OBC MEETING @ FH STEINBARTS MAR. 13TH Brew Crew News VOLUME 37, NUMBER 3 MARCH 2014 The Presidential Pint OBC BOARD OF DIRECTORS By Ted Assur Winter keeps hanging FH Steinbart is hosting the President on into March this year. complimentary OBC Basic Brewing Ted Assur [email protected] Schlenkerla’s Rauchbier Class for all our members who are just Märzen is an ornery getting started in our delicious hobby. Vice President Will Minderhout sort of beer to match Speaking of picking up steam, I wanted [email protected] my feelings towards to take a moment to thank the members Treasurer the weather and the of your OBC Board for all their efforts Dylan VanDetta irritating shortness of in keeping up the energy and spirit of [email protected] February. If you want a the club: I find myself being sent out of Secretary nice crisp märzen with state for work a bunch this month and Rick Okamura a side of bacon in it, this [email protected] am comforted to find the club in great one’s for you. Burgermeister hands when I’m not around. Each time Jason Barker On the flip side, I am we meet they’ve got good news to share [email protected] thrilled about all I have or exciting ideas to try out. The great Education Committee Chair learned from folks about attitude and spirit of volunteerism in Chris Hummert the OBC this last month: each of them makes this club one I’m [email protected] As we get closer to submitting our entry thrilled to be a part of. Please be sure Competition Committee Chair Joel Sherman for the inaugural Radegast Club of the to offer them a hand if anything they [email protected] Year Award with the AHA, I have had do interests you: just a couple of extra Festival Coordinator a chance to speak to so many great hands makes their jobs so much easier. Lee Hedgmon former and current members and our Were I making beer right now, it would [email protected] partners in the industry that maintain be a Dry Irish Stout. It’s by far my Communications collaborative attitudes with each favorite session beer to make, and I favor Committee Chair other and with us, the homebrewing Warren Johnson tossing in just a touch of Acidulated Malt [email protected] community. I wanted to personally thank when I make it. It’s a simple and pleasant all who came to last month’s meeting beer to brew, and I find I need to make with John Harris of Ecliptic to join in larger batches of it, as it seems to flow showing off what makes this club the quickly from my taps. greatest. INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Rumor has it, I may be allowed near a Things are picking up steam this month brewing rig again sometime this month, The Presdential Pint 1 with activities you’ll likely want to know and will be able to share some with you Competition Corner 2 about, and they won’t slow down until soon. How to Bottle Beer from a Keg 3 the end of summer: I leave you with a little Irish Brewers’ Ask Mr. Know-It-All 4 Former OBC Presidents Mark Easton Blessing: Burgermeister 6 and Chris Hummert are kicking off our Secretary’s Report 7 next BJCP class and test exclusive to May your runnings all get to your kettle. Festival of the Dark Arts 8 new judges in order to get some more May your hops never be cheesy. Ask a Brewer 9 folks in the pool to handle our chronic May your boils always be full. Use & Care of Oak Barrel 10 regional shortfalls. And your gravity always hit target (or Mark Your Calendars 13 Strange Brew’s Slurp & Burp comes better). And until we meet again, around early this year, kicking off the May you enjoy good beer with great 2014 competition season and will be friends. www.oregonbrewcrew.org held at 13 Virtues Brewing on Mar. 15th. VOLUME 37, NUMBER 3 PAGE 2 Competition Corner Calling All OBC Judges, Stewards and Volunteers! The NHC 1st Round in Seattle needs your help. If you have not already done so, please register to judge, steward or volunteer for Friday, April 4th at 5:30 PM and/or Saturday, April 5th at 8:30 AM. Location is Pyramid Alehouse, Brewery & Restaurant at 1201 First Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98134. Check out the Bolt Bus for cheap travel up and back, and the Silver Cloud Hotel - Seattle Stadium for discounted accommodation. (Use group code HOMEBREW and password SEATTLE to get the discount). NHC Comp entries will be accepted at FH Steinbarts until the time of the OBC Meeting on March 13th and at Brew Brothers until close of business on March 17th.
