Nobunaga wrote:I was wanting to make an ale of some kind, but it seemed rather complicated, with the hops, the carbonation and all that.
And what do you mean please by Bourbon barrel? You buy these or you make them?
Thanks.
Distilleries are required to use new oak barrels for their bourbon, whiskey, rum, and so forth. So you can purchase used barrels from some of the distilleries. Some us from the local homebrew club purchased a 55gal bourbon barrel. One of the guys picked it up a couple days after it was emptied, and we had beer already fermented and ready to go into it. We did an Imperial Porter about 2 years ago, and it was one of the best beers I've ever had (including commercial brews): It was about 10% ABV with a strong chocolaty porter flavor with hints of vanilla from the bourbon and a slight astringent bite of oak from the barrel in the finish. And of course, we can put new batches in after the first comes out. My two Flanders (sour) beers came from that barrel, and there's a Flanders Brown aging in it now.
The group of us got another barrel and have the RIS in it right now and are about to pull it out as soon as all the Strong Scotch Ales are ready to go in. We also got a wine barrel from a winery and put a Belgian Golden Strong in it. It has soured, and tastes incredible. We're planning to put a Saison in there next.