Glue on oak barrel.

[Dickdaniels]

Hi all,
Was soaking a mini oak whiskey barrel all day in warm water, the whole barrel weighed down full submerged, I noticed what looks like glue on the cap and bottom...
The guy advertising them said in the product description that there was no glue used in its construction. Looks like glue I could very easy be mistaken. What ye think? Any ideas.
Cheers.

[Fiddleford]

I'm always skeptical of stained barrels, one shouldn't get them purely from looks but more for their use as a barrel.
the head is held together by dowels and spouts by pressure alone much like the bilge cork its all held watertight with barrel rings and good craftsmanship

[Dickdaniels]

Hi thanks for the input, the barrel was bought as fit for purpose not as a display piece, I understand how they are constructed without the use of glues or epoxy, looks like it may not be the real deal... I put my finger nail to the white and it's a kind of elastic...

[NZChris]

Taste it.

[Dickdaniels]

Nzchris. My mouth probably ain't as big as yours, so tasting it is out of the question. Maybe you like eating gooey white stuff,, not me thanks.

[acfixer69]

Nzchris. My mouth probably ain't as big as yours, so tasting it is out of the question. Maybe you like eating gooey white stuff,, not me thanks.

That sounds like young smart ass reply Dick. if looking for help get a little attitude adjustment.

It's probably just beeswax..

[MichiganCornhusker]

...eating gooey white stuff,, not me thanks.

Seems like you’re gonna taste it sooner or later, whatever it is.
It’s going to be in contact with the spirit.

[Irishgnome]

Cooper’s are known to use beeswax.
Depending on how the wax is processed it can be white or yellow.
Where did you purchase the barrel from?

Cheers
Irish.

[kiwi Bruce]

Cooper's wax...it melted when you did you warm water wash...It's organic and safe...it's not pure bees wax there are other components like gum Arabic (some modern stuff has 5% paraffin wax as well) it's similar to cheese wax which is a good substitute, it does NOT dissolve in spirits...it's been use in cooperage all the way back to the Romans. Take a little off your barrel and test it by placing a red hot needle tip on it and smell the vapor. Head staves are a bitch to seal, that's why they are not as heavily charred as body staves, so you'll see this quite often on barrels if the cooper thinks there is a potential for a future leak. Note where it is on your barrel and if you DO see the staves start to go dark at that spot re-wax it...Truly...it's no biggie, Kiwi

[Irishgnome]

Thanks for the correction Kiwi!
I had heard that paraffin was mixed in sometimes, but didn’t know about the gum Arabic and potential other add ins.

Cheers
Irish

[Fiddleford]

I'm not sure if wet coopers use it but I know white coopers and dry coopers will sometimes use linseed meal in the grove for the head.

[Dickdaniels]

Hay thanks for all the input, I emailed the guy I bought the barrel from a few days ago no reply, so I dismantled the barrel and there's was glue used in its construction even more so on the inside, the cap and bottom none between the staves, plus it was never going to swell up enough to fully seal without the use of some wax, this guy has sold more than 400 one litre barrels or at least that's what eBay is showing, anyway I was able to use the little staves for taking in glass, hope anyone else who bought from him doesn't become ill. His user name is "elguedo"

[kiwi Bruce]

His user name is "elguedo"

El Glue Do...Ya pomme bastard!

[Dickdaniels]

His user name is "elguedo"

El Glue Do...Ya pomme bastard!

[scout]

Cooper's wax...it melted when you did you warm water wash...It's organic and safe...it's not pure bees wax there are other components like gum Arabic (some modern stuff has 5% paraffin wax as well) it's similar to cheese wax which is a good substitute, it does NOT dissolve in spirits...it's been use in cooperage all the way back to the Romans. Take a little off your barrel and test it by placing a red hot needle tip on it and smell the vapor. Head staves are a bitch to seal, that's why they are not as heavily charred as body staves, so you'll see this quite often on barrels if the cooper thinks there is a potential for a future leak. Note where it is on your barrel and if you DO see the staves start to go dark at that spot re-wax it...Truly...it's no biggie, Kiwi

Some coopers will add wood dust to make it thicker and closer to the wood color as well.
If it will shave off with a finger nail it is a beeswax sealer.
This is done so you don't have to presoak the cask prior to putting in your spirits by not so accomplished coopers and "wanna be" folks.
I'm a Tight Cooper (the proper name for a cooper that makes water and spirit tight casks), I've never had to use any wax except on "bar sits" which are casks for display dispensing of "special" spirits.