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Why every craft brewery needs a barrel program

Ethan Schulenberg

July 06, 2023

Craft beer is a crowded industry. That’s not inherently bad, as more breweries can lead to a vibrant local craft beer culture with plenty of success and notoriety to go around. But breweries still need to find ways to stand...

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Commercial Barrel-Aging

Barrel-aging, Featured

Why every craft brewery needs a barrel program

Craft beer is a crowded industry. That’s not inherently bad, as more breweries can lead to a vibrant local craft beer culture with plenty of success and notoriety to go around. But breweries still need to find ways to stand out. Sure, curious first-time customers are always down to check...

Barrel-aging

What are the differences between American and French oak barrels?

Oak dominates the world of wood barrels. It always has. If there were an undisputed world heavyweight title for wood barrels and casks, oak would be the reigning champ for centuries now. No, seriously. The use of oak for storing and then aging beverages dates back to the Roman Empire....

Barrel-aging, Barrel-Aging 101

Barrel-Aging 101: Aging beer in bourbon barrels vs. rye whiskey barrels

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...

Barrel-aging, Industry Spotlight

Barreled in Bond: Whiskey Hill + Midwest Barrel Co.'s Barrel-Aged Beer Collaboration

From left: Ethan Schulenberg and Ben Loseke of MWBC and Kevin Hopkins and Eric Flores of Whiskey Hill Brewing Company taste beer samples from bourbon barrels. Cross another barrel-aged beer off the Midwest Barrel Co. to-do list. Thanks to our good friends at Whiskey Hill Brewing Company, we now have...

Barrel Care, Barrel-aging, Barrel-Aging 101, How to Guides

How to pressure test used whiskey, bourbon and wine barrels

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...

Barrel Care, Barrel-Aging 101

The complete guide to whiskey and bourbon barrel char levels

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...

Barrel Care, Barrel-Aging 101, How to Guides

Barrel-Aging 101: How to use a 'Vinnie nail'

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,...

Industry Spotlight

Superstition Meadery’s barrel-aged meads create a buzz

Zeke Peyton pulls a Vinnie nail to sample mead aging in a barrel at Superstition Meadery. (Photo provided.) Mead is having a moment. Actually, mead’s been having a moment for a few years now – one that’s seen it grow in popularity and acceptance in the craft community. Thanks to...

Barrel Care

How we add belly bungs to head bung whiskey barrels

A Midwest Barrel Co. team member drills a belly bung hole into the side of a head bung whiskey barrel. Used bourbon and whiskey barrels aren’t easy to find right now. If you’re a brewer or you’re in charge of a brewery’s barrel program, then you have probably noticed this...

Industry Spotlight

Foreign Exchange Brewing: Purr-fect barrel-aged beers

Ricky Cervantes, Foreign Exchange Brewing. Photo credit: Foreign Exchange Brewing via Instagram Ricky Cervantes and his partners had a plan. It was February 2020 and the guys behind Foreign Exchange Brewing Co. had just released the brewery’s first beer. Then, the world shut down. “Honestly, that was a little bit...

Barrel Care, Barrel-Aging 101

Barrel-aging 101: Maple syrup barrels

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...

Barrel Care, Barrel-aging

Your guide to used whiskey barrels with head bungs

Starting or scaling up a barrel program is a big step for any brewer. It makes sense, given the popularity of barrel-aged beers from high ABV stouts to big barleywines. But getting started with this style takes its share of financial resources. It also takes up a good deal of...

Industry Spotlight

Marty Scott of Revolution Brewing answers our burning barrel-aging questions

Midwest Barrel Co. is lucky to partner with some of the best in the barrel-aging business. We’ve worked with everyone from the skilled homebrewer to some of the top names in the craft beer industry. One of the best parts about getting to partner with folks who have a ton...

Industry Spotlight

Why Revolution Brewing looks to MWBC for barrels

We work with craft brewery barrel programs of every size and any experience level. From beginners to barrel-aging experts, we strive to help them all find the best barrels. Revolution Brewing Company is definitely one of our partners who you could safely call experts at what they do with barrels....

Barrel-aging, Recipes

Why You Should Buy Barrels Now for Your Next Barrel-Aged Beer

Barrel-aging beers takes a lot of work, planning and prep. But if you’re a brewer, that probably doesn’t faze you. The idea of experimenting with the new flavors that barrels can introduce to your brews is probably exciting enough to help ease any anxiety or worries about getting started. And...