OBC March Style Competition Cascade Brewers Cup Small Beers Saturday, April 26 | Triplehorn Brewing Thursday, March 13 | Start of OBC Company, Woodinville, WA general meeting, 7:00 PM | Entry Deadline: Saturday, April 19 FH Steinbart Company Registration and judge information is Bring one (1) bottle of your beer to the available here meeting. Prizes will be awarded to the AHA Rally & Homebrew Competition top three beers. The winning beer will Sunday, April 27 | 1:00 PM | be brewed up by BunsenBrewer and Green Dragon, Portland available on tap during our April out Show up, drink beer, and vote for the meeting there! Please email Joel official OBC beer brewed by our own Sherman if you plan on entering a small Chuck Macaluso! This event is free to beer and/or would like to judge. AHA members. Register here. Slurp & Burp Open 2014 Saturday, March 15 | Check in 8:30 AM | Heart of Cascadia - Cascadia Dark Ales 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM | and Northwest Red Ales Saturday, May 13 Virtues Brewing Company 17 | Check in 8:30 AM | 9:00 AM to Entry Deadline: Friday, March 7 3:00 PM | Green Dragon Register your beers and to judge here Entry Deadline: Thursday, May 1 Entry and judge registration Capitol Brewers Homebrewers Classic information to follow Saturday, April 12 | Gilgamesh Brewing, Salem Entry Deadline: Friday, March 28 Registration and judge information is available here.
BREW CREW NEWS VOLUME 37, NUMBER 3 PAGE 3 How to Bottle Beer from a Keg By Jason Barker
This is how I get my beer from my keg into • Insert the wand into the bottle about 1/2” bottles. Many people use the Blichmann from the bottom to minimize turbulence Beer Gun to bottle their beers. But, when once the beer gets flowing. I first got into this hobby I wasn’t sure I • Press the lever on the picnic tap full wanted to invest the $75-100 for this tool, so blast, do not try to feather it. Once you I researched and found this cheap setup that start flowing, don’t stop. You want one has served me well over the years. So well in continuous smooth flow until it’s topped fact, that I have no desire to buy a Beer Gun. up where you want it. Here’s what you’ll need: • Have your caps and capper sanitized and • one of those cheap black plastic picnic/ 100% ready to go so when you’ve filled a cobra type taps ($4-6); bottle you can immediately cap it on the foam that should be slowly erupting out • a clear plastic tube from a bottling wand the top. It’s ok if a little beer/foam spills ($4). Buy the wand, then just pull the valve out the top, in fact you should plan on it. off the end, you don’t need the valve; • The #1 problem beginners have with this • a “beer out” quick disconnect fitting to method is too much foam. If it’s foaming connect a beer line from your keg to your too much then review the steps above, picnic tap ($5-6); and otherwise maybe your beer is over • a length of beer line, I use about 4 feet. carbonated to begin with. Longer will help with foaming issues due Some people don’t like this method due to to increased friction ($4-5). not purging the bottle with CO2 prior to All of these parts are readily available at filling, meaning your beer is coming in direct FH Steinbart or Brew Brothers. contact with air while it’s being bottled and Push the beer line onto the barbed ends could get oxidized and adversely effect of the picnic tap and the keg fitting. (Dip flavor. My opinion is that for the time and the beer line in hot water for a minute to surface area that the beer is exposed, soften it up and make it easier to slide on there’s not enough oxidation happening to the barbs.) You don’t need hose clamps for make any difference. Certainly not enough these ends. Then shove the clear plastic difference to take on the additional expense wand into the pouring nozzle of the picnic and fighting with the extra hoses and fittings tap, CAREFULLY! If you jam it too hard, you that a Beer Gun requires. The beer that does will crack your new tap. Just push it in while come in contact with the air has a layer of twisting it a little. foam on it, doesn’t it? What happens to that “contaminated” layer of foam? That’s You are ready to go once you’ve assembled right, it gets pushed right out the top of the and sanitized your new bottling apparatus, bottle before you cap it. I’m not knocking bottles, and caps! the effectiveness of a Beer Gun, but for Here’s some pointers to make it go easier: people who want a low cost option, I think this is worth a try. I’ve bottled a multitude of • Make sure the keg, beer line, and bottles award winning beers using this method, so are all cold. This will help cut down on I’m confident that with some practice you foaming. can too. • Release all pressure from your keg then add 3-5psi for bottling, you want this to be a smooth flow to cut down on foaming.
