Whiskey and Bourbon Barrels
What are Barrels?
A barrel or cask is a hollow cylindrical container with a bulging center, longer than it is wide. They are traditionally made of wooden staves and bound by wood or metal hoops. Barrels have two main functions – they are used to store liquids and they are used to hold maturing spirits like cognac, armagnac, and whisky. Barrels are used for the aging of various alcohols.
We are able to supply first select bourbon barrels, Oloroso casks and even Japanese wood. Wooden casks are typically made of US oak. At Sasma, barrels are available in 20 ft containers.
Applications and Uses
Barrels are used to store liquids and to hold maturing spirits such cognac, armagnac, and whisky. During the aging process, distilled spirits will be held in barrels for a designated period. The reason for this is that during maturation, harsh flavors will be removed from the raw alcohol that has been put into the barrels. Additionally, across the period of maturation, distinct flavors will be added to the flavor profile of the spirit through the barrel’s wood. As such, barrels or wooden casks are typically made from US oak, which may even be charred for additional flavors. Charring the wood has other benefits as well, such opening up the wood for easier flavor extraction or aids in catalyzing chemical changes that are essential in the production of whiskey or bourbon.