Making Bourbon Barrel Syrup

[markjustinmoore]

I wanted to reach out to see if anyone has a process for making Bourbon Barrel Maple Syrup. I've got a friend that owns a Bourbon Distillery specializing in small batch brewing so I have access to the Bourbon Barrels. However, before I reach out to him about trying this endeavor I would like to have an idea of a plan. Any thoughts, advice, experience, or resources would be appreciated. Thanks

[maple flats]

I've made it and it sells very well. Start with a recently emptied bourbon barrel, drain any left in the barrel. Then fill it with 185-190 F maple syrup. The only grade I've used so far is Very Dark, because I sell less of that. Then I turn the barrels every day, and I spray then lightly with potable water to help keep the barrel staves expanded and minimize leaks. For this I built a sort of dolly like a furniture dolly, I set it in a tray with the wheels facing up and I set the barrel on the wheels. None of the wheels are swivel type, just ridged. When I spray I turn each barrel once fully. My spray schedule is 2x a day the first 2 weeks, then once a day for a week or 2, then every other day. If any leaks develope in the barrel, soak clean rags in hot water and lay the rags on the spot leaking.
The aging time varies with the barrel size. All I've done so far is 5 gal and 10 gal barrels. A 5 needs about 3-4 months to age and a 10 needs 6-7 months. When done I pump the aged syrup into my finisher, heat it to about 190 or more, then filter it. From the filter it is pumped into my bottler where I pack it, label it and price it. I also like to seal the caps with a wax seal.
I sell mine at 200ML for $12.00. My first batch was bottled in late August and since then I've sold about 75% of what I made (20 gal) and at the rate it is selling, I'll be sold out before my next batch is ready, I'm just going to fill 2 more 10 gal barrels this week, again with my Very Dark, which will finish off all my Very Dark. I did just fill 2 barrels 5 gal each with Dark for the friend who got me into making the bourbon barrel aged maple syrup, because he was under the weather so to speak, he bought the syrup, I just heated it and filled the barrels.
The barrels can only be used once, so you want to come up with a plan to sell them once used. My plan is to cut them in half and sell them as planters.
There's a lot of labor and occasionally some loss due to leakage, but the mark up is real good. I turned about $1000 worth of retail syrup into $4500 in bourbon barrel aged syrup. I bought 200 ml bottles at $.96 each, with the caps, then I paid $.17 each to get labels printed (now that I know how well it sells, I'll get more printed at a time which cuts the price each by a considerable amount.) and the wax was about $3/#, I bought 6# and I may have used about 1.5# to 2# max to seal the caps. I did 2 barrels of 5 gal and one 10 gal. The 5's had no leaks, the 10 lost maybe 6-8 oz max.
Since I introduced my bourbon barrel aged maple syrup I've found it has been my best selling item in terms of containers sold, and had I not made it one 16 gal barrel of very dark would have gone to bulk sales at $1.85 a lb. That would have brought in $325 rather than $3600
For the 2 -5 gal and 1 ten I pd. $370, my hope at this time is that I can recover 60-70% of that in planter sales, maybe more.

[sap retreiver]

If you don't mind me asking why can't you use it a second time? When I make cider I have to add sugar seems like that would be a bonus

[S.S.S]

16942
Nice order going to a local manufacturing business for them to distribute for Christmas. Along with 35 half pounders of cream and 36 suckers.

[maple flats]

I haven't tried a repeat, but was told not to try. It would seem if you do try a repeat the time needed would be much longer and you'd need to either refill it ASAP after emptying the barrel. Mold would form soon after in the empty barrel and since much of the bourbon flavor had been drawn from the barrel the amount of time needed to take on more bourbon flavor would be a big unknown.

[maple flats]

If I get a batch some time where the bourbon flavor over powers the maple taste, I'll try blending in some more syrup. I'll do it slowly so I don't get so much that the bourbon flavor is cut too much. That hasn't happened yet.
My next batch is being packed in the next day or 2. It will be 2 barrels of 10 gal each. When I pack the first barrel, I'll hold the second barrel until I start to run a little low, then I'll pack the second barrel, that may be where I'll get to mix more syrup to cut the bourbon flavor a little and thus stretch the amount of bourbon barrel aged syrup from that barrel.

