Barrel aging price and experience?

[Whotan]

Beautiful good day.
I wanted to ask if anyone has experience with real barrels for aging.
My dream is to make my own real bourbon, whyskey malt and rum!
Now I have seen that there are huge price differences between pre-occupied barrels and new barrels!

For example, there is a 190l bourbon barrel (which was already filled and comes to you fresh) for €300 and on a website the exact same barrel, in the same size, and also pre-filled with bourbon Whyskey for €500!

Do you have an explanation for this?
For the more expensive barrel, the flavors are specified.
But is that the only reason for the extreme price difference?

Which would you prefer!
And what experiences have you had with barrels where the aroma and the remaining sugar are specified?



I've seen the same thing with new bourbon barrels!
Where does the big price difference come from for new bourbon barrels, sir?
Did they get something thicker or is it because of the brand?....


And in general I wanted to ask how big a barrel has to be if I want to store my distillate for a very long time? E.g. 20 years or longer?
Then the barrel has to be bigger, right?

[Bushman]

Most members here at a hobby level do not use full barrels but 5 & 10 gallon barrels or smaller. Most want to drink their product after 1 year aging thus the small barrels.

[jonnys_spirit]

I’d suggest that for 190l of product 300-500 isn’t bad once you consider the considerable effort and materials that goes into producing 190l of barrel strength product.

For reference: A new five gallon gibbs barrel including shipping is just under 250. For five gallons of barrel strength or about 7 gallons bottle strength (30-35 bottles) that’s not a bad deal.

Cheers!
-j

[Whotan]

I just do this as a hobby!
But the idea of ​​having your own old rum.
Which has matured for a really long time.
And being able to drink it as I get older really appeals to me!
Especially when I found a recipe that I like best!
Thank you very much for the quick answers!

I just want to be able to store it for a long time and that's only possible with large barrels!?
Or is that also with baine marie or wooden blocks

[jonnys_spirit]

I just do this as a hobby!
But the idea of ​​having your own old rum.
Which has matured for a really long time.
And being able to drink it as I get older really appeals to me!
Especially when I found a recipe that I like best!
Thank you very much for the quick answers!

I just want to be able to store it for a long time and that's only possible with large barrels!?
Or is that also with baine marie or wooden blocks

Look up solera aging like they do with port wine. You can use multiple vessels (barrels and/or glass with oak adjuncts) and draw off the end of the sequence such that you never draw more than half or so before topping it up with product from the previous in the sequence. Repeat for all in the sequence then fill or top up the first with new make... You'll always be drawing the oldest You can do this on various scales as long as you make enough

Cheers,
jonny

[Yummyrum]

As Bushy says , 190l barrel is a big barrel and contains a lot of booze . I was curious . By my math , if it was 65% abv and you drank 10 standard drinks everyday , it would only last you just under 3 years .

Having said that , I have a 97litre ex bourbon barrel for my rum . Despite my best efforts , I have never got it much above half full . And Rum is easy to make .

I would hate to imagine the time and effort involved in filling one with Whisky or Bourbon . Not to mention the disposal of spent grains .

I do think Jonnys suggestion of a solara set up might be better . That way you can keep slowly making it but the stuff in the last barrel will just get older and older . Not to mention the much more complex spirit you will end up with due to the cycling though various wood

[Dancing4dan]

I just want to be able to store it for a long time and that's only possible with large barrels!?
Or is that also with baine marie or wooden blocks

Smaller oak barrels tend to "age" the liquor faster due to the increased surface area, at least that is my understanding.

190 L will certainly work but that is a lot of booze to make! And it will take some time to age. Life has a way of throwing curve balls at us and I can not imagine having to move 190 L barrels full of 60% booze if I got divorced or had to move. That is about 420 pounds.

Baine marie or wooden blocks work but they are not the same as aging in a barrel. Time and effect are different / better in a barrel.

I have two 20 L once used American white oak barrels previously filled with Bourbon. I can lift and carry them. The malt whisky I make takes about 1 1/2 years to reach an acceptable level of flavour and aging for my pallet. As I age I suspect the booze will be able to get older as well.

[NZChris]

You're lucky to have a choice. Spread over 20 years, the difference in cost is negligible, plus the barrel doesn't have to be retired then. If you can, smell the barrels before you buy one.

[HDNB]

in Canada, we can buy once filled barrels that originate in the USA bourbon areas for anywhere from 90-190 $CDN. they average $150. check carefully for cracked staves, usually opposite the bung. in europe, you may look for ex-sherry cask for a cost savings.
The barrels themselves are basically worthless, it's the transportation to your are and then the sellers mark-up that makes the difference.
300-500 euro sounds expensive to me, but i am a notoriously cheap prick....that likes nice things...the main reason i distill quality spirits!
I'd shop around a bit, you may find the guy that is importing them for wood working, making planter and outdoor furniture...they all come from the same place.

[The Baker]

I just do this as a hobby!
But the idea of ​​having your own old rum.
Which has matured for a really long time.
And being able to drink it as I get older really appeals to me!
Especially when I found a recipe that I like best!
Thank you very much for the quick answers!

I just want to be able to store it for a long time and that's only possible with large barrels!?
Or is that also with baine marie or wooden blocks

Sigh.
I've already got older.

Geoff