BREW CREW NEWS VOLUME 37, NUMBER 3 PAGE 4 Ask Mr. Know-It-All This month we’d like to introduce a new column to the newsletter, Ask Mr. Know-It-All.
We’ll take your beer and brewing- • StarSan in a spray bottle (this should related questions on items you might be a standard tool in your arsenal be wondering about, and Pliny Mr. already); Know-It-All with beer until he reveals • A spring-loaded bottle filler with a an answer. We figure it’s worked so far 3/8” OD (outer diameter); (this month), so we might as well put it in the newsletter. • About 2 1/2 feet of tubing with a 3/8” ID (inner diameter); and If you’ve got a question you’d like to see in print, and maybe even an answer to go • (optional) Nitrile gloves, as so to with it, please send it to Mr. Know-It-All prevent contact with the StarSan. Q: There is this great, rare beer on tap that INSTRUCTIONS: isn’t sold in bottles. I’m going to get a 1. Start by sanitizing the growler and growler of it to save and drink in small cap with the StarSan sprayer (10 amounts over time. Obviously, every sprays should do). Close the growler time I open the growler, I’m going to and shake well; you can leave the lose carbonation, introduce oxygen, StarSan in the growler until you etc. Do you have any suggestions in this get it filled. You don’t need to fill situation? the growler with StarSan; that few You are in luck; I have the perfect tablespoons of spray will do the trick A: solution! I’ve used this technique many, - trust me. many times in the past, and I’ve never 2. Get your growler filled, but know had oxidized beer, carbonation loss, or that it is imperative that you ask the infection issues.
BREW CREW NEWS continued on next page VOLUME 37, NUMBER 3 PAGE 5 Ask Mr. Know-It-All (continued)
CAUTION, SCIENCE: bottles, and tubeworks (spray again Why are we doing this? A gas (CO2) if needed; I for one am very “OCD” stays suspended in liquid (beer) more about “beer clean” - Google it). stably the colder the liquid is. Thus, if 9. Uncap your growler and dip the non- you don’t want to lose carbonation, bottle filler end into the bottom of chill the beer as best you can. More the growler. science, liquid expands as it cools, so that’s why we need to be careful 10. Now the next part is up to you- here. starting the siphon. There are multiple ways to do this. Some 4. While you’re waiting for the ice prefer the sanitize-lips-and-tongue- crystals to form, fit one end of the with-vodka way... just remember that tubing over the end of the bottle filler the filler is spring loaded, so you’ll until it’s covered only about 1/2”. It need to depress it while starting the should fit snugly. If it’s a tight fit, use siphon. a little StarSan to help. 11. As swiftly as you can, do the 5. If you’re using gloves, don them now; following: fill-cap-repeat. Do not spray them with StarSan. Sanitize fill-fill-fill as you’re going to lose your tubeworks completely by that precious carbonation you’re spraying inside and out. Make sure trying to preserve. Remember, as you depress the spring loaded end to the beer warms, CO2 comes out of let the StarSan run into it. suspension way more easily. 6. Clean and sanitize your bottles and 12. Done? Great! RDWHAHB and clean Oxycaps. It’s okay to have the caps sit everything for the next time. in a dish with StarSan too. I also use a bottle drying tree, remembering to Depending on the beer you’re trying sanitize the tines first. to save, it will stay quite nicely in those bottles. I’ve had beer that I’ve kept for 7. RDWHAHB. Are the ice crystals over 7 years taste quite lovely with the formed yet? Good; time to do this age allowed in them. Keep in mind that thing! aging successfully typically works with 8. If you’re using gloves, don them again; naturally protected beers such as sours, spray them with StarSan. Double- high ABV, high IBU, and pasteurized check the sanitization of your caps, (belch) beers.
