Shopping guide for White Oak Barrels for Whiskey , Rum and Tequila enthusiasts and Homebrewers.

Shopping for White Oak barrels and kegs is not as easy as it looks like. You need to know what are you going to do with your keg BEFORE you actually get it, so that it ends up being a wonderful experience.

Things you should know of Kegs and Barrels before buying one:

a.- The barrels should store a minimum of  half capacity of its size at all times, or they will fall apart. A Keg works like a wood boat. They need to be in constant contact with liquid to keep its form and size.

b.- There is a certain amount of liquid lost in the aging process called  ANGELS SHARE. This is the amount of liquid that the woods consumes to keep its form. It is about 10 percent per year of aging. If you age 1000ml , you end up with 900ml at the end of the year. It is still worth loosing!

c.- Most barrel re-sellers sell barrels made out of old tequila barrels . The wood used is not new. Ask your seller where does the wood used comes from.

d.- Most barrels and kegs work only with high percentage alcohol spirits like whiskey, tequila, rum etc. Putting wine and any low percentage alcohol spirits on a barrel requires a lot of expertise and homebrewing knowledge.

e.- Ask for instructions on how to cure your barrel, or ask your seller to cure the barrel for you and to make sure it doesnt have any leaks.

Buying a keg or barrel should be fun. Make sure you consider the above points in doing so to ensure a great experience.

Like any other item on ebay, ask the seller for calculated shipping costs. Dont let yourself be ripped out by outrageous shipping charges.

A barrel is something that will last for a long time, be sure that you ask for a personalization.