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Thread: Making Bourbon Barrel Syrup

  1. #21
    Join Date
    Dec 2018
    Location
    Traverse City, Michigan
    Posts
    5

    Cool Questions re: Bourbon Barrel Aging

    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.
    Gini von Courter
    AngelBear Farm


    2015 - 3 taps, cooked on the kitchen stove. bad idea, but intrigued....
    2016 - 10 taps, turkey fryer on the deck, great fun, but $17/pint to produce, so....
    2017 - 22 taps, outdoor fire pit with pans we designed. Did not lose more money.
    2018 - no taps, resting up for 2019
    2019 - 99 taps planned, building an RO system, purchasing an evaporator, Maple Jet filter, and a bottler
    2020 - 250 taps planned

    Livin' the dream

  2. #22
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,544

    Default

    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.
    Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
    Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
    Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
    After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.

  3. #23
    Join Date
    Dec 2018
    Location
    Traverse City, Michigan
    Posts
    5

    Default

    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.
    Gini von Courter
    AngelBear Farm


    2015 - 3 taps, cooked on the kitchen stove. bad idea, but intrigued....
    2016 - 10 taps, turkey fryer on the deck, great fun, but $17/pint to produce, so....
    2017 - 22 taps, outdoor fire pit with pans we designed. Did not lose more money.
    2018 - no taps, resting up for 2019
    2019 - 99 taps planned, building an RO system, purchasing an evaporator, Maple Jet filter, and a bottler
    2020 - 250 taps planned

    Livin' the dream

  4. #24
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Thetford, VT
    Posts
    450

    Default

    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
    Tapping since 1985 (four generations back to early to mid 1900s). 200-250 taps on buckets and then tubing in the mid 90s. 2013- 275 taps w/sap puller 25 gal. 2014-295 taps w/sap puller 55 ga. (re-tapped to vacuum theory) 2015-330 taps full vac. 65 gal, 2016-400 taps 105 gal, 2017-400 taps 95 gal. 2018-additional 800' mainline and maybe 400 new taps for a total near 800 taps. 2x6 Leader WSE (last year on it) supported by a 250 gph RO.

  5. #25
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    quebec canada
    Posts
    17

    Default

    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

  6. #26
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    quebec canada
    Posts
    17

    Default

    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

  7. #27
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,544

    Default

    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.
    Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
    Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
    Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
    After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.

  8. #28
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    quebec canada
    Posts
    17

    Default

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

  9. #29
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    quebec canada
    Posts
    17

    Default

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

  10. #30
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,544

    Default

    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.
    Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
    Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
    Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
    After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.

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