Customer Spotlight: Glacial Till Vineyard & Winery

The winemakers at Glacial Till Vineyard and Winery enjoy their craft, but they aren’t satisfied with making the same wine year after year. That’s one of the reasons why Glacial Till, located in Palmyra, Nebraska, continues to churn out flavorful varieties of the hard apple cider it started making in...

Industry Spotlight

Skinny Sticks Maple Syrup knows MWBC aims to please

Our team at Midwest Barrel Co. is always laser-focused on making sure our customers are happy with their purchases. Just ask the folks over at Skinny Sticks Maple Syrup. Mitch Hoyt and family shared this about their positive experience working with MWBC: “Midwest Barrel will work to get you the...

Industry Spotlight

MWBC goes above and beyond for Great Wagon Road Distilling Co.

If you’re searching for just the right barrel, then Midwest Barrel Co. needs to be your first call. Don’t just take it from us. We’re the go-to barrel wrangler for many in the craft beer and even distilling industries. MWBC has helped many of our partners, including Great Wagon Road...

Industry Spotlight

Oak & Bond shows how MWBC finds great barrels for everyone

Not a craft brewery? No problem. Midwest Barrel Co. works hard to find top-notch barrels for every customer. Take Oak & Bond Coffee Co., for example. They’ve taken a bit of an uncommon approach to coffee beans by aging them in a variety of barrels – including barrels that previously aged,...

Industry Spotlight

Why Pollyanna Brewing Company gets barrels from Midwest Barrel Co.

At Midwest Barrel Co., we believe the tight ship we run is what makes us the top option for any craft brewery or other customer who is looking to buy barrels. But don’t ask us. Here’s what Brian Pawola, the head brewer, distiller and cofounder over at Pollyanna Brewing Company,...

Industry Spotlight

Zipline Brewing Co. shares some local love for MWBC

MWBC appreciates the value of local as much as any other business associated with the craft beer industry. That’s why we love partnering with local, Nebraska craft breweries, such as Zipline Brewing Co., as they look to secure killer barrels for their monster barrel-aged brews. We absolutely love hearing about...

How to swell a wine barrel

Wine barrels can make for some pretty mean barrel-aged brews. But before we get ahead of ourselves and start talking about barrel-aging projects (there’ll be plenty of time for that!), we need to talk about another important wine barrel topic: swelling. Why is swelling so important? Well, you don’t want...

Barrel Care, Barrel-aging, Barrel-Aging 101

What is a wet barrel?

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...

Barrel Care, Barrel-aging, Barrel-Aging 101

Barrel-Aging 101: How to swell a dry or leaking barrel

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 Care, Barrel-aging

How do we prep a whiskey barrel to be refilled?

One of the most common questions we get here at MWBC is “How do I prep the bourbon or whiskey barrel I just purchased to be refilled?” Well it’s a very simple answer – NOTHING! If you are having to clean or swell your whiskey barrels before filling you definitely...

Barrel Care, Barrel-aging, Barrel-Aging 101

Barrel Care: My barrel has a leak!

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....

Barrel Care, Barrel-aging, Barrel-Aging 101

I can't fill my barrel right away

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...

Barrel Care, Barrel-aging, Barrel-Aging 101

Is my barrel dry?

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...

Barrel Care, Barrel-aging, Featured, How to Guides

Guide: Barrel-Aging with New 5 Gallon Oak Barrels

A new five-gallon white oak barrel. Barrel-aging doesn’t have to be a black box. However, for many, especially homebrewers and home winemakers, buying that first small barrel is daunting. We understand why – and we’re here to make it easier. One of the top questions asked by those ready to...

Barrel-aging, Barrel-Aging 101, Industry Spotlight

This Chicago homebrewer proves you can barrel-age at home

Photo credit: Foreign Exchange Brewing via Instagram Ricky Cervantes is proof that homebrewers can make exceptional barrel-aged beers. He’s also proof of what can happen with a lot of hard work, experimentation and a little bit of luck. Just last year, Cervantes and a couple partners started Foreign Exchange Brewing...

Barrel-aging, Barrel-Aging 101, Industry Spotlight

How The Brew Brotha went from homebrewer to starting his own brewery

Shannon Harris is living the homebrewer’s dream. Once a craft beer fan who would drink a beer, snap a pic and post it on Instagram, Harris is now on course to open the first black-owned brewery in Austin, Texas. Most people know Harris as The Brew Brotha on Instagram. He...