BREW CREW NEWS VOLUME 37, NUMBER 3 PAGE 6 A word from the Burgermeister by Jason Barker Food update for the March 13th meeting to thank him at the meeting for his at FH Steinbart Co. support! Just a reminder that the food at our I’ll be making a vegetarian chili that I meetings is meant to be a snack and to hope you’ll like, along with the usual have something to munch on, it’s not a suspects of dips, chips, and crackers. full-blown dinner meal. We want you to The wife (Lisa) makes an outstanding have something nice in your stomach flan that I’m trying to cajole her into while sampling beers and to keep your making too, we’ll see. If you have a focus during the education portion of recipe that’s sure to please, whip it up the meeting. Our budget doesn’t provide and bring it down! Just don’t forget to feed everyone a full meal. to label your food (vegetarian, spicy, Brian Butenschoen of the Oregon gluten-free, etc) and label your dish Brewers Guild has generously offered to so you get it back. Please email me donate some of Portland’s own Zenner’s if you plan to contribute food for the franks to us for this meeting. Make sure meeting. Calling All Volunteers 2014 Spring Beer & Wine Festival is April 18 & 19th!
Do you know anyone who likes free beer-loving people. Beyond the regular beer? Free Admission? Free t-shirt? festival shifts, pouring great beers, we Then sign up to volunteer for the Spring also need members to volunteer to pour Beer & Wine Festival! There are lots of Collaborator beers and work the OBC shifts to fill! No experience necessary! booth! Go to volunteer for the festival, No permit required! to volunteer at the OBC booth, email me. We need lots of help and this club Talk to your friends and family. If you is successful due to its volunteerism volunteer to work at the festival, perks so please, volunteer! If you have any include: A t-shirt, free admission, a questions, feel free to email me. festival mug and tokens. Not to mention just the fun of hanging out with other Thanks! Lee Hedgmon, Festival Coordinator
BREW CREW NEWS VOLUME 37, NUMBER 3 PAGE 7 Secretary’s Report By Rick Okamura OBC meeting minutes for February 2014
Date: February 13, 2014 FESTIVALS: Time: 7:00 p.m. Festival Coordinator, Lee Hedgmon, Location: Ecliptic Brewing announced that the Spring Beer and Members Present: 134 Wine Festival (SBWF) volunteer Next Meeting: March 13, 2014 @ 7:00 registration website is live. PM, F.H. Steinbart Co. Lee announces that Ladies of Lagers and Ales (LOLA) is calling out for 10 GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS: female homebrewers to participate President, Ted Assur, announces that the in a fundraiser for the human rights revised Member of the Year and OBC campaign in March 29, 2014. Cup scoring regimes are now posted on Member, Steve Lollard announces that the website. the SBWF needs volunteers for April Ted announces that the scholarship and 18th and 19th to pour beers. You will be NHC reimbursement application forms rewarded. will be posted on the website soon. UPCOMING COMPETITIONS: Ted announces that the OBC hoodie Competition Committee Chair, Joel order has come in and they are available Sherman, congratulates Chuck for purchase. Macaluso on his competition wins and Ted announces that Mark Easton and announces the Style Competition Chris Hummert are putting on a 10 week Program (SCP) will feature “Small BJCP class, beginning March 4, 2014, Beers” at the March meeting, so and they will be taking 20 people for the bring your bottle to be judged at the class, 12 of whom will then be able to meeting. take the BJCP tasting exam. The classes Member, Paul Johnson, steps up for will likely take place on Tuesday evenings a reminder of the upcoming Slurp-N- from 6:00 to 8:30 and the class fee will Burp competition March 15, 2014, to be be $100. held at 13 Virtues Brewing. Ted announces that the FHS basic Member, Noel Blake, announces that brewing class will for club members will the Collaborator Competition will be take place on March 23, 2014. held in the month of May this year and Ted recognizes Bruce Prior for his they are expecting to choose three or excellent work on the club newsletter four beers as winners. As a reminder, and asks members to buy Bruce a beer two entries are allowed per brewer. whenever they see him at the Green CLUB VOTES: Dragon. Membership approval on allocating an Burgermeister, Jason Barker, asks that additional $600 for the purchase of members contact him to coordinate the OBC logo T-shirts (to be held for sale to food that they are planning to bring to the next meeting. members and the public). –YES Yancy Faulkner introduces the Hop EDUCATION EVENT: Stories crew, who are producing a video John Harris on Ecliptic and 28 years of for the club. Check them out here: brewing in Oregon. Thank you John! http://hopstories.com BREW CREW NEWS VOLUME 37, NUMBER 3 PAGE 8 Festival of the Dark Arts by Lee Hedgmon
