Oak & Aging
As a River Drive Cooperage & Millwork company, we pride ourselves in providing the most current, useful information and training related to all things barrel. Below you will find info on flavors imparted from barrels, different types of aging platforms with various benefits, and more!
Flavors
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- Oak lactones: The two main aroma constituents of raw oak, often described as fresh oak or coconut.
- Vanillin: A phenolic aldehyde resulting from lignin degradation. It is the main aroma compound of natural vanilla.
- Eugenol: Volatile phenol produced in the oxidative breakdown of lignin during air drying; possessing spicy, clove aromas.
- Guaiacol: Volatile phenols, resulting from further thermal degradation of phenolic aldehydes, with smoky aromas, char aromas, spicy characters.
- Furfural: Produced by the degradation of carbohydrates by heat during barrel toasting. These compounds possess aromas of butterscotch, light caramel, and faint almond. Barrels should be carefully selected for a specific purpose.
- Spirits/Wine: Used oak will also impart flavors of it’s previous life.
Aging on wood adds unique flavors and profiles that are otherwise unachievable.
Select wood and format based on the flavors you are looking for. Oak should be part of the recipe formulation, not an afterthought.
Aging Options & Barrel Alternatives
Add barrel flavor to your beer or aging project – without the barrel! Barrels have their purpose and unique characteristics, but our alternatives provide many of the flavor profiles without the need for a full barrel – in less time.
New Chips
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- Fastest way to achieve flavors
- Can be used in existing barrels or tanks
- Irregular Toast and Char levels
Barrel Chips™
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- Faster evolution of “used barrel” profiles
- Can be used in existing barrels or tanks
- Mix of charred, toasted, and natural wood
Cubes
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- Second fastest way to achieve flavors
- Can be used in existing barrels or tanks
- Consistent char or toast
Barrels
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- Slowest way to achieve flavors
- Allows for oxidation
- Consistent char or toast
Recommended Cooperage Tools
- Cross Peen Hammer, modified
- Hoop Driver, modified
- Small Flashlight
- Head Puller
- Chisel
- Scratch Awl
- Large Pencil
- Utility Knife
- Crayon
- Chalk
