AMERICAN WHITE OAK BARRELS

AMERICAN WHITE OAK BARRELS

Updated 2/1/2010

Our "cooper" is Gibbs Bros. cooperage, Hot Springs, Arkansas.
As Mr. Gibbs has explained to us over the last 30 years that we have been buying from him,

"We have to compete with the furniture veneer people
for sap clear, straight heartwood oak.
This wood is very scarce and always pricey. And, it takes almost as much labor to make a one gallon barrel as it does to make a larger barrel".
Our prices are competitive and usually less than others because
we are dealing directly with the cooperage. And, we stock them.

Just give us one week to prepare them and we'll ship them off to you

or you can pick them up here at The Shop.



PREMIUM SAP CLEAR TOASTED
WINE BARRELS

(In-Stock at all times)

Medium Toasted

Just give us one week to prepare them.

1 GALLON $120

2 GALLON $130

  3 GALLON $145

  5 GALLON $195

10 GALLON $235

15 GALLON $285

30 GALLON $375

PARAFFIN LINED
SERVING BARRELS

(Allow 2-3 weeks for delivery)

(Can be drop shipped directly to you
from our cooper)
1 GALLON $90

2 GALLON $100

3 GALLON $110

5 GALLON $120

10 GALLON $140

15 GALLON $180

30 GALLON $225

DECORATIVE BARRELS

(Not water-tight. No bung-hole)

(Allow 2-3 weeks for delivery)

(Can be drop shipped directly to you from our cooper)

1 GALLON $85

2 GALLON $95

3 GALLON $100

5 GALLON $110

10 GALLON $125

15 GALLON $150
30 GALLON $200

THE CARE AND FEEDING OF OAK BARRELS

Our price (When shipped from The Shop) includes external preparation with:

BARRELGARD™ (A synthetic alternative to linseed oil. It keeps your barrel free of exterior mold, does not seal the barrel, allowing it to concentrate the wine, and brings out the wood grain, making your barrel absolutely beautiful)

WET SURFACE LINER™ (A 2-part, food grade epoxy that creates an hard, cleanable square patch around the bung hole)

You will need to soak them internally with hot water until watertight.

(Use Lukewarm water, not hot. on Paraffin Lined Barrels)

We recommend the least amount of hottest water for the shortest length of time.

No use pouring the wonderful toastiness down the drain.

If you've done the above, and for some reason decide not to fill your new barrel with wine, let the barrel drain completely and dry out, so it doesn't mold from the moisture.

You'll have to repeat the hot water swelling again before using.

STORING EMPTY BARRELS

When the time comes to store your barrels empty after use,

do the following to insure that your barrel doesn't go bacterial.

Use "Barrelclean" (sodium carbonate) and hottest water to remove tartrate deposits.

Rinse until water runs clear.

Use Citric Acid, hottest water and the same exact proportions, to neutralize the Barrelclean.

Rinse until water runs clear.

Then use either technique 1, 2, or 3 below.

TECHNIQUE #1

Fill with water and sulfite solution (1 tsp. Sulfite and 1 tsp. Citric Acid per gallon of water). Bung tightly.

Top up weekly with more water. Change solution monthly.

TECHNIQUE #2

For barrels 30 gallons and up, only add 3-5 gallons of water. Then dissolve and add 1/4 cup Sulfite and 1/2 cup Citric Acid.

Bung tightly, roll around, and store standing on one end.

Roll around and change ends every 2 weeks.

Change solution every month.

When ready to re-use, you'll need to get

the sulfite/citric residue out of the wood.

Empty and rinse well.

Using your hottest water, add about 10% by volume.

Roll around, stand on ends, empty and rinse well.

Carefully Smell. You should not smell any SO2.

Repeat hot water treatment if necessary.

TECHNIQUE #3

Burn Sulfur to generate SO2 gas, sterilizing as it burns.

After cleaning (see above), let barrel drain 1-2 days until dry. Stuff bung hole with a paper towel to keep acetobacter out.

Burn the correct amount of wick or disk every week for 4-6 weeks. Recover bung hole.

Repeat every month. Recover bung hole.

Soak barrel watertight just before using.

"The best way to keep a barrel sound,……

is to keep it full of wine."

When full of wine, you'll keep an eye on your barrel, topping it weekly with more wine.

Most people loose their barrels while they are filled with sulfite/citric storage solution,

because they think that having a life is more important than weekly topping.

Whether filled with wine or sulfite/citric storage solution,

keep your barrels full, right up against the bung.

Do this topping on a weekly basis.

WARNING: WHEN YOUR BARREL GOES BACTERIAL,

IT'S HISTORY! NO CURE! USE IT FOR FIREWOOD OR A PLANTER!

To order your super-premium French or American Oak Barrels,
check for pricing by going back to the home page and
clicking on "Winemaking" and either "French Oak Barrels"
or "American Oak Barrels"

Then call 818-884-8586 (800-559-9922, in Calif.).
No e-mail ordering.
All major credit cards accepted.

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