Barrel Care, Barrel-aging, Barrel-Aging 101

How to store and care for a new small format barrel

New, small barrels are a great buy for homebrewers, people who want to experiment with distilled spirits or even bartenders who want to try their hand at barrel-aged cocktails. However, barrel-aging with a brand new, small barrel isn’t exactly an out-of-the-box, ready-to-go endeavor. It takes some prepwork and some homework....

Barrel-aging, Recipes

Homebrew barrel-aged imperial stout recipe

Hopefully one of the best things 2020 had to offer was giving us all more time to pursue new hobbies. And by new hobbies, I’m looking at all of you new homebrewers.So, you took the plunge into the homebrewing space and discovered you actually make pretty damn good beer? Well...

Barrel Care, Barrel-aging, Barrel-Aging 101

Barrel-Aged Homebrewing 101: How to avoid oxidation

This is the moment you’ve been waiting for. For months you’ve thought about it, dreamt about it, gazed longingly at it from across the room. You’re about to try your latest and greatest homebrewed creation, patiently aged in a perfect oak barrel. You pour your first sample, swish the liquid around,...

Barrel-aging, Barrel-Aging 101, How to Guides

How to barrel-age beer, spirits, cocktails or other beverages

You’ve gone and purchased a small barrel – or someone thoughtfully gave it to you as a gift. Now you’re probably racing to fill it with a choice beverage, or you’re wondering what the heck you can do with it. If you fall into the latter category, then congratulations – you’re...

Barrel-Aging 101, Featured

What homebrewers really need to barrel-age beer at home

Barrel-aged beers are arguably the pinnacle of craft beer. They’re deliciously complex in flavor – achieving a wide variety of otherwise unattainable profiles – and all it takes is a little practice and a lot of patience. More and more, we’re seeing homebrewers rise to the challenge of barrel-aging, exploring new...

Decor, DIY

Midwest Barrel Co.’s Holiday Gift Guide 2022

Need a gift idea for the upcoming holiday? We have you covered. There really is something for everyone in our Holiday Gift Guide for 2022, so take a seat and have a peek at what we will have available this Christmas and holiday season. Whether you’re shopping for a father...

Decor, DIY, Wedding

Why you should buy furniture/decor barrels in bulk

Some of our favorite DIY projects are whiskey barrel and wine barrel furniture pieces. There are so many creative ways people have found to turn used wine barrels and used whiskey barrels into beautiful furniture pieces – and even fun wall decorations or other art and accent pieces for their...

Barrel Care, Decor, DIY

Can I varnish my small oak liter aging barrel?

A small oak aging liter barrel on a stand. It’s a question we answer more often than you think: What will happen if I varnish my small oak liter aging barrel before filling it with whiskey or another type of spirit to age? The answer to that question varies based...

Decor, DIY

How to plant flowers or vegetables in a whiskey or wine barrel planter

Pictured: Wine Barrel Planter with flowers Whiskey and wine barrels have always made for excellent home decor – indoors and outdoors. While authentic, used barrels are undeniably rustic, they can be dressed up or down to fit a wide variety of design themes and schemes. However, one of our favorite...

MWBC's Holiday Barrel Gift Guide 2021

Midwest Barrel Co. has a holiday gift idea for everyone on your list! Let’s be honest: coming up with the best gift ideas seems to get harder and harder every year. It can be a challenge to buy holiday gifts for your friends, family and other people in your life...

Barrel Care, Decor, DIY, How to Guides

How to remove barrel char

Let’s not beat around the bush here. While we love the authentic, rustic nature of used whiskey and bourbon barrels, they can be a bit messy. One of the primary culprits of this mess is the char on the inside of the barrel. Open one up and you’ll see what...

Barrel Care, Decor, DIY, How to Guides

How to Break Down a Whiskey or Wine Barrel

The number of DIY projects you can tackle with a reclaimed, white oak barrel is practically limitless. Staves, heads and rings are perfect when crafting one-of-a-kind furniture and decor. But what’s the best way to go about taking the barrel apart so you can actually use those parts? You could...

Decor

The story behind the barrel head

You’ve likely heard us say every barrel has a story. We say it all the time because it’s true. Every barrel that finds its way to the Midwest Barrel Co. warehouse is authentic. They’ve aged fine spirits, such as bourbon and whiskey and wines. This means most barrels that reach...

Barrel Care, Decor, DIY, How to Guides

How to extend the life of your barrel

Nobody wants a home decor barrel that looks like it’s about to fall apart. Luckily, barrels are fairly sturdy and can hold up against outdoor conditions for quite some time. But – and there’s always a but, right? – everything has a lifespan. Barrels are held together only with pressure....

