Topping up oak barrels

All styles of whiskey. This is for all-grain mashes.

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Goose
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Topping up oak barrels

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I recently acquired a couple of 5-liter French oak barrels and filled them with 65% ABV barley grain whisky for the first time, aiming for a Scotch. The barrels were prepped with an overnight soak in RO water, they have polymer seals and do not leak.

Living in a hot and humid tropical climate, I soaked the barrels in RO water to help saturate the wood and prevent potential leaks. After a month though, I noticed that both barrels are sloshing quite a bit, indicating some evaporation. I'm guessing the angels have taken quite a bit, maybe 5 or 10% already. I know that alcohol evaporates faster in humid conditions and faster in 'lil barrels (it may also be because they are new and still soaking up liquid before they stabilise) but I'm not sure how to proceed. Should I leave the barrels alone until bottling time or top them off? If topping off is the way to go, should I use the next run's hearts diluted to cask strength, or RO water?

Any advice would be appreciated.
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subbrew
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Re: Topping up oak barrels

Post by subbrew »

I think the topping off is your choice. I recently did top off my faux badmo. Topping off will dilute the aged spirit and if putting new it will add some "youth" back as well In any case, if you top it off, use spirit, not water. If you don't top off you get the pure taste of the original recipe just not a much.

Next time, if you have enough keep a bit of the original in white or on wood in a jar to be able to add. I had a quart of whitedog from my original run to us for my topping up.
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Goose
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Re: Topping up oak barrels

Post by Goose »

thanks Sub.
I figured water initially, because I have to dilute the stuff anyway, but I'm thinking I could do both, ie add drinking strength heats perhaps. :|
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Saltbush Bill
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Re: Topping up oak barrels

Post by Saltbush Bill »

What you add should be barrel strength.......dilute to drinking strength as you harvest from the barrel.
The fuller you keep it the less the Angels will drink.....less than 3/4 full they really start to party.
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Re: Topping up oak barrels

Post by Goose »

lol tks Bill, where I am in the tropics these angels are thirsty creatures :lolno:

with these 5L barrels I was intending on a 100% harvest into 12 x 700 ml bottles of drinking strength when i figure that the oak was enough. as expected its pretty fast with only a 5l barrel and a new one at that. point well taken that the rate of evaporation increases as the juice level falls...
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Re: Topping up oak barrels

Post by cob »

Goose wrote: Thu Mar 16, 2023 6:23 pm I recently acquired a couple of 5-liter French oak barrels and filled them with 65% ABV barley grain whisky for the first time, aiming for a Scotch. The barrels were prepped with an overnight soak in RO water, they have polymer seals and do not leak.
What part of the barrel is sealed with polymer seals? What polymer was used??
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Re: Topping up oak barrels

Post by Goose »

Hey cob

I understand polypropylene threaded bungs on the top of the barrel and faucet at the lower front. I've noticed no leaks.
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