wood or used wood from reclaimed bourbon barrels. The new wood can be toasted and/or charred just as a new oak barrel would be prepared for bourbon. The reclaimed wood retains the character of the whiskey that was aged in it.

These are used pretty extensively for aging spirits in sizes ranging from as small as a liter or two up to around 5 gallons. The advantage for distillers is that, unlike small barrels that can have too much wood in relation to the amount of spirits, these vessels come a little closer to mimicking the slower-aging profile of larger barrels because the amount of wood contact is limited. It occurs to me that these containers would come in handy for those of us homebrewers that want to barrel age a small batch of stout or other beer. There are several advantages over small oak barrels. They can be more cost-effective and because the wood is only on one end, keeping it from going sour between batches is easy - just store wood side down with a cup full of bourbon or other alcohol in it - not only does that keep it sanitary, it reconditions the oak for the next batch of beer.

I'm in the process of making up a number of these vessels using fresh-dumped Jim Beam and Makers Mark barrel wood. The larger ones I'm working with at present are around 1.25 and 2 gallons. Those might be handy for some of the small-batch brewers. Anyone who's interested can PM me.

 

[Bigbre04]

what a cool solution! they also make similar things but bigger! like alot bigger.

 

[Dave Y]

That's a nifty idea.

 

[J A]

what a cool solution! they also make similar things but bigger! like alot bigger.

Bad Mo Barrels go 1.8 gal and 5 gal. Ten-30 sells them in 850, 1500 and 3000 ml. Driftless Barrels sells 1.8 gal and 2.8 gal.

I chose the 1.5 and 2 gallon sizes (final volume around 1.25 and 1.75) to start and then realized that if I used barrel heads, there would be a lot of space for smaller inserts so the 1 and 2 quart sizes made sense. The smaller ones are good for home hobbyists tinkering with aging white spirits and the 1 to 2 gallon range is good for small scale distillers.
I just finished up the first of my 2-gallon ones and I feel the urge to make a small batch of 10% Imperial stout and fill that thing up and let it sit until next winter.

 

[Bigbre04]

Bad Mo Barrels go 1.8 gal and 5 gal. Ten-30 sells them in 850, 1500 and 3000 ml. Driftless Barrels sells 1.8 gal and 2.8 gal.

I chose the 1.5 and 2 gallon sizes (final volume around 1.25 and 1.75) to start and then realized that if I used barrel heads, there would be a lot of space for smaller inserts so the 1 and 2 quart sizes made sense. The smaller ones are good for home hobbyists tinkering with aging white spirits and the 1 to 2 gallon range is good for small scale distillers.
I just finished up the first of my 2-gallon ones and I feel the urge to make a small batch of 10% Imperial stout and fill that thing up and let it sit until next winter.

I cracked open one of my jars full of wood chips that I have been letting "breathe" by sampling them over the years. They are easily 10 years old, I wouldnt call them amazing, but they are definitely alcohol!

 

[J A]

I cracked open one of my jars full of wood chips that I have been letting "breathe" by sampling them over the years. They are easily 10 years old, I wouldnt call them amazing, but they are definitely alcohol!

Jars and chips is a tried and true regimen, for sure! I find that chips provide very fast infusion of tanins and wood flavor (French oak being very nice in terms of balance). I've got some new make resting on cubes and that seems to be coming along a little more slowly but I think the development is a little more complex. I think more wood mass (bigger chunks) and slow and steady interaction produces best results over time.