Addressing our fermentation temperature from last recipe, the optimal range is 45-68 for the yeast, we would like to achieve a fermentation temperature of 55 Degrees Fahrenheit. We would ferment for minimally 4 weeks to allow the higher gravity beer lager well and have the diacetyl clean up. Luckily with the lagering of the yeast we will be able to crop out our yeast that falls our of suspension and transfer without much-to-any carryover into our barrel.
The original beer is not hoppy by nature, with spicy saaz hops, so fall out from which will not be missed or punishing.
As far as barrels we were thinking of using a brut champagne barrel. Preferentially aging for 3 months at a time. It will not attribute an exaggerated amount of color to the blonde doppelbock. Similar intensity of the former contents and the current contents. Dryness and subtle fruit characteristics would cater to the base beer.
Our goal with our barrel choice is to not alter the beer greatly, emboldening the flavors present, while picking up a dryness from the previous spirit. There will be some risks involved in using a non-spirit barrel The risk of champagne yeast carrying over would/could produce a lower finishing gravity, pushing the abv more. Purging with steam and CO2 prior to filling could aid in the killing of left over yeast, while helping prevent oxidation during the filling process.
