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Originally Posted by Bearcat
Sampled my first big batch earlier and it's coming along well... a stout with bourbon soaked oak chips, and threw in some coffee today.
The patience thing is definitely an issue, at least until I get a bit of a pipeline going... started it three weeks ago and it has at least another couple weeks before bottling.
Definitely an interesting hobby and at ~$50 for ingredients, it comes out to about $1 per 12oz after the initial ~$200 for equipment... well, and maybe other stuff eventually. 
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I just did a big porter and used oak blocks cut from JD barrel slats and some Tennessee Honey tossed in. Bottled it about a month ago and have it in the cellar waiting until Fall.
I'm thinking of buying an oak barrel as well. The barrel isn't that big of deal but. You really need to season it with something. I like the sherry barrel aged stuff so I will probably try to go that route.
I've mad probably 15 batches of beer in the last year and have been mainly kegging for a year. It's much easier than bottling. Nothing like having your own beer on tap.