Page 40 - Beverage MasterAug Sept 2020_Rev

Craft Distillery

For Distilling Bourbon,

Wine, Spirits and Beer

• American White Oak
(Other Woods Available Upon Request)

• Standard Black Steel Hoops,
Galvanized & Stainless Available

• Laser Logo Stenciling Available
Upon Request

Contact Us Today!

Phone: 803-465-3865 or visit our Website: www.blackwaterbarrels.com

Black Water Barrels • 3914 Main Highway • Bamberg, SC 29003

to the spirits industry. Not only is it environmental- because we have limited storage space, I only use
ly responsible but also financially practical. 30-gallon barrels, which are more expensive than
50-gallon barrels. I find that many American spirit
“Commonly, the large distilleries have a contract drinkers tend to enjoy the taste of oak, so it defi-
with their cooperage to sell back the used barrels nitely makes for an easier transition for whiskey
after a certain number of years. Large distilleries drinkers and can open our rum up to a potential
can also transfer used barrels to subsidiary distill- new audience of drinkers.”
eries when part of a group,” said Remy. “There is a
market of used barrels, and effectively, the barrels Thrasher said that he sources old barrels from a
can have a second life when shipped to Scotland, variety of local distilleries with whom he has rela-
Ireland, Spain, Caribbean islands, Japan, Brazil and tionships. He chooses used barrels that are, on
Chile for whiskey, Scotch, sherry, rums, cachaça, average, three years old, and inspects them for any
pisco, etc.” aesthetic defects, especially for any signs of leak-
age. That aside, he is sold on the benefits his distill-
In producing its rum, ery gains from barrel recycling.
Washington D.C.’s Potomac
Distilling Company uses a “Barrels can absolutely be recycled! For example,
mix of new and old barrels one of our barrels is a used peach brandy barrel. I
to create Thrasher’s Rum. find that the recycled barrels can imbue the new
Owner Todd Thrasher told spirit with a slightly different profile or flavor.”
Beverage Master Magazine
that multiple factors go into New barrels, Thrasher said, can be harder to
his barrel choices. source but, when he does place an order, in addi-
tion to size, he looks for other specific character-
“One con associated with new barrels is cost. It istics. “All new barrels are number three char with
tends to be very expensive,” said Thrasher. “Also, medium-toast. That’s the barrel profile that best
suits my needs.”
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