[KReinisch]

I did a batch in a 15 gallon barrel. It aged for a little more than 5 months. I used extra dark syrup and it came out fantastic. I sold out in a month. Next year I am making 4 times the amount.

[markjustinmoore]

Thank you so much for the information. You rock!!!! Now hopefully we get a good maple season here in KY so I have the extra to put towards this.

[treemonkey]

Been doing the barrel aging thing for a few years. Went the same path, more barrels, sold like gang busters. Sales have gone totally flat. Now; many more people doing the same thing, market is flooded with cheap barrel aged syrup. I predict in the end, the price for barrel aged syrup won't be much more than regular syrup. Will be easier to just make regular syrup.

[esetter]

May I ask where you guys are getting the barrels?

[KReinisch]

I found a local distillery that carries them. They make good bourbon so in return they make fantastic bourbon syrup. I agree in some way that the market may get a little flooded but if you hit the right markets, you will still do well.

[esetter]

Thinking about buying some bulk syrup and BB aging it. Id never produce enough here to get 5-10 gallons a year to age with. Thinking about selling some of my local stuff this year and possibly adding a BB aged to the lineup. I currently have some oak pieces that I toasted and are soaking in bourbon in mason jars. Im gonna add some of them to jars and hot pack my syrup on them to replicate BB aged.

[maple flats]

In New York state, it is also legal to make and sell bourbon infused maple syrup. I don't know how much you would need to add for that, but it might be worth trying.

[maple maniac65]

I do not sell bourbon aged or infused. But I bought a used 5 gallon barrels added a fifth of $60.00 bourbon filled at 200 degrees and let sit for six months. There has been a steady line of new friends.

[steam maker]

wonder if i used a 5gallon ss keg and added a 1/2 gallon of bourban then hotpacked rest with syrup if that would work?

[Super Sapper]

wonder if i used a 5gallon ss keg and added a 1/2 gallon of bourban then hotpacked rest with syrup if that would work?
You would need "heavy" syrup and use the bourbon to bring it to the proper density otherwise is would be thin and probably mold. I draw off heavy and was going to try bringing it to proper density this year with some bourbon to see if it has the same flavor as the aged syrup.

[Urban Sugarmaker]

Does anyone know if corn based or rye based bourbon is better? The barrels I use have that sweet bourbon aroma but I have also come across barrels with a different aroma but they were used for whiskey. More of an alcohol smell than bourbon.

[maple flats]

I'm just guessing but I think 1/2 gal of bourbon in a 5 gal SS bbl would be too much if you want to come close to duplicating the taste of bourbon barrel aged maple syrup. On the alcohol end what would 1/10 of the alcohol be? In New York state I believe you need a special license if going 2% alcohol or more. Check the laws unless it's just for personal use.
I'm thinking most bourbon is maybe 80 proof (40% alcohol), thus you would want 1 qt max in a 5 gal batch of maple, then unless you want the kick, you might also want to mix it, then heat it to packing temp, to lower the alcohol a little too.

[esetter]

Does anyone know if corn based or rye based bourbon is better? The barrels I use have that sweet bourbon aroma but I have also come across barrels with a different aroma but they were used for whiskey. More of an alcohol smell than bourbon.
True bourbon is made with at least 51% corn. The rye and some others are aged the same way , but the corn whiskies are true bourbon. Some of the newer distilleries that are popping up are selling 3-4 year aged bourbons. These do not have time to develop like a 7- 12 year would. I had a 4 year at a local distillery a few weeks ago and it was very alcohol forward and not as sweet or vanilla / caramel as an older bourbon. The age on the barrels may make a difference.

[Circle C Farm]

Thanks for this information. Do you refrigerate the syrup when the weather gets warmer. Thanks.

[Gini@AngelBearFarm]

New to the forum -- this is my first post. This year we're scaling up from 25 taps to 99 taps. A friend has access to 55 gallon bourbon barrels. We're very interested in barrel-aging some or even most of our syrup, but have some questions. 1. Do the barrels have to be completely filled, or is there a way we could we half-fill a barrel for aging? 2. How long should I plan to age the syrup in a 55 gallon barrel? Thanks in advance for your knowledge.

