Ok, I've received my barrel, now what do I do?.....

Now that you have received the oak barrel, the first thing you must do before adding wine or spirits is to cure the barrel. To cure your barrel you must add at least a cup of water through the bung hole then place the bung back in, so the barrel is air tight. At this point rotate the barrel as to move the water in the barrel to find any leaks. Allow the water to stand in that position for a couple of hours. Another method is to fill the barrel with water completely until the water overflows from the bung hole. At that point plug it up. Again, leave it sit for about 24 to 48 hours or until the barrel swells, checking for leaks every few hours. The water expands to close leaks in between the staves and are moistening the barrel. When your barrel is cured, ad wine or spirits and begin aging. Cheers.

What are the different parts of an oak barrel?.....

Please refer to the Parts of a Barrel page by clicking here

How long do I leave my favorite spirit in the barrel to age?.....

Age to your own taste. This means when you feel you've reached your spirit is smooth, delicious and just right to drink...bottle it and start over. What I do is have one barrel aging for three months, one aging for 6 months, and the other for 1 year. This way you have one or two barrels for your friends and one for special occasions. So... age as long as you want. (five years is the maximum I would age spirits. The charring is probably been used up at about 5 years. Periodic taste tests and your own taste buds will let you know when it's ready.

Can I use my oak barrel again to age something else?.....

No, we do not recommend using the same barrel for two different spirits. For the best out come use  one spirit per barrel. If you use a different spirit the second time around, you will compromise the the taste that you are trying to achieve in your latest batch.

How do I take care of my oak barrel?.....

The best way to care for your barrel is to keep it from drying out. When a barrel dries out it is no longer any good for aging. So, always keep your wine barrel moist. When you are not aging anything, keep water in the barrel at all times. Also keep the oak barrel away from the elements (humidity,dryness, AC vents blowing cold air onto it, the sun's rays, rain), keep your barrel indoors. I cannot say it enough keep your barrel moist.

Can I order your oak barrels in a custom size?.....

Yes. Contact us via e-mail or telephone for a consultation.

What is your return and exchange policy?.....

Please see our Return Policy page.

Do you offer wholesale pricing?.....

Yes. Contact us via e-mail or telephone for a consultation.

Are your Oak Barrels Charred (toasted) on the inside?.....

Each and every oak barrel that we handcraft is charred (toasted) to a "Medium +". Perfect for the aging of wine, spirits or beer.