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AABG Bourbon Barrel Barley Wine project (AABGBBBW)

One membership benefit is to be able to participate in the club Bourbon Barrel Barley Wine project (AABGBBBW).

The short story

The Guild purchased a used bourbon barrel in April 2006 that we filled with barley wine. The barrel and the blending of different beers give the barrel whole new levels of complexity and flavor. Members can brew up a batch of barley wine, deposit it in the barrel, and withdraw a slightly smaller amount of beer from the barrel to take home and enjoy.

The Recipe

OG 1.095, 68 IBU, all East kent Goldings

For 5 gallons (65% eff.)

16.5 lbs (84.3%) Maris Otter pale malt
2.0 lbs (10.2%) Briess Special Roast malt
1.0 lb. (5.1%) UK crystal 45L
1 oz. (0.3%) UK chocolate

3.75 oz. EKG (5.7% aa) 60 minutes 60 IBU
1.0 oz. EKG (5.7% aa) 15 minutes 8 IBU
WhiteLabs WLP022 Essex yeast or other English ale yeast.

The Keeper of the Barrel

Randy deBeauclair is the keeper of the barrel. Ask on the club email list if you don’t know him. It’s up to him to let us know when we’re running low, if we’re taking deposits so fast we can’t maintain the barrel’s character, or to say that a beer isn’t appropriate for the barrel (if, for example, it’s obviously tainted).

The Fine Print

  1. The AABGBBBW project is on the Solera System, where we consistantly add and draw off from the barrel.
  2. Any member can bring five gallons a a fully-fermented batch of the AABGBBBW recipe to Randy’s and exchange it for 4 gallons of the current blend. The gallon is for the “angels share.”
  3. We try to keep the barrel from getting low, which could turn the beer to vinegar, so at times the club resorts to bribery, such as offering that brewers who brewed a 10 gallon batch could have the club reimburse the entire amount for the ingredients and deposit 10 gallons, and get back 5.
  4. Anyone who wishes to brew a 10 gallon batch and take five gallons back will be reimbursed for half the ingredient costs (grains, yeast and hops).
  5. Anyone who brewed in the original fill who wishes to withdraw 4 gallons of the batch can brew 5 gallons and have the club reimburse the ingredients.
  6. If Randy moves, the original 11 get their contribution back if they haven’t brewed again under Rule #4. Any members who have moved to South Carolina or can’t make the final dump party will see their contribution drained into the bellies of all AABG members present.
  7. You can read about the founding of the project.