Table of Contents
How are barrel heads made?
Each lid , or “head” (whiskey barrel head) is made of white oak slats that are held together by the pressure of the liquid inside the barrel – no glue is used. The stamped lid is called the “money end.” The stamp is a way for the distiller to keep track of whats in the barrel, when it barreled and where it is stored.
What can you do with barrel heads?
Barrel Head Shelf with Hooks The uses for this are endless! You can use it in the kitchen to hang coffee cups and display spices, or you can hang your pots from it. You can also hang it by the front door and hang coats or keys on it.
What are Whisky barrels made of?
The process of making a whiskey barrel usually begins with a stock of American white oak. This is the most commonly used wood for whiskey barrels, largely due to how leak-resistant it is and the flavors it imparts into spirits. Most whiskey barrels are made in the US, where white oak grows.
What kind of wood is used for bourbon barrels?
Bourbon. Our bourbon barrels are 53 gallons, once-used bourbon barrels sourced from most of the major distilleries in Kentucky. Barrels used for maturing bourbon are required by American law to be made from American white oak which has been charred prior to usage.
How do you keep a bourbon barrel from drying out?
Re: whiskey barrel drying out Keep the barrel upright on end and let some water sit on the top to help keep it moist. Keep a bung in it. If you can wrap it with plastic, do so. Usually they come from the distillery wrapped, which seals the moisture in pretty well.
How do you waterproof a whiskey barrel?
Place the whiskey barrel in an area where you don’t mind water leaking, such as a corner or your yard or a bathtub. Fill the barrel to its brim with hot water. Let the barrel sit for two to three days, adding water if necessary to keep the barrel full.
Can you stain bourbon barrels?
All whiskey barrels are unique in size, shape and patina(color), so the color and dimensions will vary slightly. Stain Options: The standard color stain that we use is Dark Walnut by Minwax. Each barrel is hand sanded, stained , then several coats of polyurethane are applied.
How do you seal a bourbon barrel?
You can seal the barrel by filling it with cold water and allowing the barrel to sit a couple of days. When filled with water the oak wood should expand in a time period of 2-4 days sealing all leaks.
How do you make a whiskey barrel?
Using a rubber mallet, carefully tap in the spigot (just until snug) and refill the barrel with tap water. Fill the barrel with Water. It is normal for the barrel to drip until the wood has swelled. Once the dripping stops, keep the water in the barrel for an additional 24 hours to fully hydrate the staves.
How does a cooper make a barrel?
In making a barrel, a cooper first shapes the staves, which are the individual pieces that run from the top to the bottom of the barrel. The staves are split (riven) or sawn using draw knives and a jointer plane.
What is the hole in a whiskey barrel called?
Bung Hole – The hole in a water tight barrel. Bung – The plug is is used to keep liquid from coming out of the barrel bung hole. Bilge – The center of a barrel’s bulge. Hoops – Round iron bands that are used to hold a barrel together. Chime – The beveled end of linked staves that holds the barrel heads in place.
How long does it take to make a whiskey barrel?
Oak destined to make wine casks on the other hand are seasoned outside for considerably longer, often up to 36 months. The Brown-Forman cooperage then finishes drying the lumber in a kiln at around 150°F for anywhere between a few days to a few weeks to reach a moisture content of around 12.5%.
Why is Scotch aged in bourbon barrels?
The cask contributes oak extractives and color, and its char layer helps to modify the characteristics of the new make American spirit. The bounty and affordability of bourbon barrels compared to sherry casks is often reflected in the scotches they’ve aged.
Are all Whisky barrels oak?
Type of wood Most whisky casks are made from either American white oak or European oak. American oak gives a softer, sweeter taste with notes of vanilla and caramel, while European oak is spicier and has a stronger wood input. French oak is used to age wine and cognac.
Do they use red oak for whiskey barrels?
By law, Bourbon has to be aged in new oak barrels. What kind of wood is used? Any white oak wood will work, but red oak will not. In Kentucky, white oak, Quercus alba, is used almost exclusively because of the large volume of wood available.
Which is the most commonly used wood for barrel making?
The most commonly used wood for barrel making comes from oak trees. Wooden liquor barrels are made up of oak due to expedience and porosity. The American white oak barrel is primarily used for aging because it adds great flavors to whiskey and wine.
How do you care for an empty whiskey barrel?
Follow these steps: Fill the barrel completely with a solution of cleaning tablets and warm water. Leave to soak it for 24 hours at least. After a day, empty the barrel and rinse it 3-4 times. Now, fill the barrel again with a solution of neutralizing the acid and warm water.
Can you reuse a whiskey barrel?
Whiskey barrels, including (and, in fact, especially) bourbon barrels absolutely get reused. Scotch whisky, Irish whiskey, Canadian whisky, rum, reposado and anejo tequila, and even barrel-aged gins and genevers are commonly aged in used barrels.
How do you get the smell out of a bourbon barrel?
Mix a tablespoon of sodium percarbonate or soda carbonate per gallon of water to make a cleaning solution. Make enough solution to fill up most of the barrel. Swirl this solution around in your barrel to get rid of the mold or smell. You can also scrub residue off with this solution using a brush tool.
Can whiskey barrels rot?
If the barrel was used to store rum, wine or whisky it should be quite durable. The inside was probably charred to make it watertight. Decorative barrels sold as planters tend to be of lower quality. A real barrel was probably made of red oak rather than white oak which rots more rapidly.
Do I need to drill holes in whiskey barrel planter?
Drill Drainage Holes Make sure that excess water can drain out of the barrel when you water your plants. If necessary, drill holes into the bottom of the barrel.
