Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale - Barrel Aging

A friend of mine has asked me to brew a 5 gallon batch of Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale.  The fermentation period calls for a minimum of 6 months to 1 year.  I have ordered an 8 gallon freshly dumped whisky barrel and plan to ferment the ale in the barrel. 

A few questions: 

1st - should only the secondary fermentation be done in the barrel or should I do both primary and secondary in the barrel, essentially skipping the transfer from the primary to secondary?

2nd - The kit come with oak chips and it is recommended to soak the chips in a bourbon or whisky of choice for 3 weeks and then place them in the secondary.  Since I am using a freshly dumped whisky barrel would I still need to soak oak chips for 3 weeks prior?

Thanks for the suggestions.  Bryan

I wouldn't use the oak chips or the whiskey.  I'd do it all in the barrel.  Make sure you taste it often in the barrel to make sure you don't over oak it.  The beer will tell you when it's finished aging.

I also wouldn't use a secondary, but that has become my go to fermentation process, unless I'm adding an adjunct.  Since you don't need to add the oak or the whiskey to the fermentor, you can leave it in the primary until you're ready to put it in the barrell.

Scott,

So right from the boil kettle after cooling and into the barrel?  So it may be possible to age for a lessor period of time doing it in the barrel -vs- a carboy? 

Waiting on the barrel to arrive and hopefully I will have a solution for the bung and airlock.  Not sure of the hole opening size.

playalinda said:

Scott,

So right from the boil kettle after cooling and into the barrel?  So it may be possible to age for a lessor period of time doing it in the barrel -vs- a carboy? 

Waiting on the barrel to arrive and hopefully I will have a solution for the bung and airlock.  Not sure of the hole opening size.

Click to expand...

No, not straight into the barrell.  Barrells are usually used for extended aging and conditioning.  Make a nice clean beer first.  When it's done, instead of bottling or kegging, put it into the barrell to get enhancements from the oak and bourbon. 

I suggest this timeline:
Brew beer as a normal beer.
Ferment the beer as a normal beer.
Once fermentation is complete, then you put it into the barrell.
Taste periodically, until the oak and bourbon flavor is where you want it.
Bottle or keg.