Long Term Barrel Storage?

[AZBeerNut]

I have two barrels on the way for use in brewing... both used... one whiskey, one rum.

Problem is... I won't be back home for about 4 months!

I've Googled the crud out of how to store these puppies until I'm ready to use them... but there is a TON of conflicting information out there...

** I'm leaning toward keeping them half full with distilled water plus a fifth of the liquor they originally housed...

... but......

I've found sites telling me just to keep it FULL of distilled water?
I've found other sites advocating just pouring a fifth of the liquor in?
I've found other sites describing the sulphur burn procedure?
I've found other sites talking about long-term acidic solutions?

Bottom line: used oak liquor barrels... can't brew for at least 4 months but barrels are on the way... want to store them so they don't dry out, shrink down, and lose those flavors... (and this is obviously my first attempt at using barrels)....... HELP!

 

[KeyWestBrewing]

I don't have any personal answers but if you try contacting a distillery they might be able to help. I'd think if anyone knows how to store barrels it would be a distillery.

 

[freisste]

I don't have any personal answers but if you try contacting a distillery they might be able to help. I'd think if anyone knows how to store barrels it would be a distillery.

Good call. They may not have great answers because they aren't in the business of storing barrels *empty*, but it is a great first place to start.

Just don't bother with anybody making bourbon!

 

[Xpertskir]

Barrel prep is not an easy thing to find info on...

We had a similar situation, well we couldn't brew for a couple months to fill the barrel..this is what we did.

Put the barrel on blocks, bung down to drain and dry for a week or so.

Then do the sulfur burn and bung it immediately.

Rinse and swell a couple days before brew day, and fill.

 

[AZBeerNut]

Well I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't know! Gonna go with the half-full of distilled water plus a fifth of the liquor the barrel contained, I guess. Worst case scenario: this doesn't work very well and I can sulphur treat and flush. Shrug.

 

[KeyWestBrewing]

Well I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't know! Gonna go with the half-full of distilled water plus a fifth of the liquor the barrel contained, I guess. Worst case scenario: this doesn't work very well and I can sulphur treat and flush. Shrug.

Why just go with a guess and not email or call a distillery? Just sayin.

 

[AZBeerNut]

Why just go with a guess and not email or call a distillery? Just sayin.

I emailed 5 distilleries... got three different answers (and 2 non-responses).
I also emailed 3 different cooperages... got two different answers (and 1 non-response).
I also emailed BOTH places I have barrels coming from... got two different answers.

The most common (3 of the 6) at least had, somewhere in their answer, that it was possible to try filling with distilled water and some liquor (though they didn't all agree on how much water or how much liquor).

That's why I asked here...... to hopefully find some experienced barrel aging brewers who have also had to go some time without brewing in their barrels.

I wouldn't ask if it was something I could Google or figure out with a phone call or two.

"Just sayin."

 

[Xpertskir]

Well I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't know! Gonna go with the half-full of distilled water plus a fifth of the liquor the barrel contained, I guess. Worst case scenario: this doesn't work very well and I can sulphur treat and flush. Shrug.

Half full makes no sense FWIW. If you want to keep it swelled then keep it full, otherwise the half not exposed to water will need swelled anyways. The liquor seems like a waste and unecesarry, it won't be in a high enough concentration to do anything.

If you want the flavor of the spirits that were in the barrel to stick around for your beer, the method I described will serve that purpose the best.

The method we used wasn't a shot in the dark, I guess I am better at google.

 

[freisste]

Why does the barrel need to be filled all the way? Barrels at a distillery are filled to the top when stored, but can be significantly less than half full after extended aging. Those don't just fall apart on the shelves....

 

[Xpertskir]

Why does the barrel need to be filled all the way? Barrels at a distillery are filled to the top when stored, but can be significantly less than half full after extended aging. Those don't just fall apart on the shelves....

Of course they wont fall apart, but if they were to add more whiskey to them the staves at the top would leak and pretty badly after an extended time without touching liquid. The barrels you are speaking of wont be full until they are swelled again.



The main enemy here BTW is acetobacter. Any attempts to prep a barrel for storage are really attempts to keep acetobacter at bay.


Half full will also provide more 02 to fuel acetobacter growth. And a dilute concentration of alcohol will give the acetobacter food.


The spirits guys have less concern about acetobacter because the concentrations of alcohol they are aging inhibit its growth. Beer and wine is quite a bit different, and basically an ideal environment.

 

[AZBeerNut]

Half full makes no sense FWIW. If you want to keep it swelled then keep it full, otherwise the half not exposed to water will need swelled anyways. The liquor seems like a waste and unecesarry, it won't be in a high enough concentration to do anything.

If you want the flavor of the spirits that were in the barrel to stick around for your beer, the method I described will serve that purpose the best.

The method we used wasn't a shot in the dark, I guess I am better at google.

The cooperages told me not to completely fill it for long term storage. I didn't ask why.

"To ensure that the barrel does not dry out over time, half fill the barrel (do NOT fill the barrel to the top if storing for an extended period of time) with water and a small amount of the spirit with which you have been filling the barrel (bourbon, whiskey, rum, tequila, etc) and seal the bunghole tight. The moisture inside the barrel will not allow the barrel to shrink and dry."

A distillery also mentioned adding some liquor because even the smaller amount of alcohol will "greatly help prevent bugs and mold."

I have no doubt in your Google skills... just that distilleries and cooperages recommended this method to me. Shrug.



Edit -- just called but got voicemail -- left a message to ask why only fill half way... and why add liquor -- will post their answer when I get a hold of them...