Exotic Barrels.com

Our Barrels are used for the following liquids

Wine - Some wines are fermented "on barrel," as opposed to in a neutral container such as a steel or wine-grade HDPE (high density polyethylene). Wine can also be fermented in large wooden tanks, which when open to the air are called open tops. Other wooden cooperage for storing wine or spirits range from smaller barriques to huge casks, with either elliptical or round heads. The tastes yielded by French and American species of oak are slightly different, with French oak being subtler, while American oak gives stronger aromas. To retain the desired measure of oak influence, a winery will replace a certain percentage of its barrels every year, although this can vary from 5 to 100%. Some winemakers use "200% new oak", where the wine is put into new oak barrels twice during the aging process. Bulk and cheap wines are sometimes flavored by soaking oak chips in them instead of being aged in a barrel.

 

Whiskey - Laws in several jurisdictions require that whiskey be aged in wooden barrels. The law in the United States requires that "straight whiskey" (with the exception of corn whiskey) must be stored for at least two years in new, charred oak containers. Other forms of whiskey aged in used barrels cannot be called "straight". International laws require any whisky bearing the label "Scotch" to be distilled in Scotland and matured for a minimum of three years and one day in oak casks. Since the U.S. law requires the use of new barrels, which is not typically considered necessary elsewhere (see over regulation), whisky made elsewhere is usually aged in used barrels that previously contained U.S. whiskey (usually bourbon whiskey). The typical U.S. bourbon barrel is 53 US gallons (200 L) in size, which is thus the de facto standard whisky barrel size worldwide. Some distillers transfer their whiskey into different small barrels to "finish" or add qualities to the final product. These finishing barrels frequently aged a different spirit such as rum or wine. Other distillers, particularly those producing Scotch, often disassemble 5 used bourbon barrels and reassemble them into 4 casks with different barrel ends for aging Scotch, creating a type of cask referred to as a hogshead.

 

Sherry - Sherry is stored in 600-litre casks made of North American oak, which is slightly more porous than French or Spanish oak. The casks, or butts, are filled five-sixths full, leaving "the space of two fists" empty at the top to allow flor to develop on top of the wine.

 

Brandy -  Maturing is very important for a good brandy, which is typically aged in oak casks. The wood used for those barrels is selected because of its ability to transfer certain aromas to the spirit. Cognac is aged only in oak casks made from wood from the Tronçais and more often from the Limousin forests.

 

Balsamic Vinegar - Traditional balsamic vinegar is aged in a series of wooden barrels. Balsamic set will become part of your kitchen essential 'go-to's' and one you'll enjoy for years and years to come. The Italian acetaias recommend to fill your barrel to just about 80 percent capacity.  The balsamic will continue aging and mellowing as the wood breathes and interacts with its special contents adding character and a beautiful balance to the vinegar.  Enjoy it at all stages. In just six to eight weeks, pull a bit from your barrel to make complex vinaigrettes.  

Vinegar is easy to make at home. Barrel-aged vinegar tastes wonderful and hands down is better than anything you can find at the market. There's nothing complicated about making homemade vinegar.  Buy a oak vinegar barrel.  Add mother of vinegar. Then pour in a nice fruity red, crisp white wine or a sumptuous ale and let nature take her path. Made in your oak vinegar barrel, vinegar is a living ingredient created through the process of fermentation.  Your finished product will have a depth of flavor that differentiates a naturally fermented vinegar from a store bought manufactured one.  In the end you will be rewarded for your patience by the flavor of your finished vinegar.  Could there be anything simpler? Start your homemade vinegar today. Do this and whether you bottle it to give as gifts, use it simply in vinaigrette or other fine cooking recipes, you’ll be rewarded for years to come. Try our toasted vinegar barrels for your more red wine and more robust vinegars.  Our un-toasted vinegar barrels work great for lighter and white wine vinegars.

 

Tabasco sauce - Since its invention in 1868, the pepper mash used to make tabasco sauce is aged for three years in previously used oak whiskey barrels.

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Beer - Beers are normally aged in 8 gallon barrels which are new toasted or previously used for maturing wines or spirits. Cask ale is aged in the barrel (usually steel) for a short time before serving. Extensive barrel aging is required of many sour beers.

Vanilla -  Vanilla beans sweet, perfumed aroma coupled with their mildly woodsy smoky flavor gives  pure vanilla extract a depth and complexity beyond compare.  Couple them with the natual vanillin flavors inherent in our toasted 1L Oak Vanilla Barrel and you have a marriage beyond compare.  Like a fine bottle of aged whiskey, your barrel-aged vanilla extract matures and mellows with age ... indulge and enjoy!

Pickles - Pickles are no longer sold from wood barrels do to FDA regulation and their plastic maker sponsors but that's how you make them.

Other - Ice cream makers use oak barrels in the ice-cream-making processes. Chocolate makers ages cacao beans in oak barrels. Regional maple-syrup makers also use barrels from a distillery to age their syrup. There are already barrel-aged coffees, barrel-aged honeys, barrel-aged hot-sauces, ciders, mustards, vinegars, pickles, beers, cocktails and more.

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Enjoy in your kitchen!  Give a barrel as a special gift to your favorite friend or family member. They are great for birthdays, holidays or wedding gifts