Packaging barrel aged beer

[Supernaut]

Hello All,

I'd like to do some barrel aging in the near future and the research starts now.

* Any good dead tree resources on the subject?

* I am clear on the process up to packaging - how does one get the aged beer from barrels to bright for carbonation and packaging? Pump it? Push with CO2? Looks like some folks bung for carbonation and some airlock and post-carbonate?

One of our 7 BBL batches would fit comfortably in 4 whiskey barrels I think.

Suggestions for reading are welcome.

Thanks!

John

[Block 15]

We use a bulldog to transfer from barrels. Worth the $ if you move a lot of beer from barrels.

http://www.gwkent.com/bulldog-barrel-transfer-tube.html

[Supernaut]

Thank you, Nick - that right there is perfect, I should think!

John

[SouthHouseBrew]

Mixed Reviews on GWK Model

For packaging:

I've heard some poor reviews on the GWK Bulldog. Here's one example:

http://discussions.probrewer.com/showthread.php?26992-Oak-Barrel-Transfer

If you're doing a lot of barrel aging, investing in a good bulldog is worth it. If not, you could install a tap on the bottom and either gravity transfer or use a small pump to pump it out (I've seen breweries lift up the barrels and gravity transfer into a brite tank).

You could either drill a hole and plug with a stopper (ala Cantillon) or install a barrel tap like this:

http://www.funkfactorygeuzeria.com/2012/09/barrel-tap.html

[FourFathersBrew]

I watched a video where Vinnie from RR empties their "Sonambic" barrels by simpy pulling a bung from a drilled hole in the barrel head, then he quickly inserts a clear transfer hose. He gravity fed the beer through the transfer hoses into a grant type vessel which appeared to be hooked up to a pump. The processed looked messy as hell, but cheap and effective.

Jason
Four Fathers Brewing LLC

[Supernaut]

SouthHouseBrew: Yeah after looking at that bulldog from GWK I got to thinking about modifications I'd have to make to it. Still it may work as a template. Also, thanks for the rack-it-teer namedrop.

Jason: I came up with a number of gravity-fed solutions but there's no way to get a forklift into our brewpub ;-)

Thanks!

John

[beejay]

This is a cheap way of draining barrels

http://morebeer.com/products/selfpriming-diaphragm-pump.html?site_id=5

we usually use a strainer before the pump to make sure nothing makes it into the diaphragm pump. It's not a fast pump by any means, but we have been able to easily move beer from barrels in the basement up to our brites on the ground floor.

[endlessbrewing]

John,
I plan on doing this very soon as well. I am looking into buying or building a rack that they can be filled and racked on. High enough to get a gravity going to a pump . Just a thought I had for my own transfers .


Endless Brewing
Jon

[SouthHouseBrew]

This is a cheap way of draining barrels

http://morebeer.com/products/selfpriming-diaphragm-pump.html?site_id=5

we usually use a strainer before the pump to make sure nothing makes it into the diaphragm pump. It's not a fast pump by any means, but we have been able to easily move beer from barrels in the basement up to our brites on the ground floor.

I dig this method - these pumps are nice to have on hand.

Just remember the plastic - you'll need 2 sets of heads/connectors if you're doing sour and clean barrels.

[scmorgan]

I had a pump with no self prime, but i have a forklift and a variable speed pump so I go all ghetto; lift barrels with fork, get the pump primed then slowly pump into bright tank.

I back blend this particular beer (porter in rum barrels) and then package off. Never lasts more than a week from packaging ...

[Tash]

GWK units blows...slow piece of junk from China do not bother!

We've been using the Rack it Teer. Specifically designed with Brewers in mind. Yes its expensive but if you get into barrel aging this item pays for itself in man hour reduction alone. It will get more out of your barrels(98%) and doesn't need constant monitoring.

Best feature ever is the locking bung(expands into bunghole). So the pressure can be a tad higher thus pushing beer out of barrel via CO2 at a good rate.

Rack it Teer take 3 minutes to empty a barrel. GWK was closer to 20 -30 if you wanted everything out of the barrel.


More finished beer to bright tank, less time spent on process, done in a manner that doesn't risk damage to beer as many other methods.

http://www.rackitteer.com/product.php

Tash

[Supernaut]

Thanks for the info everyone. I think the Rack-It-Teer will be the way to go once we get there.

JB

[Ted Briggs]

yeast

Lallamond has a new cask/bottle conditioned beer yeast im going to try. I think Fermentis just came out with one too. On my last bottling's I got varied results in carbonation and very loose bottoms using S-5, so im going to try this out. Anyone use these yet?