aging in 5ltr oak barrel

[Kentucky shinner]

where do you get your barrels from Greygambler?

[GreyGambler]

from brewhaus and waiting on oak barrel ltd.after reading your post. TY

[Kentucky shinner]

let us know which you like best. I may try the brewhaus next if you like them better.

[Usge]

I get mine from gibbs brothers. They are pretty basic...but good wood, charring/toasting and tight. Dont' waste your time with fancy stuff (spigots are useless and just adds an extra hole that could leak). Stands are nice, but you can also make them easy enough, and I like to roll/turn my barrels often anyway. My first aging on the 1 gal charred went in at 120 proof, stayed for a month, got very dark/brown. It wasn't quite long enough to completely smooth things (age) out though. Hoping next round I can leave it a little longer will do the trick.

gibbs brothers website sucks...but here it is: http://www.gibbsbrothers.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Better to just call them direct ...really nice folks, family run. They'll do custom orders too...just ask. Prices are reasonable. They aren't fancy, just functional.

[Kentucky shinner]

I checked out the Gibbs Bro. Nice looking product but seems a little pricey to me. The 1.1 Gallon is $87usd + shipping. I can get 2 from oak barrels ltd. for the same price with free shipping.
KS

[Kentucky shinner]

My first aging on the 1 gal charred went in at 120 proof, stayed for a month, got very dark/brown. It wasn't quite long enough to completely smooth things (age) out though. Hoping next round I can leave it a little longer will do the trick.

gibbs brothers website sucks...but here it is: http://www.gibbsbrothers.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Better to just call them direct ...really nice folks, family run. They'll do custom orders too...just ask. Prices are reasonable. They aren't fancy, just functional.

How long do you think you would leave it. I was going for one month at 110 proof. Maybe I should go a little longer?

[Usge]

First time I used the 1 gal barrel...(charred), I checked it after 3 weeks it was good, but still a little sharp, then following week (4 weeks) I took it off. It was very dark color wise at that point, but was already starting to get woody. I finished it off as per Dnder in glass...with just a touch of honey which seemed to take some of the rough edges off it. I would check it after 3 weeks. If it tastes good then...go ahead and take it off and transfer it to glass. Next round you can always leave it longer.

[Usge]

I checked out the Gibbs Bro. Nice looking product but seems a little pricey to me. The 1.1 Gallon is $87usd + shipping. I can get 2 from oak barrels ltd. for the same price with free shipping.
KS

Long as they don't leak and work good...that's the bottom line.

[Dnderhead]

LTD has a sale otherwise they would be about the same price.

[Kentucky shinner]

Ok I could not resist. I pulled a sample from my barrel after 8 days. Nice color already, and the taste is more oaky than I thought it would be. I put it in my freezer. i will try it again in 7 more days.

[GreyGambler]

KS whats the deal with freezing does it brink out more taste just wondering I have a 12x20 walkin that stays at -10. sounds like your happy with the barrel.

[Kentucky shinner]

I have read on here that reducing the temp and humidity will bring out more vanilla flavor. so I just thought I would try and see how it comes out. Yes so far I am very happy with my barrels. No leaks and I really like the spigot it makes really easy sampling.

[Usge]

spigots ok for just a drop or 2 out of them. But, if you try and actually drain off some of the barrel with it, you'll notice that you have to pull the main bung to get it to flow at a certain point. It just drips and then stops at a certain point. Sort of like putting 2 holes in a can to equalize pressure so one will pour. I had envisioned taking the small barrel intact to a gathering, and setting it up on the bar...just pour from spigot. It didn't work that way. After a few ounces...it just locks up. You have to pull the main bung to get it to flow. And at that point, trying to work the spigot, the barrel rolled a bit to one side and spilled from the bung at the top. It's a little precarious trying to work with a full open bung cask . And, if you are lucky...the coopers had the foresight to align the bung and spigot so the bung is on top when the spigot is facing down — or so it can be adjusted that way. If not...you have no way to have both the spigot and the bung open at the same time. So, when I decided to empty the barrel into large pot instead...the spigot was in the way. I ended up having to re-bung the barrel, pull the spigot and plug it (it still leaked), then pull the main bung again so I could drain the barrel into large pot.

