2 year old barrel

[frunobulax]

Almost 2 years ago to the day a buddy and I finished filling a 15 gallon used bourbon barrel with a 100% barley whiskey. I would have liked to leave it in another year or so
but there was a couple other guys in on it with us and, while we did 90% of the work (Mashing, sparging, stillin') they were anxious and we pulled it last night.
Anyway, after the angels share and 2 years of sampling, we got 12 gallons at 65%. (we put it in at 60%) and I must admit, it tastes GREAT!!
Here's a couple pics. One guy put his in the carboy to take home and proof, and we're gonna take the rest, in the corney kegs, proof it and bottle it.
The other 25 gallon barrels are for future beers.

[Swedish Pride]

looks good lad, making me thirsty

[SilverBullet]

Looks great, very rewarding I bet. I'd be carrying my share home in kegs too. Dropping a carboy would be devastating to say the least, that'll be my luck haha

[Bushman]

You put it in at 60% and it came out at 65%?

[frunobulax]

Doesn't make sense to me either, unless we made a mistake putting it in, and being ya mentioned it I just checked it again..64% (3 different hydrometers)

[Bushman]

I am guessing you had a bad reading when you put it in the barrel.

[cuginosgrizzo]

it does make sense, instead. If the environment the barrel ages is very dry, the ABV goes up because water evaporates faster than alcohol. The opposite happens if the environment is humid, and in this case alcohol evaporates more than water.

Speaking of commercial whiskey, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is extracted after 12 years at 68+ABV, while it goes in the barrel lower than that

[still_stirrin]

Actually, rack houses can cause the proof to go up or down depending on the temperature and relative humidity. I'd believe that because of the size of your cask (volume to surface area relationships) that your aging was more like in the commercial rack houses, where the proof often does increase.
ss

[Bushman]

Makes sense, I have never had it happen but 5% sounded like a lot to me but I have never aged in a 15 gallon barrel.

[seamusm53]

You put it in at 60% and it came out at 65%?

The 'Whiskey Professor' explains this.

http://www.whiskeyprof.com/water-and-al ... d-barrels/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[LWTCS]

Dunderhead has talked about this several times.

Shame on you older timers.

[Bushman]

Thanks for the lesson, I have never aged in small barrels 2 years to see these results and I probably read it somewhere and forgot like a lot of things at my age. Thanks for the slap on the wrist.

[frunobulax]

The three of us that put our whiskey in the corneys bought some bottles and corks, and we bottled it up last night.
We each got 22- 750 ml. bottles. We just ordered some wax and we're gonna wax dip the necks.
Here's a couple pics of the bottles.