It’s inconvenient to have a household without barrels - it’s good to salt cabbage and cucumbers in them for the winter, it’s good to make apple cider vinegar, and it’s good to store water at home. At first, basically everything enamel cookware are used, but over time there is a need to replace it with normal cooperage products.
Any pickles feel good in wooden dishes, and even more so in oak. IN oak tub It’s as if all sorts of spices are pre-installed, giving the pickles a pleasant taste and a unique aroma. And a linden tub for storing honey is as important as an oak barrel for wine. In a linden tub, honey, like wine, is infused and acquires a fragrant aroma and taste.
And new barrels, tubs, vats, etc. must be prepared before use.
Tubs for pickles are prepared in the same way as barrels for wine. Briefly, the hoop is lowered, soaked, steamed, washed.
Cool boiling water must be carefully poured into the barrel without pouring on the outside (about 30% of the volume) and the stopper must be plugged (not tightly) for 15-30 minutes. After this, you need to drain the darkened water and pour cold water for 15-20 days. It is recommended to change the water every 2-3 days. Wash the barrel before use hot water.
Before you start preparing the barrel, you need to check the hoop and, if necessary, lower all the hoops using a heel and hammer. New oak barrels should be leached with clean drinking water for 2-4 weeks, changing the water every 3-4 days. Then the barrels are washed with hot water or steamed with steam at a temperature above 100 ° C. Soda 20 g per 1 liter of water is added to hot water, then washed again with hot and cold water. After the inner surface has dried, the barrel is fumigated with sulfur. Barrels that have been used should be washed well with hot water and then fumigated with sulfur in order to destroy the fungi and mold that developed in them while they were empty. For this purpose, a piece of sulfur is placed on a tin plate tied to a wire, lit and lowered into a barrel. While the sulfur is burning, the hole should be covered with a rag. Fumigated barrels, before placing wine in them, must be thoroughly rinsed, since the sulfurous acid that has formed in them slows down the fermentation process, and sometimes completely prevents its onset. I think vinegar barrels are prepared in much the same way. If anyone knows their subtleties here - write! 
A new oak barrel without treatment is not suitable for use, since oak staves contain soluble substances: tannic acids, salts, etc., which give the wine (or whatever is in the barrel) a special flavor (of oak), affect the color and enrich it with tannins. substances. Oak wood contains special preservatives that kill putrefactive microbes and give products a special taste and aroma.
Barrel preparation is very important. Very often, inexperienced picklers do not pay due attention to the thoroughness of washing, scalding, fumigation and other preparatory processes, and this leads to deterioration in the quality and even spoilage of salted vegetables.
More details:
The staves of new barrels contain tannins (tannins). If you pour wine or another product into such a container without preparation, it will darken and acquire a tart taste. New barrels are soaked. Under no circumstances should the product be completely filled with water! When soaked, the rivet swells and tightly closes small cracks. 
The barrel is steamed for half an hour or treated with steam or boiling water (for a 10-liter container - 0.3 liters of boiling water), removing the cork by shaking jerkily so that the hot water washes the rivets, then gradually fill the product to the top with cold water (to speed up the preparation process, it is recommended to fill it with hot water), changing the water every day. Repeat the procedure until the last water becomes completely clean, uncolored, without any foreign taste or smell. If this is not done, sauerkraut will be dark in color.
At the very beginning of soaking, if the barrel has a small leak, you need to top it up with water 2-3 times a day. Then the barrel is washed for at least half an hour with hot water and soda: (200 grams of soda per bucket hot water) and rinse with hot water. After this, the barrel is rinsed with cold water. 
Barrels that are not new, have been used, but have no foreign odor, are washed first with cold, then hot water and dried. Do not allow hot water to cool in the barrel, as in this case the stave may absorb foreign odors. If the barrel is not intended to be used for some time, then it is advisable to fumigate it with sulfur to prevent the development of microorganisms.
If there is no sulfur, you can treat the barrels with caustic soda. Take 80 - 100 g of solid caustic soda per hundred-liter barrel and fill it with clean hot water to about 1/3 of the barrel's capacity. The barrel is closed and rolled for 10 - 15 minutes. Then the soda solution is poured out, and the barrel is thoroughly rinsed with clean water.
Used barrels, after thorough washing and soaking, can be treated with bleach dissolved in water instead of fumigation. 
It goes without saying that fish, meat and butter barrels should not be used for fermenting vegetables.