Decor, DIY

What is the difference between fresh-dumped & furniture/decor barrels?

It's one of the most common questions we get here at MWBC. So, what is the difference? The term "fresh dumped" means the barrel was recently dumped at the distillery and is now ready to be filled. Fresh dumped barrels are the more sought after bourbon barrel due to the...

How to Guides, Wedding

How to care for your guestbook barrel head

Many people will tell you that your wedding day is one of the most important days of your entire life – and possibly the biggest day you’ve experienced to that point. It’s true that weddings are key, unforgettable moments in our lives. Most brides, grooms, their friends and their family...

Decor, How to Guides

How to hang your barrel head

Whether it’s for your man cave, she shed, home bar or business, personalized barrel heads are beautiful, unique decor pieces that truly stand out anywhere you hang them on display. At Midwest Barrel Co., we offer many different customization options that range from pre-designed graphics to totally customized artwork. All...

Decor, DIY, How to Guides

How to care for your decor barrel

So, you’ve got a barrel that you want to keep looking nice. We’re here for that – and we’re here to help. While we think all authentic barrels look great in their own way, we understand that appearance and condition are even more important when it comes to decor and...

Featured, Recipes

BBQ Recipe: Bourbon & Brown Sugar-Glazed Chicken

We get pretty excited when happy customers send us grilling and smoking BBQ recipes that they've tried at home while using our barrel smoking wood! This one's from Todd Mercer and it's a real treat! Bourbon and Brown Sugar-Glazed Chicken with our Red Wine Barrel Smoking Wood Chips that come...

How to Guides

How to use smoking wood chips and pellets without a smoker

You can use a smoke tube like this one, or a smoke box, to smoke meat on just about any grill! No smoker? No problem! Did you know that you can use smoking wood without any sort of electric, gas or charcoal smoker? You can even use pellets to smoke meats...

How to Guides

How to smoke meat with bourbon barrel smoking wood chunks and chips

There’s nothing better than smoked foods, especially smoked meats, that you have prepared using your smoker or grill. A lot of time and work goes into smoking meat and creating the perfect BBQ meal, but it’s always worth the effort. But you have to know what you’re doing when working...

Featured, How to Guides

The grillmaster's guide to bourbon barrel BBQ smoking wood

You might have heard us say around here that smoking meat isn’t a hobby, it’s a lifestyle. Of course, you know this. You’re a grillmaster who’s always finding time to perfect your favorite smoked BBQ meat and food recipes – or even develop your own secret recipe that everyone in...

BBQ Spotlight, Featured

Looking for barrel smoking wood chunks, chips & pellets?

Get Barrel smoking wood chunks, chips & pellets at barrelsmokingwood.com! If you’re wondering where all of Midwest Barrel Co.’s barrel BBQ smoking wood chunks, chips and pellets are now sold, then head on over to barrelsmokingwood.com! That’s where we are now offering our 100% authentic bourbon, wine and bourbon barrel-aged...

BBQ Spotlight, Recipes

Norm’s On 48th bourbon barrel BBQ pork butt

A key part of any grill master’s claim to fame is consistently serving up delicious barbecue that gets mouths watering and keeps everyone coming back for more. Here is a Bourbon Barrel Chunk Smoked Pork Butt recipe from Norm’s on 48th in Lincoln, Nebraska that will do just that. The...

Recipes

Badass Smoked Deviled Eggs

Who says you can only smoke meat? We’ve got a kick-ass recipe for Badass Smoked Deviled Eggs from Instagram user Matt Roach (@greatbalance) that features our Apple Brandy Barrel Smoking Wood Chunks. These chunks, which are also available as wood chips, will add layers of complex flavor to just about...

Jess selected for Leadership Louisville Class of 2024

Jess Loseke, MWBC Co-Founder & CEO, was selected to be a member of Leadership Louisville Class of 2024. A year filled with highlights and high points continues for Midwest Barrel Co. Co-Founder and CEO Jess Loseke, as she recently was selected to take part in Leadership Louisville. As a member...

In the News

Midwest Barrel Co. makes the hometown paper front page!

Hey, did you see?!? Midwest Barrel Co. made the front page of our hometown newspaper – the Lincoln Journal Star! And the Sunday edition, at that! Check out the online version of the article that ran on the front page of the July 16th edition. Above the fold, baby! We’re...