February is Stout month and what better blacksmithing, way to celebrate it than heading to Astoria food sellers, and Fort George for the Festival of the and more Dark Arts. This year was my first time beer for the attending and I was not prepared for brave and the sheer scale of this event. I took the rain-proofed. Brewvana bus there with my partner and The fire dancers and we were going to stay the night, which world record setting fire-eater were due meant I had planned a day of epic tasting. to perform after dark. There were artisans It was not just amazing beers to taste, of metalwork and tattoo artists, tarot card but also activities deemed “Dark” and reader, and even a booth that did old- medieval to enjoy. I’d heard that there fashioned tintype photos. I contemplated was going to be a lot of fire. Considering a tattoo of hops but decided against that the weather, I was ready to be impressed. as quickly as we wandered by the booth. The festival touted the “largest selection I did come away with an iron rose in full of specialty stouts in Northwest” on their bloom and about 11 tasty beverages over website and they solidly laid claim to that the course of 5 hours. Of the 11 that I tried, with 55 different stouts. I was particularly the standouts were truly interesting and if excited because I had a horse in that race, they’d had bottles available to sell I’d have a cinnamon chocolate milk stout put in by clubbed folks with my iron rose to get to Portland U-Brew and Pub and brewed the front of the line to purchase them. by me. There were the usual participants Fort George outdid themselves with their of great stouts put forward by Boneyard, Rumkin Stout, made with pumpkin and Firestone Walker, Stone Brewing, Bear aged in rum barrel. A close second was Republic, Alesmith, and of course Fort the Rum Barrel Cavatica, followed by the George. With 55 beers to choose from, and Squashed Stout, which was sweet, toasty only 8 hours to enjoy them, I had to narrow and earthy. Block 15’s Nebula was stellar, down my choices to not readily available a rich and roasty combination. I had the and interesting sounding beers. Dark Matter from Fort George and was The festival utilized the full expanse of Fort blown away by the dark fruit aromas, George’s space. It seemed like every nook malty richness and big bodied mouthfeel. and cranny had either an attraction or was Widmer’s KGB blend from 3 barrels was packed with bodies slowly sipping dark impressive and I’m hoping to find it again brews. I missed the opening procession in Portland. New brewery Buoy Brewing of dancers and costumed folks, but as the in Astoria had a solid stout and many afternoon wore on I saw them weaving in beers ran out quickly as word of mouth and out of crowds. The spread and people made their way to the Captain Jack Sparrow was stations to snag the last few drops of Grey the highlight and he was Monday by The Bruery and the wildcard constantly mobbed with beer by the new brewery, Seaside Brewing. people taking pictures Portland U-Brew and Pub’s contribution with him. Due to weather the Cinnamon Chocolate Milk Stout blew conditions the two- in little over 3 hours from the start of the story building was jam festival. As I was carrying the sign to where packed with bodies, as Warren waited to take our picture with it, I was the warehouse. We was stopped numerous times and asked by resisted the urge to just folks if it was still there. People were excited bolt and run from one by all the beers there and it was the most building to the next and well-mannered festival of fairly high octane stopped by the tents they beers that I’ve ever been to and I can’t wait BREW CREW NEWS had set up outside with demonstrations of to go back again next year. VOLUME 37, NUMBER 3 PAGE 9 Ask the Brewer Aaron Hanson, Owner and Brewer, Bunsenbrewer Fermentation Laboratory
