Frequenty asked questions

Our barrels are made from premium quality Virgin “American White Oak” which has been RIFT cut and medium charred inside, the charred Oak will make contact with the content, and will impart Aromas into your alcohol. For this reason no bladders or inner linings are used in the production of any genuine maturing barrel, as a result some dark patina and surface rust are often produced during the sealing process, which are the authentic characteristics of genuine Oak barrels that are usually desired.

You can select from one of 2 band options:- the “Black Rustic Steel” provides an authentic rustic patina with aged markings. The “Galvanized Steel” option includes rustic characteristics with a mild patina. We stock 2L, 5L and 10L sizes. A wooden stand & spigot are provided with each barrel, or you can upgrade to the ‘brass Tap” option. The content volume of each barrel may vary +/-15% depending on the thickness of the staves. Each Oak stave is medium charred. Our barrels are hand crafted with no use of glues or nails, therefore barrel “curing” is required IMMEDIATELY and prior to use. This process serves three functions:

1. Allows the barrel to water-log and swell, which prevents leaking
2. Limits the amount of alcohol absorbed by the barrel. Follow the instructions provided, and constantly top it up until there has been no leak for 5 days, it can take 1-2 weeks for the oak to become 100% waterlogged. This allows the barrel to swell tightly against the hoops and ensure that the barrel doesn’t leak . At first water will leak from between the staves or around the barrel head, this is normal and will stop within days. Barrels that do not leak should still be filled with water for 5 leak free days. This will minimize the amount of alcohol absorbed by the barrel staves. Once your barrel is sealed to the viscosity of water, empty and rinse with hot water 3 times, and then follow the instructions to seal your barrel to the thinner viscosity of your alcohol. IMPORTANT:- Any leak must be reported within 30 days, Therefore follow the instructions carefully and ensure that your barrel is completely sealed before placing it on your furniture.
3. Curing removes any excess charring and prevents your alcohol from discoloration. Our barrels are medium charred to level 3

SEAL YOUR BARREL IMMEDIATELY – Follow the sealing instructions provided to avoid cracks and leaks. Some permanent dark patina & light surface rust may appear on the Oakwood & rings during the sealing process, which are authentic characteristics of genuine Oak barrels. Patina is created by the sealing process, however frequently wiping the barrel dry, and keeping it elevated above drip water & moisture will minimize the Patina. It is important that the barrel is completely sealed before placing it onto furniture. The bung should be kept in at all times to maintain a vacuum. Once sealed the Barrels are best stored in a cool damp environment, away from heaters and air-conditioning vents, this will keep the Oak from drying out, and will minimize evaporation.

IMPORTANT ONGOING BARREL CARE. Use a dipping stick, or dowel, to check the content level monthly  (fortnightly for Port Users) and replace any evaporation (often referred to as “the angels Share”) make sure that the content of your barrel never falls below 50% capacity. This will prevent damage such as cracks and leaks that could be caused by contracting & expanding. Once the level is checked, hold the bung firmly in place and gently shake your barrel for 5-10 seconds, and then remove the bung momentarily to release any build-up of fermented gas. Keep the outside of your barrel clean & dry at all times to minimize patina.

In the event that you have allowed your barrel to dry, you should contact us for sealing and waxing advice . If it continues leaking, and as an extreme and last resort, and only after you have followed our advice, you could submerge the barrel in water for a couple of days, but please note that this has the potential to cause further damage. After it’s been submerged, dry the exterior with a towel and fill it with water to see if it continues to leak. If you can’t stop the leaking… cut in half and use as a planter!

There’s no formula for the perfect time to age your spirits. We suggest you taste your spirit at least once per month, and once aged to YOUR taste, start drinking or empty the barrel into a decanter to stop the aging process & avoid unnecessary evaporation (often referred to as the angels share) Due to the greater surface or contact area ratio, smaller barrels will age the spirit faster than the larger barrels, for example small size barrels will age 5 to 10 times faster than your standard 55 gallon barrel. These means that one month in a small barrel will produce the equivalent aging to 1 year in a full size barrel.

Your barrel will require routine cleaning. When aging hard spirits such as whiskey, rum or tequila, clean the barrel after two or three batches (or every 1 to 2 years). For wine, cider, Port or other low alcohol content spirits, clean after each batch or decant as follows:-

1. Fill the barrel with a cleaning solution and soak for 24 hours. Empty and rinse 3 times with hot water. See your local home brew retailer for cleaning solution tablets.
2. Dissolve Neutralizing Acid into warm water. Fill the barrel with this neutralizing solution and soak for 15 minutes. Empty and rinse the barrel 3 times with hot water. See your local home brew retailer for Neutralizing acid.
3. When storing the barrel or prior to re-use, dissolve  2 sterilizing tablets in 1 gallon of cool water. Fill the barrel with the solution. Swish around for a few minutes and rinse 3 times with hot water.

To prevent the barrel from drying out and minimize the possibility of contamination, barrels should always be stored full with spirits or sterilizing solution.

American White Oak is used in the production of barrels because Oakwood breaths, which is an important part of the maturing process, as a result some evaporation (oxidation) is unavoidable, This is often referred to as “The Angels share” this oxidizing process is an essential part of imparting aromas into your alcohol.

The amount of evaporation can vary depending on your local conditions. Ensure that you have followed the sealing instructions and that your barrel is 100% waterlogged to minimize absorption and evaporation. The bung must be kept in at all times to maintain a vacuum. Extreme hot or cold temperatures, or lack of humidity will impact on your level of evaporation therefore it is recommended that you position your barrel away from direct sunlight, heaters or air-conditioning cooling systems.

The viscosity of each wine or spirit varies, therefore the levels of evaporation that you experience may vary.

It is recommended that you taste your alcohol monthly to monitor the taste, at which point you can check and replace any evaporation to ensure that the content of your barrel never falls below 50% capacity, this will also routinely release any excess gas build up. A piece of dowel can be cut to size, and marked to create your own dipping stick. Once you achieve your desired taste it is recommended that you decant your barrel into a decanter bottle and begin the next batch, this will prevent the aromas moving past your desired taste, and will also prevent further evaporation (often referred to as The Angels Share)

Each product is custom made to order. Processing times are approximately 2 business days from receipt of your order and design approval, plus 1-14 business days for shipping depending on your location. If you have left your order a little late, just request a gift certificate & photograph which you can put into a card to advise the recipient that their hand crafted & personalised gift is on its way.