How do I take care of my barrel?
The best way to care for your barrel is to keep it form drying out.
- When you are not aging anything, keep water in the barrel at all times. Barrels should always be stored full with spirits or water.
- Keep the barrel away from the elements (humidity, dryness, AC vents blowing cold air into it, the sun’s rays, rain), keep your barrel indoors and if possible store in cool damp conditions.
The porous nature of an oak barrel and because tequila is distilled with water, some levels of evaporation will occur.
I left my barrel dry for an extended time. Now it leaks, what should I do?
Submerge the barrel in water for a couple of days. After it’s been submerged, dry the exterior with a towel and fill it with water to see if it continues to leak. If you can’t stop the leaking, cut in half and use as planter.
How long do I age tequila?
There’s no formula for the perfect time to age your spirits.
Taste your tequila every week and once aged to your taste, start drinking or move it to a glass bottle to stop the aging process. Five years is the recommended maximum for aging.
Do smaller barrels age tequila faster than larger barrels?
Yes, due to the greater surface or contact area ration, small size barrels will age 5 to 10 times faster then your standard 55 gallon (208 liters) barrel. These means that one month in a small barrel will produce the equivalent aging to 1 to 11/2 years in a full size barrel.
How often do I clean my barrel?
When aging Tequila, clean the barrel after two or three batches (or every 1 to 2 years)
Always keep the barrel filled with a sterilized water solution. This will keep your barrel from drying out and keep bacteria from growing in the barrel.
To prevent the barrel from drying out and minimize the possibility of contamination, barrels should always be stored full with spirits or water.
How should a barrel be stored?
Barrels are best stored in a cool damp environment such as a wine cellar. This will keep the exterior from drying out and minimize evaporation.
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