Whiskey Barrels?

[Kenboy]

hi all,

does anyone know where I can purchase small oak barrels for aging whiskey? I'm talking any size less than say 5L?

or suggestions on alternative vessels for aging in and using wood chips.

I also plan to condition a dark ale in a barrel to replicate a burbon barrel aged ale.

or should I just still to the Topshelf Flavour Concentrates.

finally will this work for improving a cheap whisky.

thanks

ken

 

[pms67]

I have full barrels but you need a large brew!

 

[Kenboy]

I have full barrels but you need a large brew!

thanks for the reply. not quite what I was looking for. hoping for more of a show piece for the house.

 

[marshbrewer]

When I looked into this, it appeared that it won't work for small volumes, so the 5 / 10L oak barrels you can get are no good for aging. I think it was to do with surface area compared to volume, or something.

 

[pms67]

thanks for the reply. not quite what I was looking for. hoping for more of a show piece for the house.

Yeah I thought they would be far too big, I turn them all into planters, also it’s hard to get the small quart barrels.
Good luck

 

[Kenboy]

When I looked into this, it appeared that it won't work for small volumes, so the 5 / 10L oak barrels you can get are no good for aging. I think it was to do with surface area compared to volume, or something.

oh I plan to be adding oak chips freshly charred, as I'm sure the barrell itself will be pretty depleted.

I'll have to settle for a glass bottle.

thanks

 

[AlDaviz]

I use oak chunks that were cut from whisky, bourbon, rum barrels. bought from malt miller.
I now place them in the mentioned spirits after use and store in my brew fridge, for there next brew. once dried in the oven.
i've made a rather nice imperial whisky/coffee stout, sherry red ale, rum ale etc.
ive found that you only need to leave in a secondary fv for 5 days to add flavour to the beers.

 

[Kenboy]

thanks for the comments. I managed to find some French Oak blocks. I've cut these into staves of different sizes.

I toasted this at 130c for 2 hours in the oven for a light toast. I then left 50% in and upped the temp to 195 for another hour. I've added this direct to 45% alcohol for a direct oaking effect.

the colour after 24 hours is already looking good. I plan to leave these until Christmas, checking every few days to see how the flavour develops.

once I take out I plan to soak the staves in sherry for a week or two, then use in my next beer brew.

cut different sizes to test effects of different surface area

after 3 hours toasting

 

[mickthetrick]

dont leave them in too long. it can overpower pretty fast. id check the spirit every week to get your sweet spot.
i use jim beam oak chips and two weeks is enough for my taste

 

[Hagrid]

I got 6 off eBay about 10 years ago. They were buttons (£45 a piece rings a bell) and she lass who dropped them off said we might get a tiny splash of 30 year old single malt but the first they ever know about it is as it runs out the barrel and down the drain.
We gave them a wobble and heard splish splash. So we got some pans at the ready hoping for a tot or two. 6 litres later we were rather chuffed with ourselves!

 

[AlDaviz]

thanks for the comments. I managed to find some French Oak blocks. I've cut these into staves of different sizes.

I toasted this at 130c for 2 hours in the oven for a light toast. I then left 50% in and upped the temp to 195 for another hour. I've added this direct to 45% alcohol for a direct oaking effect.

the colour after 24 hours is already looking good. I plan to leave these until Christmas, checking every few days to see how the flavour develops.

once I take out I plan to soak the staves in sherry for a week or two, then use in my next beer brew.

View attachment 33236cut different sizes to test effects of different surface areaView attachment 33237after 3 hours toasting

Good stuff,
The distilleries scotch the wood and burn the surface which I’m guessing adds flavour and colour to the whiskies

 

[Hagrid]

Good stuff,
The distilleries scotch the wood and burn the surface which I’m guessing adds flavour and colour to the whiskies

That’s right. They also tend to use second hand barrels which can impart different flavours like sherry or rum casks adds a slightly sweeter flavour.

 

[AlDaviz]

That’s right. They also tend to use second hand barrels which can impart different flavours like sherry or rum casks adds a slightly sweeter flavour.

Glenfarclas use sherry barrels, I’ve used the whisky soaked in oak myself to flavour my imperial stout

 

[pms67]

Did someone say whisky staves?
Anything I don’t make out of them will be fuel for the wood burner
It’s a win win although building another log store was a pita

 

[Kenboy]

Did someone say whisky staves?
Anything I don’t make out of them will be fuel for the wood burner
It’s a win win although building another log store was a pita

wow, you made light work out of that