Barrel wanted

[Canonmillbilly]

And the reply is...

"Sorry, exact species of Oak is unknown."

[Cellar_Rat]

That's a shame.

[SiSandrine]

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).

[Cellar_Rat]

yeah - you can't!

They are toasted over a fire pit and then the ends are put on !!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydyuB_eDvkU

[SiSandrine]

Suspected so. I have seen them firing barrels 'the normal way' but just in case.

[Cellar_Rat]

.. been trying to think of a way around this, but I am drawing a blank.

[Canonmillbilly]

.. been trying to think of a way around this, but I am drawing a blank.

We used to work roofing felt with this sort of thing...






Turn the torch up full and you get a powerful flame, not like this little puff...



Here's the kit...




Anyway, if you could find a powerful torch small enough to fit in the bung hole **and leave a gap for oxgen to get in** it might work.

I think letting enough oxygen in would be the biggest challenge.

Likely you'll be able to hire one of these by the day, or even half day.

You could bore an extra hole on the top of the barrel to feed oxygen and then plug it up again, Like this...

[Canonmillbilly]

Hmm, actually, bore an extra big hole on top, use the tap hole for oxygen and then plug up the extra big hole.

howzat?

:O)

[Cellar_Rat]

In my experience - you are more likely to ceate an oak bomb. There would not be enough air and you would not get an even toast.

[Canonmillbilly]

In my experience - you are more likely to ceate an oak bomb. There would not be enough air and you would not get an even toast.

I can't argue with experience.

Still, you could try it in combination with the wife's turbo hairdryer...

[NorthernWiner]

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...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/4108266/Englands-only-master-cooper-predicts-demise-of-barrel-making.html

Just a thought.

[Canonmillbilly]

What about putting red-hot stones inside and rolling the barrel around a bit?

This sounds daft, but it might work..!?

Mind you, if you've ever lost a pick inside a guitar, you'll know that it might be frustrating getting them all out again!

[Cellar_Rat]

I have thought along these lines with bbq briquettes.

[Canonmillbilly]

Now that's not such a bad idea:

(i) they're hot

(ii) they disintegrate (meaning easy to get back out).

[Canonmillbilly]

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).

Use the same process with a red-hot chain?

Engage your local blacksmith..?