Question: “What is one thing you’ve learned as a professional brewer that would have helped you as a homebrewer?” Answer: Yeast washing. As a homebrewer I chronically underpitched and underoxygenated, and I think I could have made better beer if I had taken better care of my yeast. Yeast is magic stuff. There are all these different varieties that do different things so you pick one and buy the smack pack. If you’re super proactive you make a starter and have an oxygen setup, otherwise you just toss it in and hope for the best. As a homebrewer, I never felt like yeast was “my” yeast. I picked out a strain that I hoped would be good, tossed in a smack pack (or did a starter Bunsenbrewer if I was feeling really ambitious), and hoped for the best. The thing I was Fermentation missing is that after fermentation, the stuff you pour out is YOUR yeast. Laboratory It may have started out as Wyeast’s strain, but YOU grew that yeast and 16506 SE 362nd there’s no reason to not reuse it. Sandy, Oregon At the end of every primary, you’ve got so much healthy yeast at the 97055 bottom of your fermenter that goes to waste if you don’t repitch. You already know how to sanitize, so learning how to reuse that massive quantity of yeast is very simple. There’s no reason you shouldn’t be doing a huge yeast pitch every time you brew. Learn to wash yeast, and have a massive collection of mason jars full of yeast in your fridge. Not only will you save money, but you’ll be a better brewer for it.
Question: “What is your favorite beer style to brew and why?” Answer: This is a tough question. Favorite to brew would be something like an IPA, because you know it’s going to turn out OK even if you make some mistakes. Brewing beer is a very zen activity, and there’s a lot to be said for being able to sit back and let the process happen. On the other hand, there are beers that I obsess over and worry about every little point. My white whale is a clone/homage of Dragon’s Milk. It’s a huge sweet bourbon oak orgasm that I’ve never been able to reproduce. As long as you’re having fun it doesn’t matter if you’re hitting softballs brewing basic recipes or playing Ahab trying to perfect your Witbier. The effort and pursuit is what makes this a worthwhile endeavor, and we’re better off for it. Aaron Hanson Owner and Brewer Bunsenbrewer Fermentation Laboratory
BREW CREW NEWS VOLUME 37, NUMBER 3 PAGE 10 Use and Care of Oak Barrels for Aging Beer
By J. Frey
Oak barrels are widely used in wine making important to remember that a barrel will and the spirit industry for the flavor they impart significant flavor in the beginning of impart as well as their effect on the aging its life, but will impart diminishing amounts process. Brewers and breweries have of flavor with consecutive uses. recently grown fond of using oak barrels Prepping a new barrel for its first use: for similar reasons, but the nature of an oak barrel’s use for beer is a bit different. A new barrel from a reputable supplier Brewers typically (but not always) age should be biologically sound and only needs beer in a barrel previously used for spirits to be swelled with clean water to tighten or wine. Beers aged in these barrels pick the joints in the pieces of wood and prevent up the essence of the beverage previously leakage. If you need to clean a used barrel, contained in the barrel as well as oak flavor. refer to the cleaning procedures below Depending on how the barrel was handled, before filling the barrel. sanitation and preparation practices can be The hot water method for swelling a new different from those used for new barrels. barrel is recommended because it uses less The flavors imparted by oak range from water thus stripping out less oak flavor in the smoky, tannin/tannic, toasted/charred to process. Follow these steps: smooth, rich chocolate and/or vanilla and 1. Fill the barrel with clean hot, steamy water of course, woody. The type of oak used to 20% capacity. Hot water and vapor will and the level of toast determine the flavors swell the staves of the barrel faster than imparted in the aged beverage. In my cold water. experience, American oak provides a more wood-forward flavor. The tannins are high- 2. Insert the bung and slosh the water impact, lending crisp woody characteristics. around the entire surface of the barrel. French oak is known for its smooth and Agitate the water inside the barrel until soft flavor impact. When I am looking for any leaky areas in the sides seal up and the classic vanilla-like oak flavor and aroma stop seeping water. notes, I look to french oak. Please note that 3. Stand the barrel on one end and allow the these are “nutshell” descriptions based on head (the round, flat end section) to swell my personal experience and much more can until it stops leaking. Flip the barrel and be learned about the flavors imparted by allow the other head to swell. various oak origins and toast levels. 