Preparing an oak barrel for storing moonshine. storage of oak barrels storage of oak barrels

Fans of making whiskey, chacha and homemade wine, especially beginners, are looking for a recipe both competently and in what conditions to store an oak barrel.

After acquiring such a rare product, the owners have a great desire to start the process of use. As a result, you have a very noble drink, which has similarities and quality with world famous brands. And now you have decided to leave the barrel for a certain period, that is, to give a little rest.

how to properly store an oak barrel?

You, the question arises, In order for the barrel to serve faithfully to your favorite pastime, after use it is advisable to handle it correctly. It is important to know that oak wood has a unique natural property to absorb moisture, and lose it during drying.

And so you poured your prepared alcoholic product from the container, then it must be washed and dried.

And so, how are we going to do it? Well, let's get down to business. Rinse with cool, warm water, two or three times. After that, on fire, bring the water to boiling water, dilute it with soda and pour this magical chemical solution into the hole. Shake well with sharp movements of the hands, then drain and rinse your cooperage device. Now we need a rag bag or a regular fabric, wrap it, turn it over with a cork to the bottom, and put it on a stand. Next, we send to a slightly ventilated room.

How to store an empty oak barrel

Storage of oak barrels from cognac

Oak barrels that have been freed from alcoholic beverages are subject to immediate flooding with cognac spirit.

Barrels should not be left empty after liquor because they tend to dry out quickly. The reason is that alcohols take a lot of substances from the wood of barrels, very depleting them. Oak barrels after spirits are not recommended to be left empty for more than one day. They need to be used again.

Storing oak barrels of wine

If there is a certain time period for the next filling and oak barrels will be in storage, then they must be treated so that organisms of fungal and other origin do not start up after wine (badly treated barrels quickly turn sour after wine).

First, the barrel is rinsed several times with cold water to wash out the sediment.

Then, to wash out the tartar, the barrel is washed with a hot 2% solution of soda ash (this is 20 g of soda per 1 liter of water or 200 g per 10 liters). The container should be about half filled with this solution. Soda should not be poured into a barrel, but poured, previously dissolved in a small amount of water. They wash an oak barrel by swinging it in their hands or shaking it on the ground.

After that, rinse several times with hot water until the soda is completely washed out. Then cold water.

Dry until completely dry by opening the corks or the cork and the tap, turning the oak barrel upside down.

After drying, fumigate with sulfur. Close the cork so that the gas does not escape, and put in storage.

An oak barrel is fumigated with sulfur using a device called a fumigator. It can be purchased at liquor stores, online, or you can make your own. The important details of the fender are the calyx at one end of its base and the stopper at the other. A cup of sulfur that burns falls through the top hole of the barrel into the middle, and the cork closes it while the sulfur burns. The cork of the okurnik, when closing the hole in the barrel, is easy to replace with a rag.

Sulfur can be purchased at liquor stores or online. It comes in the form of tablets (from 2 to 10 g), powder, etc. You need to fumigate an oak barrel carefully so that pieces of sulfur do not get into the middle, because then they can spoil the taste of wine. The approximate amount of sulfur, which is necessary for fumigating a barrel, is 1g. for 10 l. volume. A month later, if its smell has weakened, the barrel is re-fumigated.

Empty oak barrels, fumigated with sulfur, are stored in a damp (humidity not less than 75%), cool place, which is well ventilated so that the wood retains its natural moisture longer and the barrel does not dry out. If it is not possible to provide such conditions, then the risk of drying out of the barrel will be high. In this case, oak containers are filled with water with the addition of certain preservatives. Here are some options:

the barrel is filled with a 0.1% solution of sulfuric acid and systematically topped up with water;

the barrel can also be filled with water with the addition of citric acid and potassium pyrosulfite (approximately 1 g of citric acid and 2 g of potassium pyrosulfite are added to 1 liter of water, the barrel is systematically topped up with water, the solution is changed after a year).

Storage of oak barrels from pickles

Oak barrels that have been freed from pickles are rinsed with cold water; then washed with hot water and soda with a brush; hot water - until the soda is completely washed out; cold water - for cooling; dry and store.

