Recommended 5L barrel?

[Smashed]

I'I'm thinking about getting into making "proper" whisky. Only in a small way.

An American oak barrel is obviously a must. The broad plan is to run a bourbon through it, followed by a scotch.

Now, I stupidly clicked on an oak barrel advert on Insta and now am getting spammed mercilessly from every possible dodgy vendor out there.

I see one at Kegland, there are Adelaide wine barrels, boozebarrels, hell even Kogan and Dick Smith have them!

Do the learned folks of this forum have a view on what's a good quality 5l barrel to invest in, or alternatively, one to avoid?

[The Stig]

Use mini staves in a 5L Demijon instead

[TheRealMrMessy]

My Adelaide Wine US Oak was far from seasoned enough - pine resin galore - so I'll never buy a virgin barrel from them again. My ex-bourbon barrel is just fine though, and if I want a bit of virgin oak punch I'll toss a few staves in. I've also got 11 badmotivator style barrels - mostly original but damn if they aren't pricey either OG or knockoff. Both originals and the dupes have been nothing but excellent quality and good oak flavours. I've also got a selection of random 5L HBS barrels that are just fine, too. Wife uses those for oaking different cheap cask ports - 6 months in a barrel makes them better than most of the top shelf versions for cheap, and after a few uses they also get a couple dominoes tossed in.

For a small barrel, I'd just hit up your HBS and grab one. Staves as Stig says, is a good work around and I use them too. You can do some tricks to help smooth the product out without just oaking and are a good way to learn what's possible before committing a long way to an unknown outcome.

I sometimes steal a wifey port barrel and chuck a whiskey in - got a single malt islay that just spent 3 months in one to finish and damn, its good.

[The Stig]

If going a barrel , make sure they use a stainless tap instead of the brass ones I often see on Facebook .
Whenever I ask about them using brass I get banned from their pages :music-deathmetal:

[Wellsy]

Oak staves are much easier to control the level of oaking with. The barrels will vary with usage, initially ageing very quickly then settling down. It is best to have a long term plan with them as they often start to leak if you let them dry out, this can be fixed by filling with water but then you lose the flavour of what was in them before.
Oh and you will product through evaporation with a barrel but that is part of what makes them work.

[bluess57]

a 5L barrel is too small to be bothered with, 10L is a minimum size I would recommend

I'm considering buying :-

https://boozebarrels.com.au/products/do ... dWEALw_wcB

[bluc]

Looking for a 5l one for hot sauce incidentally :think:

[Smashed]

a 5L barrel is too small to be bothered with, 10L is a minimum size I would recommend

I'm considering buying :-

Food for thought.

If you do go ahead, be great to get your thoughts on it down the track.

[Smashed]

Thanks for all the responses.

At this stage I’ll go with the cheaper option - picked up some white oak staves and Xoakers today.

Can always upgrade!

Cheers.

[bluc]

a 5L barrel is too small to be bothered with, 10L is a minimum size I would recommend

I'm considering buying :-

Food for thought.

If you do go ahead, be great to get your thoughts on it down the track.

Will do :handgestures-thumbupleft: