Bar barrels are the tool of barrel ageing: maturing a cocktail or a spirit in a small oak or chestnut barrel to add notes of vanilla, spice and tannin and to round out the flavour. The 2 litre size suits batches made behind the bar. Below, the guide.
Ageing a cocktail in wood is one of the techniques that has most shaped modern cocktail bars. A Negroni or a Manhattan rested for a few weeks in a small barrel comes out changed: rounder, more complex, with the vanilla and spice notes that only wood gives. A bar barrel brings to the bar counter what oak does for whisky and rum, and gives the menu a serve guests remember.
What wood does to a cocktail
As it rests, the liquid is in contact with the staves and draws out their aromatic compounds. The wood gives tannins, which add structure, and notes of vanilla, coconut, spice and toast depending on the species. At the same time, slight oxygenation through the wood softens the alcoholic edge and binds the ingredients, which after ageing taste as one. It is slow work that adds real value to the drink.
Oak or chestnut
The species changes the result. Oak is the classic ageing wood, giving vanilla and sweet spice, and it is the most versatile choice for cocktails. Chestnut is more rustic and higher in tannins, with a firm character that suits robust spirits. The choice depends on the profile you want, and testing is part of the work.
Size and preparation
A 2 litre barrel is the right size for a bar: large enough for a batch to serve, small enough for a ratio of wood to liquid that ages faster than a large barrel. Before first use the barrel has to be prepared: fill it with water so the staves swell and seal the joints, so it does not leak. Then fill it with the cocktail or spirit and taste at intervals, stopping the ageing when the flavour is where you want it.
For barrel ageing: resting cocktails or spirits in a small barrel. The wood gives tannins and notes of vanilla and spice and, with slight oxygenation, softens the alcoholic edge and binds the ingredients, making the drink rounder and more complex.
How long do you age a cocktail in a barrel?
It depends on the result you want and the species of wood, but a small 2 litre barrel ages faster than a large one. Taste at intervals and stop when the flavour is where you want it, usually after a few weeks.
Oak or chestnut barrel?
Oak is the classic ageing wood and gives vanilla and sweet spice, suiting most cocktails. Chestnut is more rustic and tannic, with a firm character for robust spirits. The choice depends on the aromatic profile you want.
How do you prepare a new barrel before use?
Before first use, fill the barrel with water so the staves swell and seal the joints, so it does not leak. Only after this step do you fill it with the cocktail or spirit to age.