Empty oak barrels are stored in a damp (humidity not lower than 75%), cool place so that natural moisture remains in the wood longer and the barrel does not dry out. If it is not possible to provide such conditions, then the drying of the barrel is regulated with water, pouring it for a certain time. But this process is carefully controlled so that the water does not rot. For insurance, they can put flint in the water, and hide the barrel of water from direct light and do not forget to change the water more often.

How to store a new oak barrel until it is used

If you have purchased an oak barrel, but plan to use it not immediately, but after some time, then store such containers carefully wrapped in polyethylene. Please note that we are talking about a barrel that has just been bought, which has not yet been in contact with the liquid. This barrel is dry. The film will protect the barrel from drying out if you don't have enough moisture, and the dry state of the oak will prevent the development of microorganisms.

We emphasize again. Empty oak barrels should be stored in a HUMID (moisture content of at least 75%), COOL place (cellar, basement, etc.) so that natural moisture remains in the stave of the barrels longer. Otherwise, there will be a risk of the barrel drying up. The room must be VENTILATED, be WITHOUT fungal formations. Barrels should not stand on the ground, but on prepared stands, floorings, bars.

In order to make moonshine, in fact, a special oak barrel for moonshine will help you to make a fragrant drink. Many years ago, specialists in this drink put forward the theory that storing alcoholic beverages in wooden kegs has a positive effect on moonshine. Its taste qualities become more saturated, and the aroma becomes pleasant. The secret lies in the fact that the pores located in the wood allow the barrel to breathe. Thus, oxygen is able to get into the middle of the container with a drink, while alcohol vapors do not have the opportunity to go back.

Before use, the barrel must be steamed

Experienced experts say that oak barrels for moonshine must undergo thorough preparation before the start of operation. If you do not pay due attention to the necessary procedures, you run the risk of transferring a large batch of raw materials, and spending a lot of your time absolutely in vain. There are several mandatory procedures that allow you to prepare an oak product for further use at home. One of the important stages is the steaming of the product. The procedure under consideration allows you to get rid of cracks. Such gaps are not considered marriage, they are of natural origin. Regardless of what material the container is made of, even though it is cherry, even acacia, in any case, the product requires preliminary steaming. The steaming process is as follows. An oak barrel is filled with boiling water by a third, after which the container is scrolled. Leave the barrel for complete steaming. After half an hour, the water is drained.

Such manipulations help the wood to swell, which leads to the disappearance of existing gaps and cracks.

Barrel soaking

Soaking the product allows you to detect and correct all the shortcomings of the oak product. The fresh product contains tannins, especially in riveting. It is for their elimination that soaking is carried out. Otherwise, moonshine will have a too tart taste.

Initially, oak barrels must be soaked daily, completely filling the container with water. Initially, leave the water in the barrel for a day. Experts recommend gradually increasing the duration of the water content, from 2 to 5 days. After two weeks, the water infused in an oak container should be clear and not have any foreign odors.

It is recommended to use warm water to soak the container. If you use boiling water, do not leave the water until it has completely cooled. The filled container is carefully inspected. Fluid may leak between the ends and rivets. When the wood swells, the gaps disappear.

Soaking is one of the stages preceding the use of the barrel for its intended purpose.

How to store an empty oak barrel?

Speaking of wooden structures, one should not forget how such material lends itself to moisture and temperature changes. As a rule, wood products are subjected to auxiliary processing in order to preserve their functionality for the longest possible time. However, this has nothing to do with barrels. Oak barrels intended to store alcoholic beverages or foodstuffs must not be coated with varnishes, oils or paints. The fact is that such procedures can not only affect the taste of the contents, but also harm the health of the user.

If you plan to leave an oak barrel empty for a long time, you should ensure proper storage of the product. After each use, the barrel should be thoroughly rinsed with drinking water, and then scalded with boiling water with soda ash. Then you should wipe the product dry and place it in a canvas or jute bag. This will protect the container from dust. The most suitable place to store empty oak barrels is a utility room or shed made of wood. Please note that it is strictly forbidden to put the barrel on the ground. Direct contact with the ground will lead to the fact that the product will pick up moisture, and subsequently become moldy.

Barrels should be stored properly

What do you need to know about barrel depletion?

