what to mature/condition an Imperial Stout in?

[hoppyscotty]

Going to be brewing an Imperial Stout this weekend that I intend to mature/condition to next Christmas/New Year. It will be a 20 litre batch - so maybe 19 litres ultimately as I always seem to lose a litre or so by the time it gets into the fermenter. What kind of vessel is best to mature it in? I'm assuming you want to minimise head space so was thinking about a 23litre plastic carboy? Can purge the head space with CO2.

Thanks.

 

[thegrantickle]

https://woodenshell.co.uk/oak-barrels/oak-barrel-cask-20-litres.html

 

[Sadfield]

Corny keg.

 

[DavidDetroit]

I'd bottle after a couple of months unless you keg and then I'd do it that way.

 

[phildo79]

A corny keg and a bag of oak chips will be a lot cheaper if you want to oak the beer. Plus you can use the keg for any style of beer afterwards.

What sort of imp have you in mind?

 

[marshbrewer]

Scour Facebook market place etx for brown, 5L demijohns. You can fill 4 of those, with pressure relief bungs so you don't need to worry about airlocks drying out.

You can then treat each one differently; age one as is, one with Bret, perhaps, one with oak, one with oak and Bret?

You could then taste,blend and bottle however you please.

In fact, I'm going to be doing the exact same thing myself, but with a historical keeping ale .