Oak Barrel Help

[woodcock]

Greetings all,

first post on this forum. I'm a beginner to home brewing & brew mainly kits from tins (normally woodfords wherry), and cider in season. I am lucky to have been bought an oak firkin for xmas which i'm currently soaking but i'm unsure of the specific details of how to go about using it. I plan to do two batches of wherry and add them to the barrel for secondary fermentation/conditioning. Do i need to add any special equipment to the barrel ie something to let out excess pressure. I have the tap to fit and there is a wooden bung in the top which I was just going to replace when full - will this be adequate to keep the pressure in. Any other info/advice would be much appreciated as i've only used plastic pressure barrels before (which are useless - but then what do i expect from wilko's!!).

Regards

 

[Aleman]

Gosh, Nothing like jumping in at the deep end. and we think cornii are tricky

The best information of beer from the wood is in John Alexander's Book A guide to Craft Brewing. I know a very little (From Dave Lines Big Book Of Brewing) but that dates from the 1970's. John is a member of Durden Park Brewing Circle and did most of the research for the Old English Beers Books. He is well known in the Craft Brewing Association for his 'traditional' ales.

Good Luck

 

[Wez]

Welcome!

Sounds really interesting, any chance of piccies?

 

[woodcock]

Thanks for the info (though i'm now a little daunted by the task ahead!!) and for the welcomes.

I'll have a go at a photo if i get chance - it's a nice looking barrel - though i'm not the most accomplished IT user!

 

[Wez]

It would be great to see it.

If you don't already have one you can set up a free photo account at www.photobucket.com upload your pictures there (upload them as 320x240 medium) then just copy the ...[IMG] code which will appear under your pictures and paste it into your message and the forum will then pick the piccy up :thumb:

If you have any probs just pop a question on here - I think most of the people here use photobucket and we're a helpful bunch :thumb:

 

[percival]

wow, sounds like fun and how cooooool will that be sitting pretty on display

Contacting the manufacturers for advice can't be a bad move. They'll probably have at least one person on their staff who regularly uses them and is enthusiastic about you being successful. They may give you loads of info that you don't understand yet but make a note of it and one day it'll fall into place. Aswell as asking how to use it properly you may also want to ask what the classic mistakes are that people make, these often come from things that seem reasonable at the time. Chemicals and procedures to avoid etc. Don't be put off if anyone frowns on you for being a novice or brewing from kits. Obviously it can't be that difficult technically, but there may be some specifics that you'll need to take heed of. For example can you expect success from your first barrel full? do you need to condition it in any way etc etc.

all the best with it and enjoy it!

 

[woodcock]

Here's a link to a photo of the barrel as promised - let me know if it works and what you think.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34264870@N02/3190524261/

Regards

 

[Jonnyv]

Wow - that's a beast! :thumb:

 

[Wez]

Ooooh Yes! I like that :thumb:

 

[percival]

neat barrel, i thought you got a new one (doh) but that looks the business!