The pores of the barrel always contain mold and bacteria spores, which develop under favorable conditions. In practice, when steaming barrels, temperatures rarely reach above 100, as a result of which bacterial and mold spores can remain unharmed and, under favorable conditions, cause disease in the wine. Therefore, for all types of cleaning wine containers, it is necessary to use dry steam treatment, at which the highest temperature is reached, in most cases guaranteeing the sterility of the processed containers.
Steaming barrels, tubs, tubs
Steaming a tub is a hygienic action that promotes disinfection and aromatization of wood. Not only old, but also new tub or keg must definitely take a bath with hot steam and an oak, juniper or birch broom.
How can you make the water in the tub boil, since you can’t put it on fire? In ancient times, this problem was solved quite simply. The tub or barrel was filled approximately one-third with water, brought to a boil in a metal container over a fire. On the same fire, heavy stones (most often sandstones) were heated, which were thrown into a cooper's vessel with hot water. The water began to boil, forming thick clouds of steam. This method of heating water in tubs and barrels is still used today. 
When steaming, an oak, birch or juniper broom is placed in the tub along with hot stones. From above, so that steam does not escape from it, the tub is covered with a wooden lid, and then with an old blanket or padded jacket. After a few minutes, when the formation of steam begins to subside, the tub is opened, periodically doused with hot water, and the steamed rivets are whipped with a fragrant broom. The swollen wood eagerly absorbs the aroma along with useful substances contained in leaves and needles. To ensure that the staves retain their freshness and aroma, the water is poured out of the tub while it is still warm.
As soon as the steamed tub dries slightly, pre-prepared vegetables, berries, mushrooms and other products along with various spices are immediately loaded into it.
How to store barrels of pickles
Tubs filled with pickles, pickles and soaks are stored in a cool room: in a closet, entryway, underground or cellar, where the temperature does not drop below zero. Only cabbage and meat, as well as cranberries, can be stored in the cold. Previously, in some regions of Russia, tubs of meat were buried in a snowdrift for the winter. 
Even in the driest room, you should not place the tubs directly on the floor or ground, as mold can form on the bottom bottom, as well as in the mouths. Even tubs with legs that have good ventilation should be placed on special wooden grates. They should be at such a distance from the floor that it is convenient to pour dry sawdust under them from time to time and remove wet sawdust. In addition, it is necessary to constantly monitor the circle. At the slightest appearance of mold, wash it, pour boiling water over it and rinse in salt water. Stone and spacer bars are processed in the same way. And then pickles, fermentations and soakings will remain preserved until spring pleasant taste, delicate aroma and appetizing appearance.
Why soak barrels?
Filling barrels and vats with water is also necessary for another reason. Usually the barrels, even if they were previously under salted vegetables, but have long been emptied, dry out and cracks form between the individual rivets through which juice or brine from the vegetables flows out. When soaked, the wood swells somewhat, the cracks disappear, and the barrel becomes dense, suitable for placing vegetables in it. When the soaking is finished, the barrels are thoroughly washed with hot water using brushes. 
I even heard this recommendation - if the barrel is not used, during storage it should be filled with water at the bottom (to a height of 2-3 cm). The barrel is afraid of dryness!! I think that during storage you can not just pour water, but pour silicon on the bottom and pour water. Flint water does not go out - we have already verified this for ourselves. So, in order not to create a swamp in the barrel, you can keep it like this.
For a long time, humanity did not have access to the production of such a universal, reliable and simple material as plastic. During this period, unique traditions of making wooden utensils were formed.
Most of the household utensils in Rus' were made from it. For example, wooden barrels were used for storing and transporting food. They were used to make wine, pickle milk mushrooms and cucumbers, and also to take a hearty steam bath.
Types of wooden barrels
- Shayka is a barrel that was used for rinsing in baths or for any small household needs. Sometimes they drank mead directly from it, this happened in the midst of fun. The so-called steamer was also used in the Russian bath. Boiling water was poured into it, brooms were placed, and a lid was placed on top. 
The cone barrel was used to store various supplies for the winter. Usually they were placed in the cellar. There are also special barrels for pickles; they had a conical shape and a lid with grooves. A heavy stone was placed on top of it as a pressure, and in addition, sometimes wedges were driven into the holes to make the tension even greater.
The classic barrel has become most widespread. The range of its application is very wide: it was used in the preparation of wine, various pickles, and for transporting food over long distances. Even now, oak barrels are used for the most expensive wine. They have a spherical shape, so they roll easily.
How are classic wooden barrels made?
