Question about a 50gal Oak Barrel

superbee383 · Post by **superbee383** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:40 am

I want to age my whiskey in a 50gal Jim Beam oak barrel, but I only have about 8gals of whiskey. Is it a good idea to only partial fill a barrel?

I bought this barrel at our local Walmart. The price was $34.00

Uncle Remus · Post by **Uncle Remus** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 11:55 am

I think those barrels you buy at wal mart are only good for flower planters. Their used up, if they were any good for aging spirits the distilleries would still be using them. I think if you only put a few gallons in a big barrel it would leak, the barrel needs to be full so the wood can swell and seal.

These guys have some small kegs which would probably be better suited for your use: http://www.home-distilling.com/HD_Oak-Kegs.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow or if you want something bigger there's Gibbs Brothers

superbee383 · Post by **superbee383** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 1:09 pm

Yes, your right Uncle Remus. I probably should buy a five or ten gallon barrel. I think it would be a lot safer.
Thanks for the reply.

junkyard dawg · Post by **junkyard dawg** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:50 pm

I will vouch for the gibbs barrels... and for what UR said, by the time they get to walmart, they are done for aging whiskey. You can cut some of that barrel out and use it to age whiskey in smaller containers. If you can cut some wood into cubes and then char them or toast them, you will have a great thing to add to a jug of whiskey to flavor it. IMHO, nothing beats a good quality new barrel...

partsbill · Post by **partsbill** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 12:55 am

On the other hand, I started out with some horsefeed moonshine. Got the same type of walmart barrel(mine was from Jim Beam) and put the 'shine in it. In the long summer process of drinking a little and making tons more, I now have @30 gallons in the barrel. Not being a conisouer of any alcohol product, I CAN say that the shine is starting to pick up many oak flavors. The product is far superior to the harshness I started with. Now on top of the moonshine added to the barrel, I have also added a touch of carmelized sugar and vanilla to it. Why wait for the oak when I could have the added barrel flavor and color right away. But the time spent(now almost 9 months) in the barrel(I turn the barrel 360 degrees every week) is definitely starting to add some benefits. Works for me!