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  • oak barrel sample ports

    Hello all-
    I'm looking for a relatively simple and reliable way to install sample ports into oak barrels as to sample prior to blending while minimizing disturbance of the product. Any ideas, or better yet success stories?
    cheers
    geoff
    Geoff DeBisschop
    Evolution Craft Brewing Company
    Delmar, DE

  • #2
    I'm interested in this one as well. Our limited experience:

    We've drilled holes in the head of our barrels the size of a stainless steel part that we have off of some other bits in the brewery. It is effectively a stainless 'nail' that we are able to pull out to sample. Be careful drilling holes...we have some that are too tight and some that are too loose, causing them to leak.

    What we are thinking of doing on the next go around is to drill a hole and fix a 5/16 stainless tube (using a corny dip tube) into the bottom of the head. We will then be able to put a John Guest on/off valve, using for sampling and also to quickly be able to hook up to pump the beer out when it is ready.

    Cheers,
    Jeff
    Jeff Rosenmeier (Rosie)
    Chairman of the Beer
    Lovibonds Brewery Ltd
    Henley-on-Thames, Englandshire
    W: www.lovibonds.com
    F: LovibondsBrewery
    T: @Lovibonds

    Comment


    • #3
      Hey Geoff,
      Go with a drilled holed with nails.
      Jason Perkins from Allagash shared his expertise with me on this one.

      Stainless 1.5 inch 4 d nails. Use a 7/64 drill bit. It is important for the nail and bit size to be exact. We got the nails out of Mcmaster Carr, although I am sure you could get them from a hardware store.


      Good luck
      Matthew
      ________________
      Matthew Steinberg
      Co-Founder
      Exhibit 'A' Brewing Co.
      Framingham, MA USA

      Head Brewer
      Filler of Vessels
      Seller of Liquid
      Barreled Beer Aging Specialist
      Yeast Wrangler
      Microbe Handler
      Malt Slinger
      Hop Sniffer
      Food Eater
      Music Listener

      Comment


      • #4
        Geoff,
        The stainless nail trick is the way to go. That's what I do. Hell, it's what a lot of wineries do. I used a barrel once for three batches with the same nail and same hole with no issue or leak. See you soon.

        Geoff
        AleWerks

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Rosie

          What we are thinking of doing on the next go around is to drill a hole and fix a 5/16 stainless tube (using a corny dip tube) into the bottom of the head. We will then be able to put a John Guest on/off valve, using for sampling and also to quickly be able to hook up to pump the beer out when it is ready.

          Cheers,
          Jeff
          This is what i do using a corney dip tube in a rubber bung in the bunghole with another barb in the bung to pressurize the barrel for sampling/blending/draining.
          Jeff Byrne

          Comment


          • #6
            Why not simply use a 'wine thief' though the bung hole? Unless you have multipule kegs stacked...
            Brewmaster, Minocqua Brewing Company
            tbriggs@minocquabrewingcompany.com
            "Your results may vary"

            Comment


            • #7
              The thief works fine, but if the goal of the barrels is to form a pellicle on the surface, and every time you take a sample, you will be disturbing this 'shield'

              but if the barrels are not 'infected' and no pellicle is forming, then thieve away...
              ________________
              Matthew Steinberg
              Co-Founder
              Exhibit 'A' Brewing Co.
              Framingham, MA USA

              Head Brewer
              Filler of Vessels
              Seller of Liquid
              Barreled Beer Aging Specialist
              Yeast Wrangler
              Microbe Handler
              Malt Slinger
              Hop Sniffer
              Food Eater
              Music Listener

              Comment


              • #8
                Exactly Matthew- currently we're doing only traditional "clean" ales but are gearing up to age a flemish red type ale. Id rather not disturb the pellicle. As Ted pointed out as well we have barrels stacked on barrels, our thief won't go into barrels below other barrels. Plus this just overall seems like a method that disturbs the product less. So despite my fear that I'll come in one day and find dozens of nails on the floor and empty barrels, we're going to "install" the nails. Seems far too common not to be reliable.

                cheers
                geoff
                Geoff DeBisschop
                Evolution Craft Brewing Company
                Delmar, DE

                Comment


                • #9
                  Well, finding these nails is not an easy task. I called all hardware store in town. I only need a few, and anyway, McMaster-Carr don't sale in Canada any longer.

                  Why a nail? Does it have any particular characteristic (bevel, ..) ? Could I use a SS drill bit or a welding rod?

                  Would a galvanized nail give flavor or corrode?

                  Ben

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Oak Barrel Sample Valve

                    This is a sanitary barrel sample valve in 304 stainless steel that can work with any barrel size. A 5/8" hole needs to be drilled on barrel to install sample valve.

                    Click image for larger version

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by chantal
                      This is a sanitary barrel sample valve in 304 stainless steel that can work with any barrel size. A 5/8" hole needs to be drilled on barrel to install sample valve.
                      Something tells me this costs a bit more than a stainless nail
                      Beejay
                      Pipeworks Brewing Company

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Buy a pound of these and you should be all set for years....
                        go to common nails and click 316 stainless.

                        McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.
                        ________________
                        Matthew Steinberg
                        Co-Founder
                        Exhibit 'A' Brewing Co.
                        Framingham, MA USA

                        Head Brewer
                        Filler of Vessels
                        Seller of Liquid
                        Barreled Beer Aging Specialist
                        Yeast Wrangler
                        Microbe Handler
                        Malt Slinger
                        Hop Sniffer
                        Food Eater
                        Music Listener

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          yup. But as I said, McMaster refuses to sell to Canada

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                          • #14
                            Not sure if these guys sell in Canada. Hopefully they do.


                            Maybe some brewer in NY or VT will be willing to place the mcmaster order and ship the nails to you. kind of a hassle, I know... plus there has to be a source in Canada for these stainless nails.


                            I know... the name says it all...USA! but hopefully they love Canada like me and will ship em to ya!

                            good luck
                            matthew
                            ________________
                            Matthew Steinberg
                            Co-Founder
                            Exhibit 'A' Brewing Co.
                            Framingham, MA USA

                            Head Brewer
                            Filler of Vessels
                            Seller of Liquid
                            Barreled Beer Aging Specialist
                            Yeast Wrangler
                            Microbe Handler
                            Malt Slinger
                            Hop Sniffer
                            Food Eater
                            Music Listener

                            Comment

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