Rickhouse build

[jon1163]

Hey. I haven't posted in a long time...life got in the way. But I'm back and have some time available now. Glad to see, er read, that you all are doing well.

I recently cracked open my first Still Life Rye that I had aging in a three gallon barrel. Two years! Man did it take discipline to leave it in there for that long but I did it. The stuff was fantastic and was my first home run in the whiskey department. Up until now I've been enjoying my neutrals and gin, thanks Odin. AND, I have a five gallon, four year old, Honey Bear sitting in a barrel as I type. Whoowee-just one more year.

I've had various successes with bourbon and rye throughout the years but always ran into a problem with aging. Tried my own sticks harvested from oak on my property, tried toasting, baking, etc. just like I read on this site and some was pretty good. But I've found that I can get nothing to compare with a real barrel. And how do you make your own barrel? Hell I don't know, go to cooperage school? I even played with square barrels made in my wood shop. But even with dovetails and dados leakage occurs. I'm resigned to buying used barrels. I have found I like to make liquor anyway, not bake sticks-hats off to you guys that have figured it out.

Enough bullshitting though. My purpose here is to get some insight on a rickhouse build. I've been toying with the idea for a long time and never had enough time with all my other projects, and the wife's projects, to get serious about it. I propose that my liquor would benefit from keeping my liquor barrels outdoors, subject to all the seasonal variations mother nature sends my way, as opposed to sitting in my pantry at a steady 71 and florescent. I'm thinking something like a modified chicken coop type building, some air flow but no sunlight, metal roof. The spot I have free, that's not occupied by my chickens, my turkeys, my bees, or my wife's goddamned horses gets morning sun until about 1200-1300 hrs. Let's plan it small, say 8'x3'x5' (l,w,h).

I'm thinking 4x4 posts decked out and walled with doors that swing outward. Front access for various sized barrels and bottles. My wife hates that the pantry is half booze. I'm open to any and all of you guys' ideas though. There are some pretty smart people on this site...I don't care what anybody says about you.

Lets get a thread going. When I'm done I'll post my pictures. Thanks! and stay safe...and free in these strange times.

[Yummyrum]

Good onya john ... like your thinking .

LOL , my Rick house would be about the size of a wheel barrow .

Still , keen to see where this goes... as said , theres some good thinkers here

[Windswept]

I've been toying with the idea of making my own cylindrical barrels using canoe router bits, if you look up how to make cedar-strip canoes, that's basically the idea. No clue how it will work, but it's on the drawing board. Right now I'm storing in the cold-room in the basement and looking at installing some racks to hold barrels. There's a pretty good thread on ADI with rickhouse racking that one of their members made.

[jog666]

Thinking about it, one of those pre-built wooden sheds they haul in on a trailer wouldnt be to bad. Leave it uninsulated & a roof vent or a couple cracked windows for air flow. Building from scratch would probably be best for this hobby unless you dont have the skills or tools.

[OtisT]

.... And how do you make your own barrel? Hell I don't know, go to cooperage school? I even played with square barrels made in my wood shop. But even with dovetails and dados leakage occurs. I'm resigned to buying used barrels.

Have you checked out Badmotivator’s thread on making barrels? Real barrel aging characteristics in smaller volumes. I have been making 1 to 3 gallons barrels based on Badmo’s design for several years now with great success.

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=60032

Otis

[Beerswimmer]

I want a rickhouse sooooo bad! I also have done jars with sticks and found that they don't come close to a barrel. Right now I only have 3 5 gallon barrels, but plan on upgrading the size of my boiler and plan on buying more barrels. Right now I'm using the top shelf in my garage.

[Beerswimmer]

I have 4 now with a 5th on the way! Aged stock on hand year round! I just need to do a batch every quarter or so now.

[jonnys_spirit]

Those things are like rabbits!

[dieselduo]

I have one of those cheap metal sheds. It gets hot as a 2 dollar pistol in the day and cool at night.. Works great

[Beerswimmer]

5 now!

[Desvio]

My Rickhouse is my 12'x12' shed that shares space with my garden tools, mower and all my blood sweat and tears. Many a fine nights putting things away, and enjoying a pinch of something in the lantern light!

[The Baker]

That's an inspiration, Beerswimmer.

I am looking at a place to put a few barrels.
But I haven't got any for spirits right now!

Geoff

[8Ball]

I propose that my liquor would benefit from keeping my liquor barrels outdoors, subject to all the seasonal variations mother nature sends my way, as opposed to sitting in my pantry at a steady 71 and florescent. I'm thinking something like a modified chicken coop type building, some air flow but no sunlight, metal roof. The spot I have free, that's not occupied by my chickens, my turkeys, my bees, or my wife's goddamned horses gets morning sun until about 1200-1300 hrs. Let's plan it small, say 8'x3'x5' (l,w,h).

I'm thinking 4x4 posts decked out and walled with doors that swing outward. Front access for various sized barrels and bottles.

Outdoors vs inside: yes
Some airflow: yes
Metal roof: yes. Angled @ 15 degrees with front rear soffit to draw air in & out across ceiling
8x3x5: plenty of room for a hobby.
4x4 posts, decked, doors: sounds good to me. PT wood frame & stainless hardware. Concrete siding with cedar trim.
Sounds like privacy is not an issue. I would still try to not make it obvious, i.e, sort of blend it in with the surroundings. An addition to an existing building maybe? A new tool shed & rick house combo? Tools in the front side and a partition wall for the rick house in the back?

[Deplorable]

I really admire those of you who have the time to produce enough nectar that you need a rickhouse. Even a modest size like yours would hold a good supply of product.

[jward]

Some threads start me thinking in ways that are kinda like imagining what I'd do if I won the lottery just because it's such a pleasant idea but somehow not in my future.