It's more realistic to amortize the cost across the expected number of batches.  I read about this somewhere but can't find the link right now.  The flavor is going to degrade across a relatively small number of batches (3-5, I would expect).  Once the barrel gets infected (goes sour) you can extend its useful life by making sours.

Not that I am made of money but I am OK with using a barrel once and done.  The price does have to be palatable.  My LHBS gets barrels on occasion but they were 10 or 15 gallons as I recall.  I may ask them about smaller barrels next time I am in there.  Not interested in brewing sours yet, other things that I want to get to first.  More oaking, blending, and possibly lagering.

This is something that I am not going to actively persue right now but if the right opportunity presents itself.....

This is the part of the process that I was interested in.  I was wondering if you would have to "prime" the barrel, moisten it so that would not leak.  As for reusing it, I am not sure how interested I am in doing that.  I would imagine that you would only get so many uses, assuming that you want the effect of the liquor flavor in the beer.  Either way I am thinking that if I ever get into something like this I would prefer to do it with a smaller batch which would probably mean that I would be dealing with a barrel from a smaller distillery.  Just a guess there.

If the barrel is fresh, I should be able to fill and use. If it is starting to dry out I will need to get it wet. Some folks soak them by floating them in a tub or showering them a few times per day for a few days. Others suggest filling them with cheap whiskey (5 gallons of whiskey, even cheap, is pricey).

5 gallon barrels have a huge wood to beer contact area ratio relative to a 53 gallon barrel, so the whiskey/barrel flavor imparts very fast. As span points out, with each subsequent batch the flavor lessens and changes. For example, the second beer I put in there will get a small amount of rye but will get some stout character.

The barrel will not necessarily get infected, but at some point I will likely intentionally sour it.

That is ~$11/bottle. Cheaper than most similar beers.

Yeah Hunahpu went for $20 a bottle this year.

A while back I bought a pound of Nugget hops and just noticed that I had 4 ounces left.  I had been using them for bittering additions here and there.  Well turns out that they were over 2 years old.  So, I figured that I should use them up.  Also, as much as I like IPA's I brew very few of them.  The hops were sealed in a Food Saver bag so they should be OK.  They smelled fine.  Brewed last night.....

 

Nugget IPA

......

Should come out with something drinkable.

Bottled this last night.  The sample was definitely drinkable.

Peppers, cinnamon, and cloves, correct?  When do the vanilla beans go in?

Peppers, cinnamon and Cocoa nibs, all three roasted together. The vanilla will go in when I get around to purchasing it.

 

CLoves have no business in this beer.

Was wondering about that.  Did not think that cloves were part of this thing.  Those things looking like golf tees looked like them tho.

MTA:  Ah, now I see a copy of them attached to peppers.  Stems.  Never mind.

So some of us over in L&O are doing a collabeeration challenge. We all will start with essentially the same recipe and then vary it, then share bottles around among those of us participating.

 

Here is the basic recipe for the challenge -

 

Grain bill:
66% 2-row
12% Rye malt
12% Wheat malt
10% Brewer's choice malts (can even be more base malt)

Fruit, spices, or an other non-grain adjunct are fair game and do not count in the 10%.
Hops and yeast are brewer's choice

 

OG 1.045 - 1.055
IBU 35 - 50

 

Today I brewed mine.

I brewed mine yesterday evening.  OG came to 1.053.  I think that I got the desired result from the brewer's choice malts.  Time will tell.  Like Trent I will post the actual recipe at a later time.