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Canadashine wrote:I wish I had that problem...lol

Yeah, I've been working ahead to be ready

Filled the rye barrel for swelling last night, only two very minor seeps to be seen. Hopefully sealed up by tonight so I can fill it up.

A couple couple of pics for others who may be interested.

Slight difference in size between the two barrels. Bourbon is on the left, 4 band; rye on the right, 6 band. Char on both the rye and bourbon appears the same; Alagator.

How have these barrels been. Im looking at getting one if the shipping isnt to much. Ill either fill it with rum or some cornflakes whiskey.

They've been great. Sealed up easily and are aging nicely; Sitting on a rack presently.

I just got one of the county cooperage barrels too, good price, knowledgeable salesman, great barrel. I don't know if its a common thing, but the barrel I got was listed as 5 gallons, and it's UK gallons, so 6 US gallons. Not really a problem, just bigger than I thought!

Windswept wrote: ↑Mon Dec 30, 2019 5:01 am I just got one of the county cooperage barrels too, good price, knowledgeable salesman, great barrel. I don't know if its a common thing, but the barrel I got was listed as 5 gallons, and it's UK gallons, so 6 US gallons. Not really a problem, just bigger than I thought!

Good observation, I hadn't thought of imperial gallons. The "rye" barrel I received is 5 US gallons, and the "bourbon" ironically appears to be the 5 UK gallon version.

Expat wrote: ↑Mon Dec 30, 2019 6:40 am

Windswept wrote: ↑Mon Dec 30, 2019 5:01 am I just got one of the county cooperage barrels too, good price, knowledgeable salesman, great barrel. I don't know if its a common thing, but the barrel I got was listed as 5 gallons, and it's UK gallons, so 6 US gallons. Not really a problem, just bigger than I thought!

Good observation, I hadn't thought of imperial gallons. The "rye" barrel I received is 5 US gallons, and the "bourbon" ironically appears to be the 5 UK gallon version.

I was surprised too, considering it's made in the US!

Where are you located and how much was the shipping?

850stealth wrote: ↑Tue Jan 07, 2020 4:52 pm Where are you located and how much was the shipping?

No shipping. Picked them up locally from the cooper.

Expat wrote: ↑Tue Jan 07, 2020 5:01 pm

850stealth wrote: ↑Tue Jan 07, 2020 4:52 pm Where are you located and how much was the shipping?

No shipping. Picked them up locally from the cooper.

Ok sounds good. I emailed them asking for a quote. I guess they have rye, bourbon and rum barrels each used once. I'll be aging rum in it so I need to decide what one I'll go with.

I ordered the once filled bourbon barrel, I'm going to use it for some rum. From the surface area I think 6 months with be around the time to check on it and maybe pull it depending on how its coming. I need to start making some product.

850stealth wrote: ↑Fri Jan 10, 2020 4:48 am I ordered the once filled bourbon barrel, I'm going to use it for some rum. From the surface area I think 6 months with be around the time to check on it and maybe pull it depending on how its coming. I need to start making some product.

I think you'll be quite happy with that choice, the smell inside those barrels is divine! Also as noted, the bourbon barrels have actually been slightly oversized so you get more for your money.

Expat wrote: ↑Fri Jan 10, 2020 8:05 am

850stealth wrote: ↑Fri Jan 10, 2020 4:48 am I ordered the once filled bourbon barrel, I'm going to use it for some rum. From the surface area I think 6 months with be around the time to check on it and maybe pull it depending on how its coming. I need to start making some product.

I think you'll be quite happy with that choice, the smell inside those barrels is divine! Also as noted, the bourbon barrels have actually been slightly oversized so you get more for your money.

I read that in your other post and that's part of the reason I went that route, also rum should be in ex bourbon barrels anyway. They will be good decorations around the house.

Expat wrote: ↑Fri Jan 10, 2020 8:05 am

850stealth wrote: ↑Fri Jan 10, 2020 4:48 am I ordered the once filled bourbon barrel, I'm going to use it for some rum. From the surface area I think 6 months with be around the time to check on it and maybe pull it depending on how its coming. I need to start making some product.

I think you'll be quite happy with that choice, the smell inside those barrels is divine! Also as noted, the bourbon barrels have actually been slightly oversized so you get more for your money.

Did you need to clean the barrel out with anything? Ive read about some people having barrels sit and them growing mold. Im hoping that's not the case with these ones.

850stealth wrote: ↑Tue Jan 14, 2020 10:39 am

Expat wrote: ↑Fri Jan 10, 2020 8:05 am

850stealth wrote: ↑Fri Jan 10, 2020 4:48 am I ordered the once filled bourbon barrel, I'm going to use it for some rum. From the surface area I think 6 months with be around the time to check on it and maybe pull it depending on how its coming. I need to start making some product.