First the wood is selected. In Russia, Caucasian alpine oak, which has a high density, is often used. The tree is split into separate sectors, from which rivets are cut. Radially chipped blanks are considered better than sawn staves. However, high-quality stave is obtained only after prolonged drying in the open air. For best characteristics they need to be dried for at least two years. Thus, the possibility of deformation of the barrel, its cracking, shrinkage and rotting is eliminated. 
After drying, the cooper begins his work. Today, the production of barrels combines manual and industrial labor. A large number of rivets are obtained using special equipment. However, the assembly of the barrel frames is carried out only by hand.
To prevent the rivets from breaking when they begin to bend, they are preheated and moistened. Further fixation of the shape of the rivets occurs during heating over an open fire for 45 minutes. The intensity of this process and its duration will affect the taste and aroma of wine or cognac prepared in a barrel. After this, the bottom is installed, and the surface of the product is treated with hot beeswax.
Making a wine barrel
The manufacturing technology at some stages may differ, but the best and highest quality barrel will only be obtained using manual labor and observing the centuries-old traditions of cooperage.
How to prepare a wooden barrel for use
Before fermenting cucumbers and cabbage in a barrel, leave homemade cognac or holding drinking water, it should be properly prepared. To do this, the following priority actions should be taken:Lower the hoops;
Preparation oak barrel
For new barrels - leaching with clean water (fill with water for 2-4 weeks, change the water every 3-5 days);
Soak and steam the wooden product at high temperature (more than 100 degrees);
Rinse thoroughly and fumigate with sulfur to destroy fungi and mold (for used barrels).
What to do if the barrel is leaking
A strong leak in a new barrel that is not prepared for use is a normal situation. It's worse when the leak doesn't stop after soaking. There may be several reasons. The most common is non-compliance with the soaking time during the preparation of the product. It takes at least 2-3 weeks to soak the barrel, and 3-4 weeks to fill the wine.The next reason is incorrect (or lack thereof) sealing of the end parts of the rivets. This stage in preparation for operation is mandatory. I seal it before steaming using oil paint or varnish.
Wood new barrel contains too many tannins - tannins, the concentration of which needs to be reduced. If in an oak barrel without preliminary preparation pour wine or distillate, the alcohol will quickly become cloudy, then an unpleasant tart aftertaste will appear, which is popularly called “plinth”. Soaking a keg takes time, patience and a lot of water.
In home distilling, it is better to use barrels with a volume of 2 to 10 liters. The smaller the volume, the faster the wood releases tannins, which reduces the aging time. The reason is the area of contact with alcohol. For example, in a five-liter barrel, 1 liter of drink comes into contact with 400 square meters. cm of wood, and in a fifty-liter one - only 152 sq. cm. Accordingly, the ripening period of moonshine, cognac or wine in a large container increases significantly.
Barrels with a volume of 10 to 50 liters are only suitable for long-term aging strong drinks. During the ripening process, part of the contents evaporates through the pores of the wood. Regardless of the volume of the barrel, losses amount to up to 1 liter per year; in cognac production technology, this evaporation is called the “angels' share.” If you pour the distillate into a small barrel, after 5 years there will be almost nothing left inside.
I advise you to buy already waxed oak barrels. Waxing protects the wood from external factors, extending its service life, preventing leaks and making the barrel more beautiful. At the same time, the wax does not affect gas exchange, the drink continues to “breathe” normally through the pores. It is also desirable that the barrel be without a tap, since this is the most vulnerable element of the structure, which often gives a strong leak. At one point, all the contents may end up on the floor. For a beautiful presentation, it is better to buy a small barrel of 1-3 liters and pour the drink into it before guests arrive.
Crane - convenient, but dangerous! Barrel preparation technology
1. Fill a new barrel 90% of the volume with clean, filtered water at room temperature, close with a stopper and leave for 3-4 hours.
2. Check the barrel for leaks by carefully inspecting the wood around the perimeter of the rings, then the bottom from the front and back. A slight leak is not critical; this problem will correct itself at the next stage, when the wood swells. The main thing is that there is no jet, since such a barrel is considered leaky and needs repair.
3. Fill the barrel to the top with water, close tightly and transfer to a room with room temperature. If leakage is observed, add water every 12 hours until the leak stops. After 3 days, drain the water (it will be a dirty brown or yellow color), then add a new batch of clean water.
The first water is the dirtiest 4. After a day, drain the water, add boiling water to the barrel (1 liter per 10 liters of volume), close tightly and rock the product from side to side several times so that the boiling water washes the entire inner surface of the barrel. After 45 minutes, fill to the top with water and close tightly.