Featured, In the News

Barrel Boss: Jess is Pipeline Innovator of the Year

Jess Loseke, Co-Founder & CEO of Midwest Barrel Co., holds the trophy presented to her for being named Pipeline Entrepreneurs' Innovator of the Year. A year-long journey of professional and personal growth wrapped up in monumental fashion last month for Jess Loseke, Co-Founder & CEO of Midwest Barrel Co. On...

In the News, Podcasts

Jess & MWBC featured on SEAchange's "The Stream of Conscience Podcast"

Selling used bourbon barrels and wine barrels is what we do at Midwest Barrel Co., but the “why” and “how” behind our business runs deeper. Midwest Barrel Co.’s mission to be a catalyst in creating memorable experiences that are better for our people, planet and beverages by providing one thing:...

In the News

Jess Loseke selected as Pipeline Entrepreneur Fellow

Midwest Barrel Co.'s Co-Owner & President, Jess Loseke, joins an elite group of high-growth Midwest business leaders as a 2022 Pipeline Entrepreneur Fellow. Big things are in store for Midwest Barrel Co., and our co-owner and president, Jess Loseke, is leading the way!Last week, Jess was one of 13 Midwest...

In the News

'The ultimate barrel broker': MWBC interviewed on WGN Radio

Midwest Barrel Co. founders and co-owners Ben and Jess Loseke had the awesome opportunity to be featured in a segment on WGN Radio in Chicago in July. With some of our top brewery partners located in and around Chicagoland, Ben and Jess jumped at the chance to share more with...

Events

Jess shares her entrepreneurial story and business leader mindset at Capital Cigar Lounge's YPT event

Midwest Barrel Co. had a killer year in 2020, as in our best year ever. A lot of that is thanks to the leadership of our company’s co-owner, Jess Loseke. Jess dove into the year that was 2020 and many other topics during her talk at Capital Cigar Lounge’s YPT...

In the News

Midwest Barrel Co. featured in story about barrel brokers’ role in craft brewing, distilling industries

Ever wonder how barrel brokers fit into the craft beer and distilled spirits industries? Well, Spirited wrote an article that answers that question – and it features our very own barrel slinger, Midwest Barrel Co. Co-Owner Ben Loseke, or Barrel Ben, as we fondly call him. From the article: “When...

Podcasts

Ben joins Nebraska Beer:30 podcast to talk about how Midwest Barrel Co. began and how the business has grown

Just a couple of guys talking barrels, beer and barrel-aged beer (obviously). That’s the gist behind an episode of the Nebraska Beer:30 podcast featuring Midwest Barrel Co. Co-Owner Ben Loseke. Barrel Ben shares the story of our company’s humble beginnings as his hobby and how we became a leading barrel...

In the News

“Support the Craft” campaign raises money for craft brewery employees

In March 2020 the pandemic hit, effectively shutting down the entire world overnight. Before there were stimulus checks and government funding, some of our favorite businesses found themselves wondering how they were going to survive the unknown. The Midwest Barrel Co. team knew we couldn't sit silently but needed to...

In the News

Midwest Barrel Co. expands with Kentucky warehouse

LINCOLN, Neb. – Need barrels? Go to the source. That’s the strategy for Midwest Barrel Co. (MWBC), as the company, named to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in the US in 2022, has moved its warehouse and production operations to Louisville, Kentucky. MWBC’s new facility, located at...

State of the Stave

Barrel Ben hit the road to Tuscan, Arizona this week for the Associated Cooperage Industries of America annual meeting. Topics covered all things barrels and oak. Meaning, Barrel Ben was in his element. What Did We Learn? One hot topic definitely had our attention: available supply of American White...

Why sustainability matters for barrels and barrel-aging

Midwest Barrel Co. co-owners Ben and Jess Loseke Imagine for a moment what a world without barrels would look like. No more aged whiskey, wine, rum and other spirits that rely on oak barrels for their signature flavor character and brown color. We would no longer have barrel-aged beer, either....

Let's talk barrel prices

A lot has changed since Midwest Barrel Co. first began slinging used barrels in 2015. We’ve grown from a single storage shed to an office building and warehouse here in Lincoln. Our team has expanded from Barrel Ben’s one-man show to a team of more than 15! However, while MWBC...

Events

MWBC will be closed December 24 to January 2

Oh, there’s no place like home for the holidays… Which is why Midwest Barrel Co. will be closed December 24 through January 2. Our hardworking team absolutely rocked it this year slinging barrels, so we thought we’d give them extra time for rocking around the Christmas tree! But don’t...