Port/Bourbon Barrel Brew

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Kyle
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Even if we stick with the 10

Even if we stick with the 10 gallon per person idea for this barrel, it is a 61 gallon wine barrel. Even if everyone hits their 10 gallon post boil volume, no one will have more than 9 gallons going into the barrel. Therefore not including extra beer for topping off the barrel and keeping it 100% full at all times we will need 7 people, but 8 will probably be better. If everyone does their 10 gallon batch whatever comes out of the barrel gets split the 7 or 8 ways.

josh s
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Im willing to back out of

Im willing to back out of this one.  

 

But we do seam to have alot of steam for barrel projects right now.  And I know we have always talked about doing a barrel project before we actually have a barrel on hand then brew for it.  I will go ahead and start up a new thread gaging interest on starting a beer then procuring a freshly dumped barrel down the road.

kengetty
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Matt Brynildson the

Matt Brynildson the brewmaster from Firestone Walker responded and agreed with lower Mash Temps for the attenuation.  He added that he likes his Barley Wines a bit leaner and makes sense when you drink Sucaba.

 

Grizwald
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I like where this is going

I like where this is going right now.  

The grain bill looks good to me, and I agree we should focus more towards an English Barley Wine because hops wont come through by the time this is done aging.  Keeping it simple with the yeast is probably a good idea, but I am up for any of the suggestions so far.  Tons of smack packs can get costly, so US-04 would be fine by me.

I have mostly been an extract and brew-in-a-bag brewer in my tiny condo kitchen, so I will yeild to experience on the mash temp and process items.

Mark - Can you tweak the recipe for hops?  If anyone has prefernce with the Optic over Maris Otter I am down with that too.  If you can share the recipe with me, my username on there is "mrjebus" and I can make updates.

I think having 7-8 brewers doing 10 gal each is probably the best road here as ROI will be better.  Going by thread participation, here is what I have for a brewers list (in no particular order)  I figure yeilds may be closer to 9 gal each and we may want to top off along the way.  Anything that doesn't go in the barrel can be bottled and evenly distributed among brewers to have as a baseline sample to taste against barrel.  

1) Joe

2) Ken

3) Mike

4) Kyle

5) Chuck 

6) James

7) Mark

8) Jeff W

Are all of you still onboard with this?  Is there someone I missed that really really wants in on this, and anyone above less than 100%?  I am still as green as it gets to the club, so I don't to crush anyone's dreams or leave someone out that really wants in.

Please add any recipe suggestions and lets get that hammered out here next.

Cheers

 

mikesummer78
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im still in.  post the final

im still in.  post the final recipe when its ready.

JamesLewis
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I dont have the capacity to

I dont have the capacity to be involved in the actual brew, I just like to follow the discussion. 

Good info Ken on the mash temp. Thanks for reaching out. Did he comment on the mash temp affecting max OG? I had never heard of that.

lucas
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I'd still love to be in if

I'd still love to be in if someone else doesn't want to. I have the equipment to brew 10+ gallons if necessary also. 

Oh... my... god.  Why haven't we done this?    http://thechive.com/2013/09/17/guys-rig-up-buddies-plumbing-with-beer-wh...

Grizwald
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Alright, that worked out very

Alright, that worked out very gentlemanly.  Thanks guys.

1) Joe

2) Ken

3) Mike

4) Kyle

5) Chuck 

6) Lucas

7) Mark

8) Jeff W

Kyle
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Let's get a final recipe in

Let's get a final recipe in place and schedule to brew by.

Grizwald
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I will get it posted tomorrow

I will get it posted tomorrow!

kengetty
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Rusty and I were talking last

Rusty and I were talking last night and the big beers that he has made at CHAOS with high mash temps always seem to stall out on him as well.

I say we do one of these two things: either mash at 152 or mash at 156 & add sugar to the boil to boost the gravity.

