Wooden Casks

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jdbooth
Light Lager
Light Lager
Posts: 30
Joined: Fri Mar 08, 2002 2:07 am

Wooden Casks

Post by jdbooth »

-What types of beer would you store in oakwood casks?
-Would you rack from your Primary straight to the cask?
-Would the oak cause any "off" flavoring?
-How do you tap a wodden keg?
-Would you force carbonate it or prime it as you would a beer bottle?
-Is all of it personal preference?
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Got all that?
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John
Sven
Light Lager
Light Lager
Posts: 30
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2001 3:08 pm
Location: Lancaster, CA, US

Cask Conditioning

Post by Sven »

I asked the same question to my local homebrew store owner/guru when I first started brewing. He said that you could condition (secondary) your beer in the cask, but he doesn't recommend serving your beer from it. The problem lies in the carbonation, to much co2 and you could bust the cask.
If you haven't looked into it yet, casks are expensive. Your local homebrew supply store probably carries a great alternative though, shaved oak barrel chips. If not, you can get them here. http://www.williamsbrewing.com/AB160500 ... =4&CATID=2
Team Beer
Light Lager
Light Lager
Posts: 38
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2001 6:20 pm

Cask Conditioning

Post by Team Beer »

I have also found this article awhile back that has some good info using stainless kegs to cask condition.
http://www.brewingtechniques.com/brewin ... twell.html
Fraoch
Double IPA
Double IPA
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Joined: Fri May 18, 2001 5:36 am

Real ale???

Post by Fraoch »

wooden kegs are a rarity these days as they tend to keep your local cooper busy. With regard to your question you can secondary in the keg but it is not reccomended, better to prime the same as a bottle but re - equate your priming sugars, wooden kegs come with tap,shive and plug(soft) remove shive and plug to release excess co2. shive is a wedge that holds plug in place. you can prime with anything that is fermentable, including molasses or treacle ( Old peculiar). The gas will eventually lose its pressure to push the beer through properly and will require repriming. If you have a wooden keg then good luck to you im jealous, they are notoriously difficult to mantain though,you will quickly discover why metal is prefered. they require careful sterilisation Also the stronger the beer the better, Cheers!!!
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