I think you'll be quite happy with that choice, the smell inside those barrels is divine! Also as noted, the bourbon barrels have actually been slightly oversized so you get more for your money.

Did you need to clean the barrel out with anything? Ive read about some people having barrels sit and them growing mold. Im hoping that's not the case with these ones.

No, I didn't do any cleaning. Seemed to me that the barrel hadn't been opened since it was drained so I wanted to keep as much of the pleasant aroma as possible. By appearance, the barrels had obviously been stored properly, no weathering or molding.

As advised by the cooper (Joe), I filled hot water (130f as I recall), and then loose set the bung. Left it over night (~12H) and checked for leaks in the morning. Finding none, I drained the water and stored it for later use in proofing. I then immediately filled the barrel with HBB.

Perfect, I'll do the same once I have enough rum made. Will be a bit of work getting 5 gallons ready to age but fun.

I just ordered the 20l barrel form bochart, pleasantly surprised. came with a stand, two bungs and an all oak spigot. seems well made, but wasnt charred, just very lightly toasted, and the staves only. took it apart and charred it up with a torch. came apart and went back together pretty easily

Id buy it again!

StillerBoy wrote: ↑Wed Feb 20, 2019 5:32 am You may want to check out BochArt out of TO for oak barrels.. https://bochart.ca/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Mars

Would not recommend these guys. $200 barrel and it is glued together.

Dancing4dan wrote: ↑Sat Mar 12, 2022 12:54 am

StillerBoy wrote: ↑Wed Feb 20, 2019 5:32 am You may want to check out BochArt out of TO for oak barrels.. https://bochart.ca/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Mars

Would not recommend these guys. $200 barrel and it is glued together.

From an internet detective point of view, I find them highly suspicious. The website text feels like a bad translation, certainly not written by a native speaker of English (and it doesn't feel like Frenglish either). The website lists one address which is a house, not a factory, and when you click contact us you get a pop-up chatbot which offers a different address (which appears to be an appartment block). Either this is a proper cottage industry, or it's a drop-shipping setup!

I have this barrel in use and it won’t stop leaking. I’ve tried hammering down the hoops, realigning the staves, I think next is trying to just coat in beeswax. I’d recommend not buying from them.

DRM in St. Catharines seems to be out of business.

Windswept wrote: ↑Tue Apr 05, 2022 12:31 pm I have this barrel in use and it won’t stop leaking. I’ve tried hammering down the hoops, realigning the staves, I think next is trying to just coat in beeswax. I’d recommend not buying from them.

Bochart has sold me a barrel that was glued together. Maybe they forgot to glue yours...

I don't know of any barrel suppliers in western Canada. Unfortunately in my area they want $250 for a used up whisky barrel.

Shouldn't be any glue in a barrel.... that said these appear to be display barrels regardless of what they're being sold as.

Site and address listed are definitely indicative of a home business, being Brampton its a strong possibility that the individual is ESL; nothing untoward there as far as I can tell.

Would not recommend wax; if you haven't done so already, or maybe even if you have.... give the barrel a long soak (24h) with hot water inside. If its still leaking, do it again. Personally I like the Ottawa cooper we were discussing earlier, I still have whisky in the barrels he sold me.

Tried rebuilding an old leaking barrel. Two actually.
Proved I am no cooper.

But I would say, do not think of coating a barrel with wax.
You might as well use a glass jar.
The idea of a barrel is the contact the spirit makes with the wood; wax coated barrel, no wood contact.

But you could think of waxing between the staves, and where the ends join.

Geoff

I can see where it’s leaking, was just thinking of waxing just the part that leaks to seal it up

I spot heat the leak area with a heat gun, rub beeswax to draw it in like solder, buff with some emery cloth or fine sandpaper, and repeat. Preheat and beeswax works well to wick into the area. Might wedge some tiny oak shims or slivers in if it’s a larger leak then dress it up with paper/chisel before more heat/wax treatment.

Cheers!
-j

Late to the party as usual but got bochart 30 l. Barrel couple of months ago. Had 1 small seep that sealed up in 5-6 hrs. And other at the head that took 1 day to completely sealed. Came with stand,spigot and bung. Overall can't be happier. Sure would recommend them. I will buy from them again.

I have a barrel that I rehydrated to stop the leaks. It did leak a bit out the end grain as it got hot for many months. But the leaks eventually sealed up with some sort of pitch that turned dark. It's almost a year now and no leaks at all.