Another 5-liter Mini-Barrel. Good Thing I'm Not Hooked

[fizzix]

This makes #6.
I realize they're not Gibb's or other exclusive brands, but Amazon barrels have treated me well.
Inexpensive and minor -if any- leaks. Odin's Cornflake is coming up on 10-months in one and it's exquisite. (And the angels have been kind.)

My hope is to have a rotation of minimum 1-year-old cask liquors, and all is going to plan.

Some other delights awaiting maturity:
☆Crow's Rum
☆ShineonCrazyDiamond's Honey Bear & Sundae Chocolate Bourbon
☆Still Life's Rye

And this one is getting Booner's.

Barrel 5-liter.jpg

Is there a Barrels Anonymous support group?

[Antler24]

So you aging long term in these? I'd love to have a barrel someday but want something I can age whiskey in for a year plus. A 5gallon isn't really feasible for me as I only make 5-6 runs per year and don't want to dedicate a year's worth if stillin to one recipe filling a barrel. I was under the impression that smaller barrels weren't too good for aging long term.

[fizzix]

The plan is 1 year in the 5-liter.
There's info here that says you risk overoaking because of the larger wood-to-alcohol ratio.
But I check the Cornflake Whiskey about every 3 weeks, and 9 months has only made it better so far.
Three months for the others show no inclination to overoaking either.

Here's the ones I use.

[jon1163]

This makes #6.
I realize they're not Gibb's or other exclusive brands, but Amazon barrels have treated me well.
Inexpensive and minor -if any- leaks. Odin's Cornflake is coming up on 10-months in one and it's exquisite. (And the angels have been kind.)

My hope is to have a rotation of minimum 1-year-old cask liquors, and all is going to plan.

Some other delights awaiting maturity:
☆Crow's Rum
☆ShineonCrazyDiamond's Honey Bear & Sundae Chocolate Bourbon
☆Still Life's Rye

And this one is getting Booner's.

Barrel 5-liter.jpg

Is there a Barrels Anonymous support group?

you're starting to piss me off Fizzix. I think we started around the same time and I spent all my spare time, what little there is with a job and two little mongrels running around, distilling. All I have to show for it is one five gallon barrel of Honey Bear bourbon and still life's rye lined up to fill up my 3 gallon.

And then I have to get on here and read about how you have six barrels and this and that rum, Corn Flakes whiskey, Bourbons blah blah blah.

At least just take pictures for me so that I can live vicariously through you. I'll pretend I'm drinking your crows rum while I'm sipping my crap Bacardi.

[Antler24]

The plan is 1 year in the 5-liter.
There's info here that says you risk overoaking because of the larger wood-to-alcohol ratio.
But I check the Cornflake Whiskey about every 3 weeks, and 9 months has only made it better so far.
Three months for the others show no inclination to overoaking either.

Here's the ones I use.

Interesting. I came across a post on the ADI forums where a micro filled several 5g test barrels and at 12-15 months they were almost over oaked and dumped. 2 years later they stumbled across a barrel they'd missed, and in his words was amazing. I tried to contact him to talk about it but no reply. Would have been nice to know what the aging conditions were, fill/dump proof, angels share etc. Most would have thought it to be oak tea and undrinkable at 3yrs

[The Baker]

I don't dump anything, there is always a way to re-use it, re-blend it with something without oak (in this case); whatever.

Geoff

[Antler24]

I don't dump anything, there is always a way to re-use it, re-blend it with something without oak (in this case); whatever.

Geoff

I think when a commercial distilleries uses the phrase dumped barrel, it means that's the date the barrel was dumped for bottling. Several bourbon labels (Blanton's) have dump dates printed on the labels.

[fizzix]

...you're starting to piss me off Fizzix. I think we started around the same time and I spent all my spare time, what little there is with a job and two little mongrels running around, distilling. All I have to show for it is one five gallon barrel of Honey Bear bourbon and still life's rye lined up to fill up my 3 gallon.

And then I have to get on here and read about how you have six barrels and this and that rum, Corn Flakes whiskey, Bourbons blah blah blah.

At least just take pictures for me so that I can live vicariously through you. I'll pretend I'm drinking your crows rum while I'm sipping my crap Bacardi.

My man, I did nothing for a good while. Figure I spent the first 8 months or so BEFORE Home Distiller spewing out turbo yeasts and one good Cornflake Whiskey.
It was time when I joined in December '17 for me to sh!t or get off the pot, so I jumped in head first and have been dog paddling in shark water ever since.
No kids. Encouraging wife. A slight cash windfall. And an enthusiasm beyond any other hobby I ever had.

Don't forget, more importantly- you are being a dad while I'm slogging bags of corn to the basement. Who's really achieving more?

[The Baker]

I don't dump anything, there is always a way to re-use it, re-blend it with something without oak (in this case); whatever.

Geoff

I think when a commercial distilleries uses the phrase dumped barrel, it means that's the date the barrel was dumped for bottling. Several bourbon labels (Blanton's) have dump dates printed on the labels.

Never knew that! Thanks, Antler.

Geoff

[6 Row Joe]

This makes #6.
I realize they're not Gibb's or other exclusive brands, but Amazon barrels have treated me well.
Inexpensive and minor -if any- leaks. Odin's Cornflake is coming up on 10-months in one and it's exquisite. (And the angels have been kind.)

My hope is to have a rotation of minimum 1-year-old cask liquors, and all is going to plan.

Some other delights awaiting maturity:
☆Crow's Rum
☆ShineonCrazyDiamond's Honey Bear & Sundae Chocolate Bourbon
☆Still Life's Rye

And this one is getting Booner's.

Barrel 5-liter.jpg

Is there a Barrels Anonymous support group?

What brand of barrels have you been getting that work well for you? There's tons of different ones out there. I would love to have one (or a few).

[fizzix]

Joe, I just get these off Amazon: Sofia's Findings 5-liter Barrel

[6 Row Joe]

Joe, I just get these off Amazon: Sofia's Findings 5-liter Barrel

[jonnys_spirit]

Do you use them varnished or unvarnished? I figure varnished may prevent a certain amount of losses.

Cheers!
-j

[The Baker]

Do you use them varnished or unvarnished? I figure varnished may prevent a certain amount of losses.

Cheers!
-j

The reason for un-varnished wood is so there can be some interaction through it between the spirit and the air, which is important for aging.


Do not varnish.

Geoff

[jonnys_spirit]

I saw you in the amazon link that those barrels come varnished and if you email them your order# they can do unvarnished.

My thought would be that in a “small barrel” like that you could partially varnish (or beeswax even better) to limit somewhat the angels share to a more appropriate proportion.

Cheers,
-j

[The Baker]

I saw you in the amazon link that those barrels come varnished and if you email them your order# they can do unvarnished.

My thought would be that in a “small barrel” like that you could partially varnish (or beeswax even better) to limit somewhat the angels share to a more appropriate proportion.

Cheers,
-j

Just take it out sooner and get some more spirit in the barrel and ageing.
You don't have to spoil the barrel, if you want to limit the interaction use glass.

Geoff

[fizzix]

The ones I previously purchased were slightly cheaper and unvarnished. They don't offer that one anymore,
so yes you have to message them to leave the wood natural.

[jonnys_spirit]

Thanks! Sounds like it’s working for you Fizzix so was wondering what you had good results with.

Heers,
-j