Whenever investing in new oak barrels, it is an exciting move for a distillery, brewery, or winemaker. Barrels are not merely containers, but, like in the case of your spirits or wines, they influence the flavor, the smell, and the nature of your drink or wine. However, to bring out the best in your investment, you must maintain it and take care of it. In good condition, a barrel can last you many years, but a lack of proper care can cut the lifespan of a barrel by a great distance.
This guide will take you through the best practices that you should observe in taking care of your barrels to maximize them.
Why Barrel Care Matters
All the barrels are crafted of natural oak, which is responsive to the surroundings. Alterations in humidity and temperature, handling, and other influences affect the barrel life and performance. Barrels are porous, unlike stainless steel tanks, and therefore, they must be maintained to avoid cracking, contamination, or leakage. Proper care ensures:
- Constant taste-training of your liquor or wine.
- Increase in the usable life of each barrel.
- Reduced cases of spoilage or wastage of the product.
- You will get a greater payoff on your investment.
Preparing New Oak Barrels For Use
New oak barrels must be prepared before the first use. New barrels are clean, but they require conditioning to make them watertight and well prepared to add flavor.
Hydration and Swelling
- Submerge the barrel in a lot of warm water to make the oak moist.
- Add hot water and leave for 24-48 hours to swell the staves and seal any small leaks.
- Look at drips along the seams and joints of the head. Little leaks tend to be resolved when the wood swells.
Sanitization
Even though there is no previous use of the new barrels, a quick rinse with a light sanitizing solution will give you no previous use of the barrels that could interfere with your first fill.
Day-to-Day Barrel Maintenance
As soon as your barrel is in the service, it is as much looked after as beforehand.
Monitor Humidity Levels
Oak barrels are sensitive to the environment. Preferably, the storage spaces ought to maintain a humidity of 65-75 percent to ensure that the wood does not dry up and shrink. A dry climate causes leakages, and too much moisture may encourage the growth of mold.
Regular Inspections
Test your barrels at least once every week to see whether they are leaking, bulging, or cracked. It is possible to avert larger problems in the future with early detection of problems.
Clean Barrels Between Uses
When a barrel is empty temporarily, rinse it with warm water and then put it in a clean, humid place. Prolonged sedimentation of a barrel is to be avoided, which would be more likely to cause shrinkage and contamination.
Long-term storage tips For Barrels
When you do not use your barrels as they could be, a major part of the storage is the maintenance of the quality of your barrels.
Wet Storage
Maintain barrels of holding solution, e.g., water to which a small amount of citric acid and sulfur dioxide has been added. This deteriorates the growth of microbes and ensures hydration.
Dry Storage
In case of dry storage, ensure that the barrels are well dry, and kept in a cool, clean place with sufficient air circulation. Seal the bunghole with a loose piece of fabric to prevent the entry of dust and pests.
Conclusion
Raising your new oak barrels is a financial investment in quality and durability. Whether it comes to the process of preparation and maintenance daily or in relation to the process of providing the best flavors, the same performance, and the greatest value to your barrels, each of the steps you undertake will enable you to receive the best performance and the highest number of uses, in terms of dollars.
We believe in maximizing the use of barrels at Rocky Mountain Barrel Company, where we are excited to assist distilleries, breweries, and wine producers to achieve maximum barrel use.
Rocky Mountain Barrel Company is offering a free quotation to you today, so you can go out there and start realizing the full potential of your barrels.