After that, I plugged the spigot and swore never again. Wasted hole in an otherwise perfectly good barrel (just my experience/opinion). YMMV

[Caprimulgus]

When you have used a barrel enough times for it to to be "spent" so to say. Can it be reused over and over just for storage after the barrels oakiness is gone? Or would it start giving off nasties or do any other harm to alcohol stored in it after that?

[Kentucky shinner]

on the LTD barrels the spigot is exactly 180 degrees from the filler bung. When the spigot is at the bottom the bung is at the top. Both of mine are like that. I guess the folks at LTD took this into consideration.
seems to work really well for me. i just pulled the filler bung out and opened the spigot.. worked perfectly for me.
Shinner

[Usge]

Yes that looks like better setup for using spigot than what I have. The bungs on gibbs bros are traditional/flat plugs. They aren't easy to get in and out so they don't leak. Those bungs look like they have a handle that would make it easier to remove them and replace them by hand. Do you rotate your barrel in the stand as it ages? Or just leave it upright the entire time?

[Kentucky shinner]

I was going to rotate after 2 weeks. so far I have turned them upside down to see if they leak and so far they havent but I have not let them set like that for any length of time. Is it important to rotate?

[Usge]

Not sure since we are aging for such short time lengths (comparatively), if rotating is something that would actually be beneficial to the aging process. Maybe Dnder has some thoughts on that. Mainly, I do it because I don't want to get a dry spot anywhere inside the barrel that mold could start.

[Kentucky shinner]

geat idea about the mold. I had not thought about that.

[GreyGambler]

Great idea about rotating I haven't thought about that either. my barrels from brewhaus has the same set up as KS. going out to rotate now

[Dnderhead]

if I was to use those small barrels I would use the "soaera" system. as it wont belong that barrel will be depleted any way.
then just buy another one to age in when it gits almost where you want it transfer into the depleted one.

i almost thank a "auto sistem" could be set up , maybe build a rack that would hold several stacked. stacking the newest on top,
and a connecting tube (dip tube out of keg?) . as you removed from bottom one it would be refiled from the one above,
just keep the top one filed.if it worked you could have a endless supply.

as far as mold that takes quite a wile if you keep the barrel closed.,some burn sulphur in
them but Iv stored barrels for 6 months and never had a problem.

[MuleKicker]

Thats a really good idea dnder. Fill from the top, take from the bottom. A great way to rotate yer stock.

[Kentucky shinner]

damn Im gonna need another barrel...

[Dnderhead]

if you installed tube(s) and bottom spigot when on the dry side the barrel will swell and seal.
also you could use a ss valve as it would be more dependable.if you made the rack to hold
6 ? then just add one on top every 6-12 months..???? . depending no how much you use, it
could spend 1 year aging by the time it made it threw the "system"..

also when you install bungs an spigots make shore there dry then they swelltite.

[Kentucky shinner]

pretty cool Idea!

[Caprimulgus]

When you have used a barrel enough times for it to to be "spent" so to say. Can it be reused over and over just for storage after the barrels oakiness is gone? Or would it start giving off nasties or do any other harm to alcohol stored in it after that?

Anyone?

[kiwistiller]

It's all good to keep using them I believe. They'll probably still lightly oak things. you can augment them with dropping in charred / toasted sticks if you wanted.

[Caprimulgus]

Thank you Kiwi. Would have been a pricey shelf ornament otherwise. Lets see what Santa brings this year.

[LWTCS]

Yes, repurpose the barrel for aging your white rums (or the like).

[MuleKicker]

Yes, repurpose the barrel for aging your white rums (or the like).

You and your damn rum.. ...You keep drinkin that rum, you's gonna turn into a pirate.