5. After 24 hours, change the water again. The process of soaking the barrel (daily replacement cold water) repeat until the last water becomes clear, tasteless and odorless. This usually takes three to six weeks.
6. Boil water (50% of the volume of the barrel), then cool to 70-75°C, add soda (20 grams per 1 liter), mix and pour into the barrel. Shake vigorously for 8-10 minutes, then drain the soda solution.
7. Fill the entire barrel with hot water, hold for 15 minutes, drain, and fill again with clean cold water, which should be poured out after 8-10 hours.
8. If the barrel is intended for strong drinks (moonshine, cognac, whiskey, bourbon), the container is ready for use. In the case of wine, I recommend first keeping the distillate diluted to 18-20 degrees for 30-45 days double distillation without smell.
In addition to the volume of the barrel, the aging result is influenced by: air humidity (optimal 80-85%), temperature (10-12°C for wine, 14-16°C for strong alcohol) and infusion time. The process is monitored through periodic sampling. When the taste is satisfactory, the drink is poured into glass containers for long-term storage.
From this manual you will learn how to properly prepare a barrel, tub or jug for use. Regardless of the purpose for which your newly purchased cooperage product is intended, it should first be carefully processed in several stages: soaked, steamed and waxed if necessary. In the future, the containers must be properly cared for and stored so that they last a long time, and the result always pleases you.
An oak barrel improves the taste of the drink, making the bouquet more rich. And wine in a wooden container remains alive, retaining all its beneficial features and purchasing new ones! Any pickles feel good in wooden dishes, and even more so in oak. Natural preservation of products occurs in it.
In () a barrel or tub; Barrel for pickling 15 l Pro; Barrel for pickling 25 l Pro; Oak tub 10 l “Bonpos” (galvanized hoops); Oak tub 5 l “Bonpos” (stainless steel hoops); Oak tub 30 l “Bonpos” (galvanized hoops); Oak tub 50 l "Bonpos" (galvanized hoops) () you can pickle tomatoes, watermelons, cucumbers, fish, meat and lard, sauerkraut and soak apples. Oak wood contains special preservatives that kill all harmful microbes. Moreover, special spices are pre-packed into the oak tub, giving the pickles a pleasant taste and a bright woody aroma.
Before aging alcohol in charred noble oak barrels, salting it in wooden tubs or even just storing food in new containers, it must be properly prepared for use.
First of all, check the hoops and, if necessary (if they fit loosely), lower them using a heel and hammer.
Soaking
New barrels are soaked so that the rivets (planks from which the frame of the product is assembled) swell and all small cracks are hermetically sealed - the walls of the container become dense and reliable.
Depending on the type of wood, the procedure is different.
Ukrainian oak barrels are filled with cold water and soaked for up to 30 days. The duration of this procedure depends on how much the product has had time to dry. The process should be stopped when the water being replaced is crystal clear and odorless. As a rule, 5-7 days are enough. It is recommended to change the fluid every 1-2 days.
After the described procedure, the barrel must be washed with a solution baking soda. Fill the container 1/3 full with boiling water and add soda at the rate of 2 g per 1 liter of water. Next you need to drain the liquid. After this, rinse thoroughly with clean drinking hot and then cold water. If possible, you can treat the container with steam; you will learn about this in detail in the next section - “Steaming”.
Russian oak barrels are soaked in this way: first, the inner walls of the product are treated with a stream of hot water (in the case of pickle tubs) or the liquid is poured through the upper hole under the cork (if you are using a barrel for alcohol). Then the water is drained. You need to repeat this procedure every 10 minutes for 1.5 hours, after which you should visually divide the barrel into 5 parts and fill the product 1/5 with hot water. Every hour, add 1/5 of the hot water until the barrel is filled to the top rim (do not cover with a lid).
After all the manipulations, the container with water is kept for a day, and the next day all the liquid is drained. Then the procedure is repeated. Next, you can carry out steaming, described below.
Barrels made of Limousin and Slavonian oak are soaked using a different technology. To begin with, you need to pour a little warm, but not boiling water into the product, about 30% of the volume. The liquid should be poured carefully, without pouring the outside of the product. Then cover the container with a lid (if it is a container for pickles) or loosely plug the plug and drain valve and leave for 15-30 minutes. Then, having opened it, you need to shake the barrel jerkily so that the water thoroughly rinses the rivets with partial absorption of boiling water, and immediately drain the liquid.
