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I have read here on HD that oak barrels can be stored filled up with water. A month ago, I had a new, medium roasted, 28 litre French oak barrel made, but I now face a delay for maybe a couple of months before I can produce spirits to fill it with. The barrel maker writes that the barrel can be preserved either by filling it with "a little" alcohol or with water. He writes that if I use water, it will have to be changed twice a week. This later option is what I have used, but it gets a little tiring. Any barrel expert out there who could explain why the water has to be changed so often? Also, if I should fill the barrel with "a little" booze, how much would be necessary to keep the barrel healthy? I also had a thought to fill it up with 40% low wine that I have produced, but have refrained from doing so because I am uncertain about if that would affect the distillate badly in the end or not, and I also do not know if acid from the oak might affect my copper still. I keep the barrel in my basement at a temperature of about 12 degrees centigrade. Probably, the answers are here somewhere on the forum, but I have read quite a few threads, and still have these questions.

Can't speak to the alcohol requirements, but changing the water is most likely due to it turning foul over time. Bacteria and other things go to work as it sits stagnant, and would ruin your barrel.

I also have a brand new barrel. I was advised to put a cheap store bought whiskey in it until I need to use it. This is what I did and it seems to have worked. Now it contains my Spirit and I cant wait for the results.

In addition, the crap whiskey actually got loads better.

also if making scotch/Irish you could put wine in it,then distill the wine.

Hmmmmm.. Something to think about.

Thanks.

J

You can put some citric acid and campden tablets in water, without needing to change it.

Here is what I used for a 20 liter barrel: 40 grams campden tablets, 20 grams citric acid. Scale as appropriate.


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