4. Place the barrel bung-down to allow The major factors governing how much the water to drain thoroughly. Allow the flavor is imparted are the amount of time barrel to cool down and dry adequately that the beverage is left in contact with before immediately filling with your the wood, as well as the ratio of total oak beverage of choice. surface area to amount of beer in contact with that surface area. When adding oak The cold water method will seal most pieces to a container of beer, one can problematic leaks and is recommended increase the amount of oak used to decrease for barrels that have been stored dry for the contact time necessary to extract extended periods of time. Since this method suitable flavor. For barrel use this means uses more water for longer contact time, that smaller barrels impart flavor faster than more flavor will be stripped from the barrel larger barrels. This is because a larger barrel than when using the hot water method. has a lower ratio of surface area to volume 1. Fill the barrel completely with cold, clean than a smaller barrel. Barrel aging also water and soak overnight. This should be imparts subtle oxidation to a beverage over done above a floor drain or somewhere time, and this effect is accelerated in smaller that you wouldn’t mind water leaking onto barrels, just as the flavor impact is. It is also the ground for a day or two. BREW CREW NEWS continued on next page VOLUME 37, NUMBER 3 PAGE 11 Use and Care of Oak Barrels for Aging Beer (continued)
2. Add one campden tablet catch the ashes and prevent them from (crushed) per 20 gallons depositing into the barrel. Most sulfur-stick of water to neutralize any burners also have a bung to close off the chlorine in the water. barrel and contain the sulfur gas inside. Think of a coat hanger, a small steel cup, 3. All reasonable leaks and some ingenuity. Sulfur-sticks should should seal up overnight or be burned outside in a well ventilated area in a few days. Water should because sulfur gas is harmful to breath. never be left in the barrel for more than 48 hours 3. After burning the sulfur-stick, bung the to avoid mold or bacteria barrel tightly to trap the sulfur gas inside. growth. If more than 48 Store your barrel in a sound environment hours soak time is needed at the proper humidity. The sulfur stick to seal any leaks, the barrel should be treatment should be repeated every drained and refilled with fresh water. six to eight weeks to replenish the anti- microbial effect of the gas. 4. When all leaks have sealed, place the barrel bung-down and drain thoroughly It is possible to store your barrel wet with a before immediately filling with your storage solution. The downside of this is that beverage of choice. oak flavor will be stripped from the barrel as you store it. The upside is that the barrel Most brewers prefer to use freshly drained can be stored for longer periods of time with spirit or wine barrels to age beer, because out continuous care, and there is less risk it also imparts the essence of the previous of the barrel drying out. Barrels kept full of beverage. If the barrel is filled with beer storage solution will not need to be checked almost immediately after the draining of the for leaks/swelled before filling with beer. The original beverage, and the barrel is properly steps are as follows: handled, it need not be cleaned before filling. If the previous beverage is biologically 1. Calculate your storage solution chemicals sound, then the barrel is sanitary as well. needed for your barrel capacity; 1 gram of If the previous beverage is contaminated citric acid and 2 grams of So2 powder per (in the case of wine) It it impossible to liter of barrel capacity. This solution can be remove the bacteria completely because corrosive to metals and can etch concrete contaminants can hide deep in the crevices floors. Be judicious with its use and wash away from cleaning procedures. up residual amounts that may spill. Since it is not always possible to fill the 2. Fill the barrel half-way with cold water barrel with beer immediately after draining, 3. Mix up your chemicals needed into a few it is sometimes necessary to store the barrel liters of warm water until everything is either dry or with a storage solution. Storing dissolved. The fumes of this solution are the barrel dry with the proper method is abrasive and harmful to breath, so do this recommended because it will strip fewer in a well ventilated area. flavors than the storage solution method. The dry storage method is as follows: 4. Add the chemical solution to the barrel, mix thoroughly and top the barrel up to 1. After draining the barrel, rinse it several capacity with more cold water. Bung the times with hot, then cold water and allow barrel securely. it to drain thoroughly. 