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Author Topic: How full should a barrel be?  (Read 4997 times)

Offline gmac

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How full should a barrel be?
« on: January 18, 2013, 12:15:34 pm »
I'm assuming pretty much completely full.  I added 5 gals of sweet stout to a small barrel and there was probably 3/4 of a gallon more space.  I filled the remainder with some Irish Red that I had ready to keg but that wasn't my original plan. 

Is it better to have a barrel right full or is air space ok?  I expect more oxidation if I leave it less full.
Thanks.

Offline morticaixavier

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Re: How full should a barrel be?
« Reply #1 on: January 18, 2013, 02:11:17 pm »
you got it, more oxidation if there is headspace. topping up with the irish red was a good call. small barrells are already going to mico-oxidize quicker than big barrels because the o2 is coming through the wood and surface to volume ratio and all that.

I got a bunch of those little glass button things that go in planters and boiled the beejeezus out of them to sterilized ( I think I even used a presure cooker) then added to the barrel till it was right up to the bung.

that's right, I filled it to the bung with glass buttons  ;D
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Offline 1vertical

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Re: How full should a barrel be?
« Reply #2 on: January 20, 2013, 04:36:42 pm »
Jonathan that is a good method.  I prefer to fill with BEEER tho....
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Offline morticaixavier

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Re: How full should a barrel be?
« Reply #3 on: January 23, 2013, 08:40:50 am »
Jonathan that is a good method.  I prefer to fill with BEEER tho....

well sure, if you've got some around.
"Creativity is the residue of wasted time"
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"errors are [...] the portals of discovery"
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Offline 1vertical

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Re: How full should a barrel be?
« Reply #4 on: January 23, 2013, 09:54:36 am »
FYI that cherrilicious beer cask was topped off one time with a 6 pack of Modelo Negra
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Offline morticaixavier

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Re: How full should a barrel be?
« Reply #5 on: January 23, 2013, 12:52:15 pm »
FYI that cherrilicious beer cask was topped off one time with a 6 pack of Modelo Negra

HA!
"Creativity is the residue of wasted time"
-A Einstein

"errors are [...] the portals of discovery"
- J Joyce