THE BLOG

Willett Bourbon Barrels are some of our most popular for commercial barrel-aging. We see quite a few different types of used barrels move through our warehouses these days. But without a doubt, the most popular are nearly always either used bourbon barrels or used rye whiskey barrels. For the breweries...

We built a custom silicone bung with a pressure gauge to check the pressure on barrels. Leaky barrels are no joke. A whiskey barrel or wine barrel that leaks is a barrel that is literally capable of sending your hard-earned money down the drain. That’s why Midwest Barrel Co. strives...

Flames char the inside of a barrel that will be used to age whiskey or bourbon. Most barrel wranglers know that to legally call your product “bourbon,” it has to be aged in new, charred oak barrels. The same rule applies to straight whiskey, straight rye and Tennessee whiskey. The...

A Vinnie nail was installed on this 10 gallon whiskey barrel. Craft brewers, winemakers, mead makers and other barrel-aging pros know the importance of quality control. They have both the nose and palette needed to know the moment their hard work has paid off in the form of a delicious,...

A bottle of BLiS Barrel-Aged Maple Syrup and BLiS Maple Syrup barrels (ex-bourbon) It’s no secret that used bourbon barrels are some of the most popular for aging beer. The vanilla, spice and oaky flavors pair so well with imperial stouts, barleywines and strong ales.  While there’s no shortage of...

I believe getting to the point quickly is a virtue. So if you’re here because you just purchased a used whiskey barrel that you intend to fill with a beverage, but there isn’t any remaining liquid from what it aged before in there and so you’re concerned, here’s what you need to...

Barrels are good for two things – holding liquid for long periods of time and making cool stuff out of the repurposed wood. So when a barrel is leaky, that’s a major issue for most of what a barrel is supposed to do. So if you just bought a barrel...

Barrel-aging is an exciting undertaking. Some time spent in a barrel can take a homebrew, craft beer, wine or distilled spirit to the next level.  But the barrel has to be able to do its job. A leaking barrel is a no-go and will only delay your beverage’s barrel-aged journey....

Barrels have a shelf life. Or should we call it a rack life? No matter what you want to call it, it’s true. You can’t just get a used barrel, let it sit in the corner and expect it to be ready for barrel-aging whenever you need it. In a...

When it comes to ingredients, fresh is best. For brewers who are barrel-aging craft beer or a homebrewer dabbling in the style, the barrel is another ingredient. So, like all other ingredients that go into a beer recipe, quality matters.  In the barrel-aging world, quality is often determined (for the...