This article is part of a series, please read the previous articles here: “Fermentation Pit Project – Part I”
Just in time as winter is starting to hit the NorthEast part of the USA we finished our experimental setup:
- We lowered two red-wine barrels into our “earth-hole”. Both wine barrels were acquired from the local McLaughlin Vineyard in Newtown, CT.
- We filled both wine barrels with our chosen liquids. One of lower gravity (Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Wheat, Germany), the second one with a proven record of being able to transform itself in such complex microbial and flavor/aroma environments (Birra Del Borgo Maledetta Saison IPA, Italy).
- We filled up our experimental hole with highly aromatic material we found around our area: cedar wood, branches of Scotch pine trees, and branches & leaves from our own small citrus trees.
We are quite eager to learn how such aromatic compounds can interact with our liquid through the porosity of the wooden barrels.
- Finally we closed our “Urwaga Project” and secured it with a plastic liner and black rubber outer cover to protect it from excessive rain and other winter-weather related potential “hazards”.
Nothing further left for us to do for now… The process of transformation by completely natural mechanism is on its way. We will check in with nature sometime later in 2015!
UPDATE: Jan. 2016!!!
We have unearthed one of these fine barrels! Tucked away underground for over a year, resting in a gorgeous Rioja barrel, we present Aecht Schlenkerla Weizen, Zymatore/Urwaga edition. This complex liquid will be served here at the OEC Brewing tasting room (7 Fox Hollow Rd, Unit B, Oxford, CT 06478), this Saturday, 01/30/2016. It will be available on draft and for take home in growlers. Supply is extremely limited!