[maple flats]

I don't know but when I do 10 gal barrels they take 6-7 months and the only 2 I ever did in 5 gal barrels took 3-3.5 months to age. I have always filled the barrels completely, never tried a partial. I fill mine with 190-195 degree syrup.
If you don't have vacuum with 100 taps you will likely only make maybe 25 gal of syrup. I suggest you try to find a 10, 15 or 20 gal barrel. Make sure it was recently emptied. I drain mine again and always get a little more out, before filling it with hot syrup. If you can develop the market it is an excellent value added product.
When I started making the bourbon barrel aged maple syrup I already had a successful website and customers who bought up to 350 gal of syrup a year. I then started by packing 2 at 5 gal and 1 at 10 gal. Everyone since has been a 10 gal barrel. I'm now looking for 15 gal barrels and I have a 10 just going to be packed in a few days. The bigger the barrel the longer it takes because the volumn of syrup to the inside surface area is less. A 5 gal has more surface area per gallon than a 10 gal barrel and so forth.

[Gini@AngelBearFarm]

Thanks, Dave Klish! I'm looking for smaller barrels as well for local retail and gifts, but this is a special request to use barrels from this family-owned distillery. Unfortunately, they're all 55 gallons. I'm looking for a secondary source for syrup to fill this request.

[VT_K9]

I would think there may be concerns for that much air left in a barrel, especially a wooden barrel when it begins to dry. We did a 5 gallon barrel for 8 months this year. It was our first and it tastes great. I brined the Thanksgiving turkey, made burgers, braised the Christmas ham, and had it on vanilla ice cream. Need to try it in coffee sometime.

I can understand a small amount of air being ok in a SS drum, but a porous wooden barrel may be a different issue.

Mike

[petit erabliere]

I would like to try the syrup in a 3o-gl barrel can you explain the procedure to get there ex how long to ensure-- how to store it at what temperature ect thank you excuse my English i come from quebec merci

[petit erabliere]

I would like to try the syrup in a 3-gl barrel can you explain the procedure to get there ex how long to ensure how to store it at what temperature ect thank you

[maple flats]

If the 3 gal barrel had bourbon in it, my guess is that it might take about 2 months to age.. petit, I just sent you an email with more info.
Your English is better than my French.

[petit erabliere]

do you know wher we can buy 10 gls barrel of bourbon wisky i want try to fill with maple syrup

[petit erabliere]

wher i can buy a 10 gls barrel for shipping at my home in quebe

[maple flats]

So far I have gotten my barrels from grimmsmapleproducts.com, in Blossvale, NY. You would need to ask if he ships to Canada. Maybe you can just find a small distillery within driving distance and ask if the do the smaller sizes in bourbon.

[OneLegJohn]

Everything you need to know.

https://youtu.be/96niRz8PBLg

[petit erabliere]

how long to leave the maple syrup in a barrel of 45 g bourbons

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

At least 6 months

[DrTimPerkins]

Longer is better if possible to allow for a stronger flavor transfer. When bottling afterward, it is then possible to dilute back to the desired intensity of flavor.

[maple flats]

That's exactly what I do. In fact, I now have a 15 gal barrel that has aged 12 months. I plan to open it as soon as the outdoor temperature cools to the low 70's or colder. At that time I'll cut it with dark syrup until the bourbon flavor is what my customers have shown they like and then I'll bottle it. Usually I only age a 15 for 7-8 months but with Covid I had my partner stay away and I have done everything solo, thus this batch sat longer. This is the first time a batch sat that long, I have only had to add 1 gal of dark to reduce the strength of a 10 gal batch once before.

[Bgreisch]

Has anyone ever say gotten a 5 gallon bourbon barrel and only filled like 3 gallons in it. Will this be ok or will there be problems with not a full barrel.

Bryan

[maple flats]

While I've never partially filled a barrel, I doubt it would be a game changer. It will however bring your cost per gallon of making bourbon barrel aged maple syrup.