Black goo on aging barrel

[neil]

I’m experiencing some black goo dripping out of my oak aging barrel.
see picture
Can someone tell me what it is and why it only shows on the bottom of the front of the barrel (back is totally clean)? When you touch it, it has a high viscosity, feels like tar and smells awesome (just like the content).

It seems like it’s coming strait trough the oak. Do I have a leakage of some kind?

[yakattack]

Very small amount of thr spirit is coming out drawing a bit of the sugars drom the oak with it. It's normal. But it does indicate a small seepage. You can use beeswax to seal that small area if you're so inclined. But without seeing a pic of the extent of it I can't say one way or the other.

[WIski]

That's a pretty small weep. Most of the weeps I get seal on their own. When you get dripping liquid that wont quit is when you need to take action with bees wax or small wood plugs. But that's an art and craft all on its own. When the temperature of the aging room rises you may see a little more weeping but that is really nothing to worry about. YMMV

[Johnnywhiskey]

Same as the black goo in your BBQ. It's flavor.

Seriously though, it means the spirits are pushing through the wood--sugars and other "flavor."

[thecroweater]

Very minor and not worth dealing with, as stated its the contents , water, spirit or both pushing a capillary in the staff carrying sugars tannin and sap with it that will itself slow it down. I don't have a single barrel that has never done this, check my rum barrel

[neil]

Thanks you guys. I will instantly stop worrying and let the spirit take its natural course through the fine oak barrel.
@thecroweater: Compared to your barrel, mine is just seeping a wee little bit