Alcohol draws a lot of nutrients out of the keg. It is important after the next batch of moonshine or cognac is drained, pour the next batch of alcohol-containing drink into a previously prepared oak barrel. The break should be minimal and not exceed 24 hours. Therefore, experienced experts recommend preparing the required amount of ingredients in advance for the preparation of the next batch of moonshine. If you do not fill the vessel with another batch of alcohol in a timely manner, the inner walls of the product may become covered with mold, which is quite difficult to get rid of. You should also not forget that the oak gives its tannins to the contents of the barrel. Based on this, the aging period of the drink will change. Each subsequent tincture will require more and more time. As practice shows, the period of preparation of moonshine will increase by an average of 15-20%. Unfortunately, after 10-20 infusions (depending on the volume of the container), the oak barrel, having lost its basic properties, can serve its owners only as an original accessory or storage for alcohol.

Over time, the barrel is depleted and loses its properties.

How to age moonshine in an oak barrel?

It is important to observe a number of conditions when aging moonshine. The alcohol obtained after distillation, as a rule, has a harsh taste. In addition, moonshine can be cloudy. After aging alcohol in an oak barrel, the composition of the drink changes, which leads to an improvement in its quality. The aged drink acquires a golden hue, in addition, the oak barrel gives it a pleasant aroma. Tannin, in combination with other substances, helps to increase the strength of the alcoholic beverage, but at the same time, the moonshine will be softer and even acquire a light and pleasant vanilla flavor.

Extra vibrations, smells, as well as contacts with moonshine and its contents are highly undesirable. In the event that it is required to increase the level of humidity in the room where the barrel is located, a bowl filled with water should be placed near it. Do not forget that the water should be changed periodically, otherwise flowering cannot be avoided.

The technology of operating wooden barrels and pouring moonshine into them for aging is elementary and understandable even to a beginner. The process is laborious and lengthy, but the production of environmentally friendly moonshine is worth such an effort.

Oak barrel allows you to preserve the aroma and strength of the drink

How to make whiskey from moonshine at home?

In addition to the manufacture of traditional alcoholic beverages such as moonshine and cognac, whiskey is aged in oak barrels. After the mash distillation process, it is poured into a container. After that, the distillate is diluted with drinking water. Using an alcohol meter, it is necessary to achieve 63–65% of the strength of the drink. At the next stage, the drink is poured into an oak barrel and tightly closed.

Barley is used as a key ingredient in the production of whiskey. The following components are used to make single malt whiskey:

• barley malt,
• yeast,
• drinking water (in the ratio 1:3).

In any old recipes, an oak barrel or jug ​​is an obligatory attribute. And this is not at all surprising, since such a container allows you to give the drinks impeccable taste and pleasant aroma.

Home production of moonshine is becoming increasingly popular due to the fact that modern alcoholic beverages, even elite brands, are not always of high quality, pleasant taste and aroma.

Oak barrels are ideal for storing a wide variety of alcoholic beverages, but these vessels have one feature. In order for them to retain the taste and aroma of wine or cognac, it is necessary to keep them constantly filled. But what to do in the off-season, when the tank is empty and there is simply nothing to fill it with? If you are faced with a similar situation, we suggest using the tips below.

What to do with the barrel after use?

As soon as the drink stored in the tank comes to an end, it is advisable to immediately thoroughly wash the container with clean drinking water. After that, we prepare a solution of soda ash (about 2 grams of this disinfectant per liter of boiling water) and scald the barrel well. Such an insignificant concentration of soda will not cause any harm, but it will remove all extraneous odors.

If it is not planned to fill the container immediately after this, perform the following steps:

again carefully wash the barrel with clean cold water to remove even the smallest traces of soda solution;

we send the barrel for storage in any ventilated room - in a barn, utility room or summer kitchen. At the same time, it is advisable to put it on a specially prepared flooring from boards in order to exclude the appearance of mold due to contact with damp earth.

Do not store the barrel near heaters, in direct sunlight, near strong-smelling substances. Also, do not store the barrel filled with water.

Never wrap the tank in a plastic bag, as many Internet sites advise. The thing is that with a temperature difference on the inner surface of such a “package”, condensation will necessarily appear, which will cause dampness, mold and fungi. Follow our advice, and the barrel will remain in perfect condition for the new season.

Guidelines for the preparation and storage of oak products.

