Primary Fermentation in a Wooden Barrel?

Hello Fellow Brewers!

I am new to brewing and I was wondering if anyone has any experience with brewing beer in wooden barrels? If so, what are the considerations eg. hygiene, cleaning, modifications, etc? Also does brewing in wood make the beer taste better?

Thanks in advance.

Cheers Mark

Reply to
Un1c0rn
Loading thread data ...

I am fairly new to the whole brewing experience, but I would probably be inclined to say not to use a wooden barrel for primary fermentation.

This is going to be a lot harder to clean than plastic or glass due to the number of gaps in the wood! My main theory is based on the idea that you are discouraged from using a wooden spoon for stiring your wort.

I may be wrong but I would say don't do it! You would probably be okay in secondary since there will be more alcohol and this will be more tolerant to bacteria. Don't take my word for it!

Despite what everybody says, you could always take the option of try it to see what happens. You never know you might like the results. I would only do this if you are willing to ruin an entire batch though!!! Could be worth the gamble :D

Reply to
PieOPah

Don't do it! Of course you could do it and find out for yourself. People used to do it, otherwise we wouldn't have the "Beer Barrel Polka". People also used to brew in big crocks as well. I wonder if that's where the expression "I'm crocked" came from? The problem with Crocks and Barrels is like the previous person stated. Too many places for wild yeastie beasties to hide. They are difficult to impossible to clean thoroughly. You can buy oak chips from brewing supply houses that will give the same effect as brewing in a barrel. Plastic is good, glass is better.

Doug

Reply to
cc0112453

What about stainless steel?

Reply to
Un1c0rn

Others can maybe chime in with more info... but the other posters are probably right... wood is hard to clean and probably impossible for homebrewers to sanitize. Beer that is made in wood will probably turn out with a sour taste (on purpose) because of the bacteria that can't really be removed from it. That was likely the standard taste of beer years ago - and there are still some specialty beers today brewed in wood.

Also, beer can be served in wooden kegs but not fermented in them. A short length of time in the wood wouldn't create much/any taste. Further, most of those barrels from the past were coated on the inside with "pitch" (tar) so there wouldn't be any wood taste anyway.

If you want a wood taste (oak, etc), then some folks use wood chips. They steam the chips for a period of time to sanitize them and then put the chips into the beer during fermentation/lagering.

Reply to
Derric

I think it would be very hard to actually brew the beer in the wooden barrel, as it would keep catching fire while you were brewing.

Now if you are asking if you can FERMENT the beer in a wooden cask, the answer is yes - but I don't recommend it. It will be extremely hard to properly sanitize it. Whether or not it tastes better is up to your individual tastes as well. I've had a pale ale that was cask aged and tapped straight from the cask. I found it somewhat flat and the taste not very much to my liking. To each their own, however.

Reply to
NobodyMan

Stainless is fine for cooking and fermenting, expensive but fine. Not as fragile as glass or porcelain.

Avery Brew on brother! SW US desert

Reply to
Avery

On Thu, 09 Jun 2005 19:27:18 -0400, NobodyMan said in alt.beer.home-brewing:

Stone beer. :)

Reply to
Al Klein

DrinksForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.