After this, the barrel must be filled with cold water and changed periodically. This should be done to allow the staves to completely swell and wash out excess tannins and tannins from the upper layers of wood - the cooperage product should release them gradually in moderate quantities. During the preparation process, draining the water should be done through a tap, if it is wooden (it also needs to be soaked to avoid drying out and leaks). In the first days, the water will turn light brown, then it will gradually begin to lighten. Repeat the procedure until the last of the water becomes clean and the barrel stops leaking.
A professional cooper made of American oak has already been soaked, the leaks have been eliminated, so you just need to wash it well. The table below provides comparative information on preparation times and other characteristics of barrels presented on our website (also suitable for other products made from similar types of wood).
Note: if the leak cannot be eliminated, you can use beeswax and treat the gap with it.
Steaming
Attention! This step should be skipped if the cooper's product is treated with wax. These include French, Slavonian and American barrels. Exposure to boiling water may cause the wax coating to melt.
Steaming is a hygienic procedure that helps disinfect and enhance the aroma of wood. Not only the old, but also the new barrel can take a “bath” before starting to fulfill its duties.
The procedure for steaming a barrel looks like this: heated stones are placed at the bottom of the container, then boiling water is poured onto these stones, filling the barrel by about one-third. Thick clouds of steam form. From above, so that steam does not escape from it, the barrel is covered with a wooden lid or the cork is plugged and the tap is closed (if it is a barrel for wine and other drinks). After steam formation subsides, the barrel is opened, periodically pouring hot water over it. You can additionally whip the staves from the inside with a hot oak broom - this procedure will benefit the cooper's product intended for pickles. The water is poured out of the barrel while it is still hot, so that the staves retain their freshness and aroma. If the faucet of the product is also wooden, the water must be drained through it.
Note: you can do without stones by using only boiling water.
As soon as the steamed barrel dries slightly, you immediately need to load it with pre-prepared vegetables, berries, mushrooms, fish and other products along with various spices. This also applies to wine and other drinks: after the barrel has dried, you can start filling them.
Note: analog aging scotch whiskey and some American bourbons are best matured in casks that previously held sherry. You can pour it into a container fortified wine for about a month, and then start making whiskey from the distillate.
Storage
Barrels and tubs filled with pickles, pickles and juices are stored in a cool, dry room: in a closet, entryway, underground or cellar, where the temperature does not drop below zero. Only meat, cabbage, and cranberries can be stored in the cold.
Barrels and jugs of wine and other drinks should be stored in a dark, ventilated area without exposure to sunlight (only diffused light is allowed) and without the use of neon lighting, in the absence of any foreign odors or vibration. The optimal temperature for storing alcohol in oak barrels is the following range: for wine and other light alcohol– from 10°C to 14°C (ideal mark 12°C), for cognac and other strong alcohol from 14°C to 20°C (ideal mark 16°C).
A certain level of indoor humidity is a prerequisite for storing alcohol in an oak barrel. It should be 75%-85%. Humidity can be increased by placing a bucket or bowl of water in the room. If you need to create it not in the entire room, but only near the barrel, then you should cover the container itself with something and place a plate of water under it.
Installation
When installing cooperage products filled with alcohol in a prepared room, the following conditions must be met:
1. The distance between the barrel and the wall must be at least 50 cm. This is done to make it more convenient to inspect the back bottom and, if necessary, tilt the barrel.
2. When installing barrels, position them so that they do not touch each other.
3. The distance from the barrels to the floor must be at least 60 cm.
4. If barrels are placed in several rows, then the distance between the rows should be such that it is convenient to place and display barrels without disturbing others.
When storing in a cellar, it is better not to place barrels and tubs of pickles on the floor. The most convenient way to do this is to use wooden grates, under which you need to scatter sawdust and change them periodically. Upon contact with the ground, the barrel will absorb moisture and will become unsuitable for its intended purpose.
Care
Any cooperage products should be stored responsibly between uses. The room should be clean, well ventilated, without strong odors. To protect the product from dust, it is recommended to wrap it in a piece natural fabric(a canvas or linen bag works well). It is advisable that it does not come into contact with the ground. Some containers for aging and storing alcohol come with special stands. Otherwise, as with salting, they can be placed on wooden grates, flooring or bars.
If you carry out all these procedures correctly, then pickling, pickling and soaking will retain a pleasant taste, delicate aroma and appetizing appearance until spring. And wine and other drinks will delight you with a delicious taste and wonderful aroma.
Hurry up to purchase a cooperage product now - our online store has a rich assortment of barrels and other wooden containers, and our managers will definitely help you choose the one you need.
