New 5 gallon barrel for sale.

[brat]

I think this is a damn good price for a un-used barrel.

https://www.austinhomebrew.com/American ... ml?AffId=2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[Twisted Brick]

Looks like a great deal. Same as the fresh-refurbished 5 gallon barrels here.

[Oldvine Zin]

Yup they are all drop shipped from the Balcones warehouse in Texas.

OVZ

[Copperhead road]

I think this is a damn good price for a un-used barrel.

https://www.austinhomebrew.com/American ... ml?AffId=2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

That seems to cheap for a BRAND NEW OAK Barrel.......
We pay 4 times that amount in Australia for a new oak barrel of that size

I wonder what shipping would cost to Australia for one?

[Oldvine Zin]

Unused barrel made from used wood, smelling the barrel it's not as sweet as a brand new Gibbs (maybe even a little sour) but for the price I'm willing to gamble with a few of them.

OVZ

[Twisted Brick]

These are not new barrels. They are used barrels with a Balcones head that were reported to be cut down and re-charred. I believe this is why they are advertised as fresh, (unused) not new.

[Blackdirt Cowboy]

I just talked to the folks at Austin homebrew supply. They said these are in fact brand new and have never been put in service. They said the distillery is changing batch sizes and contracted with them to move out the inventory. I live 30 minutes from the balcones distillery. I checked with them and the story checks out. They are phasing into 50 gallon barrels. I asked if I could come to the distillery and pick one up and she said no, that Austin homebrew is the only place you can get them. They sell used ones at the distillery for $80, unless you buy a bottle of whiskey, then they are $60 with a maximum of four purchased.

It looks like a hell of deal. I was just fixing to pull the trigger on a Gibbs barrel, but I think I’ll give one of these a shot. If nothing else, I can bust it up and car it and use it I ave in glass.

[Twisted Brick]

I picked up one of these and upon inspection with a (phone) flashlight they're already re-charred. But they don't smell sweet like a new barrel.

[zapata]

I just talked to the folks at Austin homebrew supply. They said these are in fact brand new and have never been put in service.

Follow that link in Twisted bricks post (2nd post in this thread), then chase the link to the ADI forum where Balcones talks about these barrels.

The wood is from used tequila and / or bourbon barrels that have been made into new small barrels and retoasted / recharged. Straight from a Balcones employee. Whether or not you want to call that brand new or not is up to you. I guess it is a new, unused barrel. But it is used wood.

[Oldvine Zin]

I just talked to the folks at Austin homebrew supply. They said these are in fact brand new and have never been put in service.

Follow that link in Twisted bricks post (2nd post in this thread), then chase the link to the ADI forum where Balcones talks about these barrels.

The wood is from used tequila and / or bourbon barrels that have been made into new small barrels and retoasted / recharged. Straight from a Balcones employee. Whether or not you want to call that brand new or not is up to you. I guess it is a new, unused barrel. But it is used wood.

Just for a mind Fu#k - define new wood. Seasoned outside for a few years, soaked in tequila for a few or fresh off the sawmill?? Old growth or new?
Still to me these barrels don't have the sweet smell of a new Gibbs but for the price I'm willing to age some rum in them.

Posted after tasting way too much rum
OVZ

[Copperhead road]

Posted after tasting way too much rum
OVZ

it happens.......your not the only one!

[Blackdirt Cowboy]

I just talked to the folks at Austin homebrew supply. They said these are in fact brand new and have never been put in service.

Follow that link in Twisted bricks post (2nd post in this thread), then chase the link to the ADI forum where Balcones talks about these barrels.

The wood is from used tequila and / or bourbon barrels that have been made into new small barrels and retoasted / recharged. Straight from a Balcones employee. Whether or not you want to call that brand new or not is up to you. I guess it is a new, unused barrel. But it is used wood.

Yep. Looks like y’all might be right. These are new barrels built out of used wood. I went ahead and ordered one anyhow, the price was too good to pass up. I’m planning on aging a wheated bourbon in mine. I hope it turns out ok. I guess I’ll go ahead and spring for a Gibbs sometime too.

[Twisted Brick]

Yep. Looks like y’all might be right. These are new barrels built out of used wood. I went ahead and ordered one anyhow, the price was too good to pass up. I’m planning on aging a wheated bourbon in mine. I hope it turns out ok. I guess I’ll go ahead and spring for a Gibbs sometime too.

Chalk up another one for the knowledgeable folk from HD! But I wouldn't feel too sheepish, Blackdirt. AIH/AHS are actively touting these as new. Below is the email response to my inquiry from AIH:

Answer: these barrles and made as 5 gallons and have not been cut or recycled from old barrelstock. They are charred for use, but the distillery is no longer producing 5 gallon runs and is moving onto larger sizes and is no longner in need of these barrels so they were never put to use. We own and operate Austin homebrew supply as our partner and this is where the barrels would be shipping from-Same company, Same barrel stock

----------------------

Considering the above claim IS true: While my barrel doesn't have the sweetness that my wine barrel staves (very sweet-smelling with notes of vanilla) have, I wonder if this is because it hasn't been toasted? I've sniffed my barrel a dozen times and it really smells of raw wood, like nothing may have been previously stored in it. I'm also curious because the curve of the barrel appears to be made for a 5gal size, not a larger barrel that got cut down.

[Blackdirt Cowboy]

I just received my barrel. I agree that it smells like raw wood. I do have a question about it though. Am I supposed to keep it filled with water until I’m ready to use it? This is my first barrel and I’m not sure how to treat it while it’s enpty.

[zapata]

I dont plan to keep mine full of water at this point. I did put it in a plastic bag to prevent any further drying until I'm ready to fill it. At that point I will fill with water to swell and make sure it is tight, dump and fill with booze.
ETA I dont really know if this is best practice or not so dont necessarily listen to me

[sparky marky]

I got mine a few weeks ago. Smells and looks nice and fresh and if it’s good enough for balcones blue corn it’s good enough for me.

I just left mine in a cupboard till I was ready for it. I filled it with water in the morning on Sunday to check the volume (18.5L). It leaked a bit for an hour or two before sealing up and drying off on the outside so I dumped the water and filled with a three grain bourbon at 59%abv where I was very clean on cuts.

Here we are 3 days later and the wood has soaked up about a pint of spirit, il leave it till the weekend when I will top it off with more bourbon before storing it away till November/December

[WIski]

I just ordered 2 of these. I have purchased in the past new Gibbs, new Barrel Mill, and used Balcones. This seems to be to good of deal to pass up. Time will tell????

[sparky marky]

I just ordered 2 of these. I have purchased in the past new Gibbs, new Barrel Mill, and used Balcones. This seems to be to good of deal to pass up. Time will tell????

How did you find the Gibbs and barrel mills compare to each other? Was one better than the other?

[WIski]

How did you find the Gibbs and barrel mills compare to each other? Was one better than the other?

I'm not going to say one was better than the other but I will say they are different. The Gibbs does not have toasted or charred heads and come with a soft wood bung and the Barrel Mill is fully toasted and charred including the heads and comes with an oak bung. The new make in the Barrel Mill barrels was pulled at about 6 months as it had acquired enough wood and color for my liking and continues to age off wood. The new make in the Gibbs I believe is going on close to a year and is in no danger of becoming over oaked. Both are very tasty and pleasing but different. The Barrel Mill staves are thicker than the Gibbs and the volume is also greater. If I remember right the Barrel Mill barrel was close to 5.75 gallons. I would defiantly buy either again. YMMV