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Just spoken to the chap who is very helpful. He thinks it most likely that they are American Oak (though he sources them from France). For me the bigger problem is that he suspects that they aren't pre-charred. Anyone got experience of charring barrels (through a bung hole).
Simon "I can certainly see that you know your wine. Most of the guests who stay here wouldn't know the difference between Bordeaux and Claret." - Basil Fawlty
Suspected so. I have seen them firing barrels 'the normal way' but just in case.
Simon "I can certainly see that you know your wine. Most of the guests who stay here wouldn't know the difference between Bordeaux and Claret." - Basil Fawlty
Maybe you could simply remove one head and toast the barrel? I believe there is a chapter in Daniel Pambianchi's "Techniques in Home Winemaking" that explains how to disassemble a barrel using a couple of specialized tools.
The other option is to have a professional cooper do the work for you. Simon, I don't know where in Hampshire you live, but it looks like there is a cooper about an hour away in Devizes, Wiltshire. Perhaps you could enlist his assistance...
I remember seeing (on tv) a whisky maker using a chain to shake around inside an old (sherry?) barrel to remove the toasted wood (and get the woody-wood for the whisky maturation).
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