Bourbon Barrels

[Buckley]

How long do you let yours age for?? I have a hybrid brown ale. English and belgian malts with west coast hops, 6.5% 31.5 ibu's.

[Captain Mullet]

The aging is based on the alcohol content, 1 month for each degree of Plato. But it is best to check it a month or so before that time line because each beer and barrel will act differently.

[Buckley]

i month each degree as in the finished plato?? Hmm I had never really heard that one before. thanks. Any other opinions??

[Captain Mullet]

One month for each percentage of alcohol......... not plato.

i.e., 6% AbV 6 Months

[theburden]

One month for each percentage of alcohol......... not plato.

i.e., 6% AbV 6 Months

I would say that is a very general rule. It's always best to thief out some every month or so when you find you have the chance to see how the beer is changing. You might be surprised the difference a few months makes.

[BrewinLou]

There are a lot of variables to consider; how wet the barrels are (bourbon character), how much char character are you looking for, does the environment you age in have temperature fluctuations (this is the biggest factor in aging Bourbon barrels).

[Buckley]

I have them stored in front of the bar which is 65-70 respectively. The barrels where wet, I rinsed them with 120 degree H2o to remove some of the loose charred material.

[mooneyray]

We generally oak ours (barlywine, scotch, stout) for at least six months at around fifty degrees F, tasting each month. The bourbon character doesn't take long to come through. For spirits take about six months to reach the flavor thresholds for vinillin/vinillic acid. I'm not sure what the time is for beer, possibly in the same neighborhood.