Oak barrel staves - Bourbon

[Expat]

Hey All,

Just wanted to share with you today's find. Some of you may be lucky to live in a area which used barrels or pieces are available but i've found this to be a challenge. JD Chips are available, but not the cut pieces of stave. So I was excited to find today, the below bourbon barrel staves for sale at the local Lowes (does not appear on their website).

Brand is "MacLean's" and available were Wine, Rum, Bourbon and Tequila, as mentioned I got the bourbon type. Price wasn't too bad $10 for a bag, obviously not great when you consider its just wood.... but anyways. Hopefully this of some help to the Canadian's amongst us or others.

They seem to have a nice char on the inside so i'm hopeful they might be good to use after some processing, splitting, toasting, charing.

Pics for those interested.
Bag:

Stave piece:

Split pieces:

[still_stirrin]

Yup. I think they'll do nicely for you.
ss

[scuba stiller]

With mine, after I clean them up I char everything except where the original char was. That becomes a very soft spot if re-charred and gives off lots of powdery bits and over charred pieces.

[Expat]

Scuba - When you say 'clean them up', what are doing beyond resizing?

[ShineRunner]

There are a couple threads around about cleaning up old staves. I use a wire wheel on a drill to clean the crud off the outside of the staves. You could probably sand them or use some other means to clean them and get to fresher wood. I also get down past the char on the charred side and then lightly rechar that side too.

[HDNB]

i have used macleans extensively...so much so i'm out and have not been able to find more! I'll be at lowes tomorrow.

i have been using a chisel to remove the outer part of the barrel then chisel into 3/4" pieces, then toasting at 380*F for 2.5 h and then giving a deep char.

around a dozen pieces for a gallon, you will not be disappointed.

[Expat]

HDNB - Appreciated for that! I'm just waiting on a opportunity to finish up the toasting. Hope your local has them in stock for you

Have you tried any of the other barrel types?

[HDNB]

not the tequila.
tried the rum ones. turned my rum blue/mauve...didn't like the color, threw it out, threw them out and never bought more.
thats what got me chiselling off the outside of the barrel, someone suggested maybe it was a mold or some kind of crap on the outside of the barrel stave that caused the off color.

no problems with the bourbon ones though. i don't wire brush or wash them or nothing. just chisel outside clean, chisel to size,
re toast, rechar, pour some water on them to put the fire out, and into the spirit. no disappointments so far.

[scuba stiller]

Scuba - When you say 'clean them up', what are doing beyond resizing?

Like others indicated, I use a wire wheel on a drill, sometimes a little power sanding.

[Haus]

I read this as saying you don't want a clean table saw cut but more a rough sawn finish, is that correct?

[HDNB]

doubt it matters, but i'm not getting my fingers that close to a table saw blood blade.

the chisel is safer on blocks this size.

[Expat]

While I know that they're available, I picked up a couple more bags to stockpile wouldn't be happy if I couldn't repeat a good product.

[HDNB]

While I know that they're available, I picked up a couple more bags to stockpile wouldn't be happy if I couldn't repeat a good product.

good call on lowes! i cleaned them out today. 10 bags!

[Expat]

Glad it worked out for you But dam thats gonna be a fair bit of prep work

Since the weather is so nice at the moment, finished processing and toasting my original bag. 2.5 hours @380f as you suggested. Using the BBQ in December is always a good feeling!

Holding off on the charring until I'm ready with my next batch of cornflake whiskey.

[HDNB]

meh.
at current consumption thats about 5 years worth of wood, so i'll manage.

I always have baked it in the house, it gives a wonderful baked bread smell. Plus, i grill so much on the BBQ, it would prolly comeout tasting like burnt fat.

ive tried different levels of char and left 1/2 toasted 1/2charred. the less char the lighter more subtle the flavour, take time. more char=more color, faster flavour.
post up your results, i'm interested to see if you get similar results.

[Swedish Pride]

would you really need to re toast it?
I just took a chisel to mine and re-charred it, what benefit do you get out of re-toasting, I thought that as it was done originally there is no need to do it again?
or it it a case of not all wood being toasted on the origial toast due to the thickness of the wood?

[HDNB]

I don't know if you need to, it def changes the color of the wood and makes a damn fine drop if you do toast it. Plus it smells nice.

[moosemilk]

I've used these as well, same process as HDNB. Chisel a bit off what would be the outside layer, toast them, char them. I've only used the bourbon ones with good results. Found mine at walmart or canadian tire . . . can't remember for sure. Typically, they are abundant at the start of summer (bbq season) and get harder to find throughout the year. Stock up while you can!

[Swedish Pride]

... Plus it smells nice.

Well I suppose it's enough of a reason on its own, the whole house smelled gorgeous when I toasted my apple wood staves, will have to try with my whiskey barrels as well

[Monkeyman88]

I read this as saying you don't want a clean table saw cut but more a rough sawn finish, is that correct?

I've been told that too. Something about the saw cutting through the grain opening it up and exposing more unwanted end grain, while splitting allows the wood to 'rip' with the grain leaving it intact and exposing less end grain.

[der wo]

I'm not sure about this end grain theory. Can't believe, there is a difference after 6 months aging, if the stick has more or less endgrains. The spirit will be everywhere in the stick I think.

[Monkeyman88]

Cut open a stick after six months and you can see where it has soaked to.

[der wo]

Cut open a stick after six months and you can see where it has soaked to.

Do you think, the spirit is not in the whole wood? Or did you open one and have results?

[Monkeyman88]

No I've done it. The spirit is quite noticeably further into the wood at the ends of the grain than it is in the sides of the stick.

[der wo]

Ok. Thank you. Again something learned here today. I will cut one next time, when I take one out (I think in two months...).

[der wo]

I am still thinking about that.
One the one hand some members try to have as little end grain as possible, that the spirit does not permeate as easily, on the other hand some try, to help permeating with microwave treatment? Hm.
And the thing I read about destruction of the grain by sawing and the wood particles. The first layer of wood is always destroyed and opened by charring regardless of end or side grain I think.
Still incredulous.

[Monkeyman88]

I'm pretty sure the microwave treatment is more to gas off some of the more volatile components to simulate what would be lost through the barrel. The heat drawing out more from the wood is just a happy side effect as many have "nuked" without wood and gotten the same results of a smoother spirit.

[der wo]

I'm pretty sure the microwave treatment is more to gas off some of the more volatile components to simulate what would be lost through the barrel.

Yes.

The heat drawing out more from the wood is just a happy side effect as many have "nuked" without wood and gotten the same results of a smoother spirit.

It's not only the heat, it's the underpressure while cooling down.

[Monkeyman88]

Yes. Forgot about that bit