Before use, it is necessary to make an external inspection of the barrel. Weakened hoops must be knocked out with a heel and a hammer. The hoops should be in the place where they were during manufacture. Barrels made of linden, aspen, alder wood are enough to scald with boiling water. Holya oak barrels are considered the best, most reliable and durable, and require special preparation. Oak wood contains a lot of tannins, so they must be specially processed. First of all, they are poured with cold water for two to three weeks. Every other day, the water is changed, observing its color. In the first days, the water may turn brown, then it will lighten up. During this time, the riveting will swell and the smallest gaps will disappear, the wood will be saturated with moisture. Next, the barrel is washed first with hot and then with cold water (it is not recommended to keep hot water in the barrel for a long time). Only after that you can pour drinks into it for further aging. Sometimes the ends of staves and chimes - for less volatility of the drink, are treated with a composition of natural drying oil, wax and chalk.

The preparation of tubs is practically no different from the preparation of barrels. Also, tubs are filled with water until the leak disappears. In the process of soaking, brine residues are removed from the staves, with which the wood is saturated throughout the winter. Then I wash the tubs inside with cold water with a hard washcloth, rinse and start steaming. Steaming tubs is a hygienic measure that contributes to the disinfection and aromatization of wood. Not only the old, but also the new tub must necessarily take a bath with hot steam and an oak, juniper or birch broom. The tub is filled with about one third of the water, brought to a boil. From above, so that steam does not come out of it, I cover the tub with a wooden lid, and then with an old blanket or padded jacket. After a few minutes, when the formation of steam subsides, the tub is opened, periodically doused with hot water, and the steamed staves are whipped with a fragrant whisk. Swollen wood greedily absorbs the healing aroma with beneficial substances. In order for the staves to retain their freshness and aroma, water is poured out of the tub while it is still warm. As soon as the steamed tub is slightly dry, it is immediately loaded with pre-cooked vegetables, berries, mushrooms and other products along with various spices. The tubs filled with pickles are stored in a cool room.

Even in the driest room, tubs should not be placed on the floor or ground, as mold can form on the bottom, as well as in the chimes. They should be at such a distance from the floor that it is convenient to pour dry sawdust under them and remove wet sawdust. In addition, you need to follow the circle. At the slightest appearance of mold, it is washed, doused with boiling water and rinsed in salt water. The stone is processed in the same way. And then your pickles will retain a pleasant taste, delicate aroma and appetizing look until spring.

Barrels after use should be rinsed with cold water and stored with an open filling hole.

After use, the tubs must also be washed from the remnants of pickles and brine, dried (not in the open sun) and stored empty in a cool room.

In no case should you fill and store water during storage, as unnecessary fungi can develop on the wood.

Oak wood is filled with special preservative substances - tills, which protect it from damage by putrefactive microbes. Oak wood is not afraid of moisture, on the contrary, immersed in water, it becomes even stronger. Since the time of ancient Novgorod, oak has been considered the best material for cooperage utensils, especially for jellied barrels. From oak they make tubs for sauerkraut and pickling cucumbers, tubels for storing lard and corned beef. Apples soaked in oak tubs remain tasty and strong until spring.

In no other industry is packaging as important in the technological process of production and storage of products as in the WINE PRODUCTION. Wine oak packaging is directly involved in the process of maturation and aging of wine. Of particular importance for the quality of wine is the porosity of the walls of the barrel. The slow supply of oxygen through the pores of the staves has an exceptionally favorable effect on the course of wine maturation. Long-term aging of wines in oak barrels gives them transparency, makes the wines resistant to haze and gives them a delicate bouquet of old wines. The importance that oak has on the development of the taste of wine is clearly expressed by the phrase that can often be heard from the winemaker: "The barrel makes the wine."

The oak barrel is of particular importance in cognac production. Here, in addition to oxidative processes, oak wood itself is also of great importance, which, due to the dissolution of tannins in cognac alcohol, imparts a taste and aroma that are especially characteristic of cognacs.

“Oak barrels enhance the antitumor effects of red wine. The positive effect of moderate consumption of red wine is associated with the antioxidant activity of the polyphenols it contains. It has been established that the antioxidant effect of polyphenols is enhanced by substances contained in oak barrels in which wine is stored. However, scientists warn that red wine is not a cure for cancer."