Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

I just picked up a new American oak 5L barrel made by
Corowa woodware. Looking closer it is not toasted or charred. Is this going to be any good for whiskey? Its sold as a port or spirts barrel I just expected it to be toasted

Odd really,

As a Port barrel does not the same requirements as a whiskey maturing barrel. I've not come across a whiskey barrel that does not have some level of toasting or char. In the end the spirit style relies on toast/char to develop it's flavour profile.

A Port on the other hand is much happier using it's wine based acids to chew through new timbers (to mellow)and rarely would have a toast/char in it's flavour profile.

I suspect there would be no issues with a return or toasting it...but I'd be asking them to do that.

bt1

Normally you age on charred oak first and then finish the ageing in a port or sherry barrel if that's the organoleptic profile you're looking for. You don't start in one.
2 options, char it or put sherry or port in it.

Yeah I'm thinking I might throw some port in it. It's not what I wanted to do but maybe I will throw some rum in afterwards

Id stiil get it toasted or charred mate. Why waste money on a barrel if it isn't going to give you the desired product you want. As already said rums, whiskey and burbon rely on it for flavor profile. Pretty sure they could char it tor you or at least take the lid off so you can toast your self. Just remember to give wood a soak with water first before charing :handgestures-thumbupleft:

bought it on Ebay so if its getting toasted or charred it will be by me. Look like a big job to get the end / ends off

I tend to agree with the toasted/charred consensus :-B
Also dismantling a barrel and messing with it sounds like a recipe for disaster.
You could always put it back on ebay and get another one. Or add some charred wood into it. This however would lead to a very high ratio of oak to spirit in what is already a very small barrel.
Is it varnished on the outside btw?

No it has no finish on it at all.

I am just going to put some port in it for a year or so and then when that comes out I will try a rum batch in it.

Thanks for all the reply's

pulsetech wrote:No it has no finish on it at all.

I am just going to put some port in it for a year or so and then when that comes out I will try a rum batch in it.

Thanks for all the reply's

That's great, barrels do there best work when they can breathe. :handgestures-thumbupleft: And when the port has used up some of the oak flavors you'll be able to add all the charred oak you like and still benefit from the barrels ageing abilities.

You're living the dream, enjoy :mrgreen:

Just be aware that a 5L barrel will "age" very quick due to its high surface contact ratio :-B

Take the tap out for vent and shove a oxy torch in the neck for a few sec= Char'd

bt1

bt1 Should I fill it with water first to let it soak or just let it rip. The brass tap is not fitted yet and the bung is out (its real loose fitting too)

bt1 wrote:Take the tap out for vent and shove a oxy torch in the neck for a few sec= Char'd

bt1

I reckon you would struggle to keep the flame going as the oxygen will deplete quickly inside

sam_and_liv wrote:

bt1 wrote:Take the tap out for vent and shove a oxy torch in the neck for a few sec= Char'd

bt1

I reckon you would struggle to keep the flame going as the oxygen will deplete quickly inside

Just whack a litre of heads in it first, problem solved :laughing-rolling:

MacStill wrote:

sam_and_liv wrote:

bt1 wrote:Take the tap out for vent and shove a oxy torch in the neck for a few sec= Char'd

bt1

I reckon you would struggle to keep the flame going as the oxygen will deplete quickly inside

Just whack a litre of heads in it first, problem solved :laughing-rolling:

A litre of heads.......................boom :laughing-rolling:

:laughing-rolling:
OMG, pure gold. You just woke my darling sleeping wife with my rediculous cackle

Hi Pulsetech,

I purchased the exact same thing from Dan Murphy's. I have put port in mine with a touch of brandy and it is definitely smoother.
I filled it with water for a few days before I filled it. Beware of the loose bung - it does swell quickly even with no fluid contact. Unfortunately, my tap drips a tad unless it is just the right off position.

I was wondering if anyone knows if I now emptied it after a few months and I placed in some neutral, how that would go?

I also just picked up a 20 litre glass carboy that after reading some of the comments here I might fill with 65% neutral and hang in some oak to see what happens. I know the neutral doesn't sound like its the best way to go, but its what I can do at the moment.....

Just be aware that some of the Barrels from places like Dan Murphys can be internally sealed with wax :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Roger wrote:I was wondering if anyone knows if I now emptied it after a few months and I placed in some neutral, how that would go?

It will draw a lot of the port flavour into the spirit, depends if this is what you want. I tried it once with a DWWG or something like that and I wasn't a big fan.

sam_and_liv wrote:

Roger wrote:I was wondering if anyone knows if I now emptied it after a few months and I placed in some neutral, how that would go?

It will draw a lot of the port flavour into the spirit, depends if this is what you want. I tried it once with a DWWG or something like that and I wasn't a big fan.

Yeah, that would probably taste like arse...... but it would go really nice with Rum :handgestures-thumbupleft: