Home Brew Forum

Have just got this underway (just started the mash). My own recipe based very loosely around recipes I think I will like, but for a stronger beer.

I have an old modified whisky cask that I am going to have a go at maturing it in for several months.

Dougies Christmas Ale for 25 litres
7kg Maris Otter Pale Malt
325g Crystal Malt
150g Wheat Malt
100g Chocolate Malt

Mash 90 Minutes @ 66c

Hops - 90 Minutes

35g Goldings
40g Fuggles
25g Styrian Goldings

Last 15 Minutes - 10 g Irish Moss

Will hopefully get some pics on here soon.

DaaB wrote:Happy Christmas

It will be if it turns out ok

Here are the first pics.
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The mash

My old modified Whisky cask

Now sparging.

Looking good Dougie

Well the boil hasn't gone exactly to plan!

Had bother with the first boiler but I am actually feeling quite lucky (and very stupid). The thermostat was playing up and wouldn't keep it on the boil, then the unit part came off while I was trying to adjust it. I caught my thumb on the back / inside of it, and felt a big jolt up my arm. Luckily the electric tripped, but I shan't be using the boiler again until I get the thermostat properly sorted.

Anyway, I had to revert to my old boiler which I stopped using originally as it use to cut off during the boil. Luckily today I had no such problem once I had transferred the wort.

Boil - Part 1

Boil - Part 2

Getting there now - cooling and sterilising the fv ready.

Hi Dougie

Nice recipe

Just wondering of you have any experance with barrel aging and is the barrel fit for use?

as barrel aging on a home brew scale is a real pain the the ass and are much more pervious to oxygen compared to full size ones. Furthermore the barrels need to be swelled to make them seal properly which can be pretty labor intensive

There is a large evaporation rate, which means you need to bee toping up with beer every week and thus really need to have on hand 1.5-2 times of what you need.

They also a a tendency to leak so you may want to place it some where else that your carpet

Hi Oblivious,
I haven't had a go at this before so it is a bit of an experiment really.
The Barrel was purchased from speyside cooperage and was labelled as being ideal for storage of wine or beer. It is made from a larger, used whisky cask and I assume it has been pressure/leak tested like all their other full size casks would be (though I won't be adding priming sugar to the barrel and pressurising it myself).
I appreciate any advice and comments you can give though, cheers.

Its nothing like carbonation or a plastic barrel/corny

if they barrel is not left full with water or in this case whiskey the wood will need to be re swelled, with warm water something around 50-60c for a few day and this can be a wet process. This is a process the distiller will do them self ,but buying barrel pretty much presume you need to check

Once swelled the water need to be changed weekly until its fill with beer/wine, they also need to be sanitized with sulphur wiks to kill of any mold present

I agree with oblivious its a lot of work, thats why I got Oak Cubes instead.
Having read on another forum of some one pouring there beer into a dried out cask and watching it all pour out on the floor.

Nice looking brew Dougie

I bottled my Xmas Ale last month, only as I brewed it for last year and it has only just come into its own. It wasn't the greatest last Xmas but it sure is good for another six months aging. But I suppose thats to be expected for an 8% beer.

A local HB club that I am only on the email list for has just finished putting 265L into a bourbon barrel. The emails were getting monotonous and tiresome until they filled it without properly conditioning (?) it. To date they've lost about 10 gallons and have gone for the silicone sealant!

A Guide to Craft Brewing by John Alexander has a detailed section on using casks for your ale.
Well worth a read if this is your first time using a cask.
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Glad you're still with us Dougie, ... those trip switches come in handy!

Excellent looking brew mate

mixbrewery wrote:A Guide to Craft Brewing by John Alexander has a detailed section on using casks for your ale.
Well worth a read if this is your first time using a cask.
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Cheers for this, have just ordered so look forward to reading up more.

Thanks to everyone else for the advice and info aswell.

As for the brew, I ended up with 25 litres and an OG of 1.068 @ 24°C and pitched safale S04 yeast.

mixbrewery wrote:A Guide to Craft Brewing by John Alexander has a detailed section on using casks for your ale.
Well worth a read if this is your first time using a cask.
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I have the book and its a good read, but he dose say after years using oak barrel/casks he thought they were not worth the hasel


Also i suspect the traditional wooden casks he was using were lined with brewer pitch so no effect from the wood or bacteria in it and possibly reduced effect from oxygen