Barrel Head Scraps

[Longhairedcountryboy]

I bought a box of scrap pieces of barrel heads for the purpose of aging spirits. Some of the pieces have a band of some sort of coating on them. It is only a strip of coating on the outside right where the head meets the barrel, so just on the head seam. I was wondering if it is common practice to use some sort of sealer on this seam, is the sealer made from a safe material and if this wood should be discarded instead of cleaning it up and retoasting/charring for my application. Has anyone seen this before?

[Expat]

If the price was right, looks like something I'd buy.

Shouldn't be a problem if you're cleaning up the surface before toasting/Charing.

I had top pieces in the last bag of BBQ smoking barrel cuts, made a fine drop.

[Longhairedcountryboy]

They came from an etsy store. The guy makes things from old bourbon barrels. I bought some whole staves from him as well. I just looked for a link, but it appears the box of scraps are no longer offered at his store.

My first thought was to discard the pieces with the questionable stuff on them, as I do not know what it is. My concern is that it is a varnish or shellac of some sort and it has permeated into the pores of the wood, rendering it contaminated.Then I got to thinking that maybe it is a standard practice to use a sealer on that seam. I would think that a bourbon manufacturer wouldn't use a substance to seal a barrel that would taint their product. I just don't know for sure. Not knowing what it is has me leaning towards better safe than sorry.

[ShineonCrazyDiamond]

Most likely beeswax.

[Hoosier Shine9]

Most likely beeswax.

+1

if it is bees wax it should melt with a little heat.
Keep an eye on it when you toast & char it.
especially when charring or you will have a rather long & wide candle wick burning.
Shouldn't be too big of a problem when you toast it.... just have some aluminum foil under it so it doesn't get on the bottom of "Management's" oven.