Kyle
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I think we would end up with

I think we would end up with more body and a sweeter beer if we mashed higher which is what I would prefer. I would be ok with adding some sugar to boost our gravity if OG is a concern at higher mash temps. Also are we worried about a thin beer if we did mash at 152?

adman
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With an OG above 1.1, you

With an OG above 1.1, you could mash at 150 and you're not going to end up with a thin beer. Just too many fermentables/unfermentables. I'd bet if you mash much above 152 you're going to get a bunch of beers finishing around 1.040, which is pretty sweet.

Also, if anyone needs to drop out, I'd be interested in brewing for this barrel.

kengetty
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Preach Adam, preach...

Preach Adam, preach...

JamesLewis
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Keep in mind that your

Keep in mind that your efficiency drops quickly after 1.090. You are going to have to decide to boil down, add DME or sugar, or deal with efficiencies​ in the 40-50% range.

 

Grizwald
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Ken made this great

Ken made this great spreadsheet with the recipe in it.

MAKE BEER

Only note is that we are going to be using US-04 instead of US-05

I will be starting my brew some night next week.  Lets get this going and get that barrel full!

Everyone on board still?

Please post when you think you can have your brew started by so we can all be sure this happens.

kengetty
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I want to also second James's

I want to also second James's comment about having either DME or sugar on hand to make sure we hit our OGs.

ChuckMac
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On board! Will be brewing

On board! Will be brewing this bad boy next Saturday!

ChuckMac
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Hey guys Sunday the 16th is

Hey guys Sunday the 16th is wide open! I made my Reservation for 8am. Anyone else want to join me?

Jeff W
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I'm brewing mine next Friday.

I'm brewing mine next Friday....

Kyle
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Chuck I could probably brew

Chuck I could probably brew next Sunday too. What is everyones plan for getting all this grain. 35lbs maris otter at LHBS is alot.

adman
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If everybody that's brewing

If everybody that's brewing for this barrel bought a sack of MO, it would make the bulk grain buy happen faster... Of course, that doesn't help the folks who are brewing next week.

mikesummer78
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Couple questions. Kens brew

Couple questions. Kens brew sheet has a mash temp of 150. Are we going with that?  Or 152 or 156?  I kind of think 152-154. Second, there's no way all that grain is going to fit in water cooler mash tun, is it?  Are you guys going to split the grain evenly in two?  Does it matter if the grain isn't the same in both tuns since you are going to boil it all together?  I'm gonna try to brew this Monday but it might not get done until the Monday after. 

Jeff W
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Mike, I normally split into

Mike, I normally split into half and drain each tun into the same kettle.

ChuckMac
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We can do a mini group buy

We can do a mini group buy for the Maris Otter this week.
It's 47 bucks a sack for those interested.

Kyle
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Chuck where would we get it

Chuck where would we get it from?

ChuckMac
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Mid-Country. We have an

Mid-Country. We have an account there and get grain there at any time...

Kyle
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Oh so you would go there this

Oh so you would go there this week and make a small pickup of MO?

Grizwald
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I would defintely go in on

I would defintely go in on that.  I can drive down during a lunch time during the week (tues-thurs) to pick up if need be as well.

ChuckMac
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Either Mark or myself will do

Either Mark or myself will do a pickup of MO. So we need people to chime in if they need a sack.

kengetty
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Couple of things:

Couple of things:

1) Jeff can we use your airation stone for this project and split the costs of a fresh tank of oxygen?

2) I think half of use should get Flaked Rye and the other half Rye Malt for this...the Rye Malt is going to add a little more depth and mouthfeel.  I talked at length with a couple people about the project and Flaked Rye gives you flavor, but Rye Malt gives you that slight drying sensation.  I went ahead and bought Rye Malt, I know Jeff bought Flaked Rye.

3) 150 is the absolute highest Mash Temp we should be attempting.  At this point everyone that I have talked to that have previously attempted making big beers like this and mashed higher than 156 end up having stalled out yeast above 1.045.  Both Adam and Daniel in the club bothhad this happen to their Bourbon County clones once upon a time.

...There will be plenty of residual sugars in the wort when we are finshed.  I promise.

Jeff W
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Yes, sir!  I plan to have the

Yes, sir!  I plan to have the storage spots assigned by this weekend, so it'll be in my spot for you guys to use.  The oxygen tanks are only $10 and can be purchased at Home Depot.  (They're next to the propane tanks.)  Please do not touch the stone itself!!!

B & G was out of Styrian Goldings, so I substituted them with Williamette.

Kyle
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Chuck count me in for a Sack

Chuck count me in for a Sack of MO. I will be brewing this coming weekend or the following and don't think our main grain buy will be here by then so I'll take one from you sooner if thats cool.

Kyle
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Chuck count me in for a Sack

Chuck count me in for a Sack of MO. I will be brewing this coming weekend or the following and don't think our main grain buy will be here by then so I'll take one from you sooner if thats cool.

Kyle
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I will probably brew this

I will probably brew this next weekend actually but will still need a sack of MO if someone is going down this week. Let me know how i can get the money to you.

ChuckMac
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So I have a sack for Kyle,

So I have a sack for Kyle, Grizwald, Mark and myself.
Anyone else need a sack of Maris Otter?

josh s
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Chuck would you be able to

Chuck would you be able to get me a sack of 2row?

adman
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Let's not turn this into a

Let's not turn this into a mini-group buy. There's a thread for that...

lucas
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I agree with Adam, for anyone

I agree with Adam, for anyone that doesn't need their maris otter soon to brew we should do this through the group buy to make sure we get the pallet filled up.

Oh... my... god.  Why haven't we done this?    http://thechive.com/2013/09/17/guys-rig-up-buddies-plumbing-with-beer-wh...

Kyle
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Ya I concur. I am still

Ya I concur. I am still placing other sacks on our group grain buy. Just doing the MO so I can get this beer brewed asap.

ChuckMac
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I am just getting 4 sacks of

I am just getting 4 sacks of money. I am picking up tomorrow...

lucas
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4 whole sacks of cash?  Nice,

4 whole sacks of cash?  Nice, I want some!

Oh... my... god.  Why haven't we done this?    http://thechive.com/2013/09/17/guys-rig-up-buddies-plumbing-with-beer-wh...

ChuckMac
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Bad news guys, Mid-Country is

Bad news guys, Mid-Country is jerking us around and the earliest we can get a order is Monday... That really doesn't work for me. I called Brew and Grow and can get 4 sacks there at I think 74 bucks a sack... What say ya'all?

Grizwald
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They are 55lb sacks right?

They are 55lb sacks right?  If 4 of us go in on 3 sacks, that should cover us with 6.25 lbs to spare each right?  I don't really need the extra at the moment and the 5lb bag price there is pennies more than than the sack price per pound.  Doesn't seem worth it anymore really.   I guess it mostly depends on what they have in stock.

kengetty
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Brew Camp has them for $54 a

Brew Camp has them for $54 a sack

Kyle
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Why don't we split 3 sacks

Why don't we split 3 sacks from brew camp?

ChuckMac
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Works for me! I will call

Works for me! I will call them today to reserve 3 sacks and pick them up tonight...

MarkWalters
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Midcountry problems resolved,

Midcountry problems resolved, Chuck is picking up the sacks.

ChuckMac
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Grain has been gotten. I will

Grain has been gotten. I will be at the brewhouse tomorrow for open house.

kengetty
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I been drinking a lot of

I been drinking a lot of Barley Wines in anticipation of this barrel project and I think we should take a gallon of the first runnings and boil it down to a half gallon.  This will give us a really nice carmel flavor that English Barley Wines are know for and help offset the low mash temp.  This will mean taking a pot over to the stove and making sure you keep stirring it so the wort doesn't scorch.

I think ours current version will taste similar to a Scuaba as it stands now and if we boil down the first running will get a more flavorful EBW similar to this years Bourbon County Barley Wine.

Thoughts?

 

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