by db1979 » Sun Feb 11, 2018 10:30 am
End grain is end grain, regardless of whether it is perpendicular or at an angle. If you think of timber as a bunch of straws, the end grain being the straw openings. If you cut the bunch of straws at an angle you'll still have straw openings.
A barrel is probably the best way of reducing exposure to end grain.
A few months ago someone shared a link to HD where someone had made a mock-up barrel out of a stainless pot and made a lid out of oak such that the end grain wasn't exposed. Once the vessel was on its side the oak came in contact with the spirits. The tricky part was in making it seal and keeping the oak lid in place.
Getting your hands on oak pieces big enough is also a challenge.