You can also check out our guides on making pickles and spirits.
Moonshining, brewing and winemaking are inextricably linked with the use of barrels. If you decide to make cognac, Calvados, whiskey and others at home noble drinks, you will have to prepare well. One of the most important stages is processing oak barrel, both new and already used.
Wooden containers, be it a barrel or a jug, add a special aroma, delicate taste and rich color to homemade drinks. Trouble-free operation largely depends on proper care. Even with the most optimal conditions Over time, microcracks form on the surface, and due to the divergence of elements, cracks appear. If you do not eliminate them in a timely manner, the damage will lead to irreversible consequences.
Processing oak barrels with different means
The secrets of restoring the integrity and tightness of a barrel were already in the possession of our distant ancestors. Previously, they made grout and putty themselves, based on the natural properties of plants. Beeswax is the most effective. But its use also has its own nuances; the product copes only with the smallest cracks; something else should be used to fill the cracks. But it is recommended to polish and protect a new barrel from external influences with wax.
In search of the optimal product for processing oak barrels, craftsmen came to lard. This product was used along with ash, wax and table salt. Wherein appearance Cooper's products left much to be desired. And the process itself required a certain skill from a specialist. Such repairs took a long time and took a lot of effort. All of these ingredients were heated over low heat; after thorough mixing, a mixture was formed, which was used to repair the barrels. Given the complex composition, we had to wait a long time for the mixture to harden, so it was impossible to start using the container right away.
Mastic for barrels: features of use
Today, such means for processing oak barrels are available to everyone. In the online store Alkopribor company You can buy special mastic for cooperage products. This product is different homogeneous consistency, thanks to which it is applied flawlessly and without problems. It has a light shade - from white to cream. Mastic has no odor, which simplifies the process of processing oak barrels and makes it more comfortable. It is now possible to carry out such repairs in any room, because... mastic for barrels completely harmless to the body and safe.
The product contains: wax, calcium carbonate and paraffin. Ecological purity and high quality ingredients make possible use mastics for barrels inside and outside of products. However, it does not have any effect on the quality of drinks that are stored and infused in barrels.
The Alkopribor company offers mastic for barrels, which is suitable not only for containers used in winemaking and moonshine. Using it you can grout barrels, pickling tubs, bath ladles, all kinds of household items and kitchen utensils, including dishes.
How does mastic work? It removes microscopic cracks on wooden products and seals small chips/holes. It is recommended to treat the locations of rivets, cracks, joints - all areas that leak or allow excess air to pass through. This treatment of oak barrels returns them to full functionality. On the one hand, proper air exchange is optimized, and on the other hand, more alcohols than expected do not evaporate.
High-quality treatment with inexpensive mastic will extend the life of your favorite wooden containers and objects for many years. One more distinctive feature is versatility. Mastic is suitable not only for oak wood, but also for ash, pear, linden, acacia, apple, cherry and other species.
How to use mastic for barrels?
Proper processing of oak barrels begins with surface preparation. They must be clean, dry and grease-free. If there are any contaminants, they must be removed in advance and then wait until completely dry. An alcohol solution is used for degreasing. Then the mastic must be rubbed into the cracks and joints of different elements. After a short period of time, the composition will harden, and you can safely continue using the cooperage product for its intended purpose. With a low cost and modest volume, mastic for barrels is consumed very economically. One pack is enough to process many products.
Waxing barrels using alternative means
In industrial conditions, waxing oak barrels is a continuous process; each product is repeatedly sent for repairs, and then safely returned to the work shop. Therefore, you should not be afraid of a leak, nor should you think prematurely about buying a new barrel. If you don’t have mastic on hand, a natural, homemade product will help seal the cracks.
To wax a barrel, you will need to prepare linseed oil, beeswax and a brush for applying the composition. It's good if you buy a special technical hair dryer. Before processing, the drink should be drained from the barrel. After this, dry the cooperage product for 3 days. This will help to optimally prepare the surface: the cracks will open. Melt the wax in a water bath and dilute it linseed oil in a 1:1 ratio.
It is important to apply the composition to a heated surface, this is where you will need a hairdryer. Using a brush, apply the mixture in several layers for good impregnation. Then you need to settle the hoops, covering the places with the same composition. To remove excess wax, you need to pour hot water into the barrel. Under the influence of steam, the riveted joints will swell slightly; after this, excess composition can simply be removed with a rag. On average, waxing 1 oak barrel takes about 30 minutes, after which it can be used almost immediately.
