Oak Barrel - Black Hoop 5L

This Oak Barrel is made from American white oak, which gives it a ''vanilla'' taste, compared to French oak. It includes stand, spigot and bung.

How to Age Bitters, alcohol and cocktails? Simply fill the barrel with your alcohol or alcohol mix and store in a humid place where it is not exposed to sunlight or heat.

The time required to age bitters/alcohol/cocktail depends on your taste. This can be anywhere from a few weeks to a maximum of three years. Aging bitters/alcohol/cocktail in a barrel has the effect of transmitting the taste of the wood (oak) to your alcohol. The longer you store a wine or liquor in a barrel, the stronger the taste will be and the darker will the color get.

Important: Wood being a living material, this barrel can contract. To avoid any dislocation, it is important to store it in a sufficiently humid environment, or ideally, to use it within the first few weeks.If left empty in between uses, the barrel can dry and leaks will appear. To ensure its perennity, always leave at least a fourth filled.

Oak Barrel Using Guide

Brand new oak barrels are about as sanitary as they can be because the wood has been heated over direct fire in the process of making the barrel. This is done in order to bend the staves into place, and also to enhance various flavours.

Barrel Assembly Guide

1. Place the spigot in spigot hole making sure the handle is vertically aligned.
2. Tap the front of the spigot with a small hammer until it is firmly placed inside the spigot hole.
3. Fill the barrel with your favourite alcohol, cocktail or bitters, and close by placing the plug in the bung hole.

How to Seal the Barrel

Before the first use, a new barrel must be filled with water to make the wood swell and eliminate leaks. These leaks will often seal themselves in only a few hours, but it could also take a couple of days. The barrel should be continually refilled until the leaks stop.

If it Keeps Leaking

If the leaks persist you can seal them by melting beeswax or candle wax and applying it on where the leaks come from. The oak wood must be dry in order for the wax to adhere and seal the barrel. Never rub wax on the inside of the barrel as it will contaminate the liquids stored inside.

How to Prepare for Use

Before using the barrel, empty completely and choose one of the following cleaning methods:

1. When the barrel is new: fill the barrel with hot water, swirl, and empty, and repeat until the water comes out completely clear.
2. Once a barrel has been used, additional cleaning and sanitation measures are required. Between each use, rince the barrel thoroughly with water to remove debris. Follow by rinsing the barrel with an acid wash. Dissolve two teaspoons of citric acid in five gallons of water. Slosh this mixture around the interior surfaces of the barrel for 5 to 10 minutes. Drain, and refill the barrel with the alcohol, bitters or cocktail you want to age.

During a pause

If you are going to store the barrel for a prolonged period of time, it is important to store it in a humid environment. This will prevent shrinkage. which would cause leaks and the hoops would fall off. It is also recommended to pour some neutral alcohol in the barril between uses to prevent the creation of mold. Please note that the barrel will take a black tint, which is totally normal.

How to Age Bitters, Cocktail and Alcohol

To age bitters, alcohol and cocktails, simply fill the barrel with with the liquid and store in a humid place, away from sunlight or heat. The time required to age an alcoholic substance depends on your taste preferences. This can be anywhere from a few weeks to make a maximum of three years. Aging an alcoholic beverage in a barrel will result in a transmission of flavours, from the wood to the liquid. The longer the liquid stays in contact with the wood, thr stronger the flavours will be, and the darker the colour will get.