5. You will need to top up the storage 2. Place the barrel bung-side-up and insert a solution periodically depending on sulfur stick burner with 5 grams of burning evaporation rates. sulfur stick per 60 gallons barrel capacity. A sulfur stick burner can be purchased or 6. This solution will need to be replaced made at home. It consists of an apparatus eventually, but it is hard to say how often. to hang a flameproof cup inside the barrel A good rule of thumb would be quarterly and the cup itself, which needs to hold/ (every 3 months). hang the burning sulfur- stick and also BREW CREW NEWS continued on next page VOLUME 37, NUMBER 3 PAGE 12 Use and Care of Oak Barrels for Aging Beer (continued)
Barrel aging has a profound effect on the Unfortunately, a contamination issue left beer stored inside the barrel. Aside from ignored for any period of time will render the flavors introduced, barrel aged beers your barrel unusable. Bacteria can reside develop superior body and “structure,” in deep in the crevices of the wood, safe from part from the concentration of flavors thru the reach of our cleaning methods, only evaporation. The slow exchange of oxygen to emerge later and contaminate the next thru the walls of the wood lend a controlled batch of beer introduced to the barrel. maturation. Although the oak flavor Proper sanitation methods combined with contributed by a barrel will be completely the proper barrel care outlined in this article spent in about 3-4 uses, the barrel will will ensure a minimum of contamination continue to offer its “structuring” benefits. issues for the life of your barrel. Under a Barrels that have lost most of their oak worst-case scenario, a barrel can be sent to a flavor can be “refreshed” by adding new oak professional for a service in which the inside pieces thru the bung. The best determining of the barrel is scraped, exposing new oak factor in how long to leave your beer in the and re-fired to renew the toast to the wood. barrel is taste. As discussed earlier, smaller This can eradicate minor contamination but barrels impart flavor and other benefits not well established colonies of bacteria. A faster than larger barrels. Over generations confirmed brettanomyces contamination upon generations of wine and spirit makers is said to be permanent in the wood, and and countless vintages of wood aged these barrels should not be further used to beverages, professionals have decided upon age beer unless the bacteria is desired in the 30-60 gallon sized barrels as an ideal size flavor profile. They make great decorations, for aging. Decisions about the aging process furniture, or planters. Alternatively, you could are done intuitively, and it will take some dive into the murky depths of sour beer experience to gain an appreciation for the brewing (another topic reserved for another details of barrel aging. It is recommended article). to save a portion of un-oaked beer outside With proper care and a little luck your of the barrel to preserve the possibility of barrel will provide years of trusty service. blending back in to the oaked beer, affording Employ steadfast attention to detail to limit you the option of balancing the oak flavors contamination to an absolute minimum and in the direction of less oak. In this way you will wow your friends and peers with beer can always be left on oak for longer beers as complex and high-impact as the to develop more of its benefits, and in the super limited, wait-in-line, $20 per-bottle, case of mild “over-oaking” it can always be wax-dipped, hand-numbered super beers blended back into perfect balance. we are all so familiar with in this town! Barrel spoilage: Thanks for reading and cheers! With proper care and attention to detail, J. Frey your barrel will provide you years of use. F.H. Steinbart Co. Visible mold growing on the outside of the barrel is relatively normal from time to time, but should be cleaned in a timely manner to avoid the growth of the problem penetrating the spaces between the staves, eventually working its way to the inside of the barrel. These problem areas should be scrubbed with a coarse brush and a solution made in the manner of the storage solution outlined above (1 gram of citric acid and 2 grams of So2 powder per liter of water). Take care not to leave the solution in contact with the metal hoops of a barrel to avoid corrosion of the hoops.
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