Name: Back Porch Brewing Inc.s Barrel Aged Experimental Series #8 Recipe
Cook time: 20 h
Total time: 20 h
Yield: 22 servings
Cuisine: Belgian
Ingredients: 6 lbs Pilsner malt; 2 lbs Belgian pale malt; 1 lbs Wheat malt; 0.5 lbs Light Munich malt; 0.5 lbs Table sugar (dextrose); 0.25 oz Saaz hops (bittering); 0.5 oz Hallertau or Styrian Goldings (flavor/aroma); 0.5 tbs Coriander seeds (cracked); 0.25 tsp Grains of paradise (lightly crushed); 1 package Belgian saison / table beer yeast (e.g., Wyeast 3724 or Belle Saison); 1 tsp Irish moss or whirlfloc (optional, kettle finings); 2.5 oz Priming sugar (for bottle conditioning, if bottling); 6 gal Brewing water (adjusted to soft-to-medium mineral content); 1 to taste French oak Chardonnay barrel (previously used for Chardonnay, 5–15 L)

Raspberry Belgian Blonde

Med Bag of Chips

Ham, cheddar cheese, fresh tomatoes, and arugula.

Ham and Cheese Sandwich

Sliced turkey, lettuce, tomato, and mustard in a whole wheat wrap.

Fit Turkey Wrap

Belgian style Table Beer fermented and rested in a French Oak Chardonnay barrel for 2 months. Hints of Belgian spice, Chardonnay, and oak make this a beer made for summer.

Heat 4.5 gallons of brewing water to 164°F (73°C). Add crushed grains (pilsner, Belgian pale, wheat, light Munich) to reach a mash temperature of 150°F (65.5°C). Hold for 60 minutes, stirring gently to ensure even conversion.

Heat and Mash

Raise temperature to 168°F (76°C) for a 10-minute mash out. Vorlauf until runoff is clear, then lauter and sparge with ~1.5 gallons of 170°F (77°C) water to collect roughly 6.5 gallons of wort pre-boil.

Mash Out & Lauter

Bring wort to a vigorous boil (watch for boilovers). Total boil time: 60 minutes.

Bring to Boil

At 60 minutes remaining (start of boil) add Saaz hops bittering addition (0.25 oz). At 15 minutes remaining add Hallertau/Styrian Goldings (0.25 oz), cracked coriander seeds (0.5 tbs), and grains of paradise (0.25 tsp). Add Irish moss or whirlfloc with 10 minutes remaining if using. At 5 minutes remaining add remaining Hallertau/Styrian Goldings (0.25 oz) for aroma.

Boil Additions

End boil after 60 minutes. Cool wort quickly with a wort chiller to ~68°F (20°C).

Final Boil & Chill

Transfer cooled wort to a sanitized fermenter leaving trub behind. Top up with water if needed to reach 5.5 gallons. Aerate thoroughly (shake or oxygenate) and pitch Belgian saison / table beer yeast at 65–68°F (18–20°C).

Transfer & Pitch

Ferment actively for 4–7 days at 68–72°F (20–22°C) until vigorous activity subsides and gravity drops quickly (target original gravity ~1.040–1.045).

Primary Fermentation

Ensure the French oak Chardonnay barrel is clean and sanitary and has been used for Chardonnay (to impart Chardonnay character). Rinse with hot water and, if long idle, fill and check for leaks at least 24 hours before use. Optional: sanitize with a low-concentration sulfur dioxide solution if appropriate for your barrel practice.

Prepare Barrel

Once primary fermentation has slowed and beer is relatively clear (about 4–7 days), transfer beer gently to the barrel, leaving heavy trub behind. Avoid over-oxygenation. Fill the barrel to minimize headspace.

Transfer to Barrel

Age beer in the French oak Chardonnay barrel at 55–65°F (13–18°C) for approximately 8 weeks (2 months). During this time, subtle Chardonnay character and oak tannins will integrate. Taste weekly starting at 4 weeks to monitor oak and wine character; rack earlier if flavors become too intense.

Barrel Rest

After barrel aging, transfer beer back to a sanitized bright tank or keg. Cold crash at 35–40°F (2–4°C) for 48–72 hours to help settle yeast and oak particulate.

Stabilize & Cold Rest

If bottling: gently prime with 2.5 oz priming sugar (dissolved in 4 oz boiling water, cooled) per 5 gallons and bottle. Condition at 68–72°F (20–22°C) for 1–2 weeks, then cold condition. Target low carbonation appropriate for table beer: 1.8–2.2 volumes CO2. If kegging: force carbonate to 1.8–2.2 volumes and serve chilled.

Carbonation & Bottling (Bottles) or Kegging

Serve cold (45–50°F / 7–10°C). Expect a light-body Belgian table beer with subtle spicy phenolics, low-to-moderate attenuation, hints of Chardonnay and gentle oak. ABV target ~3.5–4.5% (depending on mash efficiency and fermentation).

Serve

Pilsner malt

Belgian pale malt

Wheat malt

Light Munich malt

Table sugar (dextrose)

Saaz hops (bittering)

Hallertau or Styrian Goldings (flavor/aroma)

Coriander seeds (cracked)

Grains of paradise (lightly crushed)

Belgian saison / table beer yeast (e.g., Wyeast 3724 or Belle Saison)

Irish moss or whirlfloc (optional, kettle finings)

Priming sugar (for bottle conditioning, if bottling)

Brewing water (adjusted to soft-to-medium mineral content)

French oak Chardonnay barrel (previously used for Chardonnay, 5–15 L)

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Make Barrel Aged Experimental Series #8 Recipe in just 20h . Belgian style Table Beer fermented and rested in a French Oak Chardonnay barrel for 2 months. Hints of Belgian spice, Chardonnay, and oak make this a beer made for summer.

Barrel Aged Experimental Series #8 Recipe

Descriptors

Tasting Notes

Food Pairings

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