Barrel Aged Flanders Red (W)

This is the third use of the Balcones Blue Corn Whisky barrel.

Brewed 5.0 gallons on 2014-06-08

Preboil gravity: 1.056

Original gravity: 1.069

Final gravity: 1.017

ABV: 6.8%

Apparent Attenuation: 75.4%

Link about this beverage The Mad Fermentationist (for original recipe)

Process notes

2014-06-29

Took a pull. Looks great, clear, red. Mild funk, sour aroma, high alcohol aroma. Flavor is a bit nail polish also. Hopefully more time mellows it and develops sour/brett characteristics.

2014-07-12

Developing a nice funk aroma; subtle. No sourness, is astringent, flavor isn't complex and not very good. Earthy? Tannins?

2014-08-04

Pelicle is forming. A bit of the sour funk (like an Almanac beer). Flavor isn't the same though, probably better than last time. A very subtle funk/sour flavor. Unpleasant earthy(?) finish.

2015-06-22

Kegged. Finished higher than I'd expet. Got only ~3 gallons since the rest seemed to have evaporated. Dark brown/red murky now, but a lot was picked up during racking. Acetic bourbon hint aromas. The brown base beer comes through, but the finish is strongly acetic and burns the back of the throat. Woody, astringent. Not terrible, but not great. Some time in the keg should help.

Boil for 90 minutes

At 75 minutes

2 ounces of 3.6% Alpha Acid Crystal pellets

At 15 minutes

1 Whirlfloc Tablet

Mash

[29.27%] 3 pounds 12 ounces of German Vienna (Weyermann)

[23.41%] 3 pounds of German Pilsner (Weyermann)

[23.41%] 3 pounds of German Munich (Weyermann)

[7.80%] 1 pound of CaraMunich Type I (Weyermann)

[7.80%] 1 pound of Flaked Wheat

[4.88%] 10 ounces of CaraAroma (Weyermann)

[1.95%] 4 ounces of Caramel 10L (Briess)

[1.46%] 3 ounces of Caramel 40L (Briess)

Single infusion mash. Mashed with 5 gallons (1.56 quarts per pound) of tap water for 60 minutes. 12lb 13oz of grain was used in the mash. (Finishing temp was 152 degrees)

Strike water temp: (0.2/1.56) * (154 - 75) + 154 = 164.1

Sparge

Sparged for 30 minutes with 4 gallons of 170° tap water.

Yeast

2014-06-10

Pitch 1 pack of 3763 Roeselare Belgian Sour Blend (Wyeast) at 72°. (Beer was dumped directly into barrel after the boil and let cool for a while. Pitched the yeast directly into the barrel once the temp was low enough. It was a bit hotter than desired, but this whole beer was done so as to not waste the barrel. So, whatever happens, happens.)

Tasting notes (2.00/10; 1 rating)

2016-02-21

[2/10] Acetic acid never diminished, so drain poured the keg. Color is ruby; very good looking. No redeeming qualities in flavor/aroma though.