I got a free barrel!

[sailor22]

You don't have to cut it up. It looks like a fresh tight barrel that will be a good candidate for re-use.

If you can afford a lot of inexpensive whiskey then work up a tasty vatting and dump it in. Tasting as it ages will be be loads of fun and teach you a lot about how whiskey ages.

Or do like we did and get a group of friends together and share the cost of the whiskey to be dumped in. Have a party or get together every 6 months for tastings.

[BarrelChar]

Filling it with white dog and waiting a few years would have the greatest payoff, but by then, humans will probably be replaced by robots or something. Who can wait that long? Quickest result would be to contact a local brewer and jam it full of beer, preferably something dark like an imperial stout, and offer to split the eventual contents. Wait 7 months and you'll have a rich, premium bourbon stout and beat the Mayan doomsday, allowing you one month of stout-fueled debauchery before Armageddon.

Or you could fill it with root beer, thereby creating an entirely new product that's never been attempted--and be a hit with the straight-edge crowd. Or just slice off the top and bottom of the barrel and cut out some arm holes for the perfect "Angel's Share" costume for Halloween.

Longer-term alternative: Fill it with OWA, wait 13+ years, and presto! Pappy Van Winkle 20! (Too soon?)

[craigthom]

Do you own a smoker? Cut it up and use the chunks to smoke various tasty meats. That's what I'd do.

I have done this making barbecue in a regular Weber kettle grill. It takes a lot more attention to keep the temperature stable than with a dedicated smoker, but the results have been great.

[Josh]

I have done this making barbecue in a regular Weber kettle grill. It takes a lot more attention to keep the temperature stable than with a dedicated smoker, but the results have been great.

Never tried to do it in my grill. My smoker is just a big terrra cotta pot with a hot plate in the bottom. Whole set up cost me <$35. It's lasted for over three years now. Not a bad investment!

[Clavius]

Do you own a smoker? Cut it up and use the chunks to smoke various tasty meats. That's what I'd do.

Can this seriously be done? Will the wood from the barrel actually make for some tastier meats? If so, I may do this with the Woodford barrel I have. I just don't have anywhere to display it and it's taking up room in my garage.

[Ejmharris]

Can this seriously be done? Will the wood from the barrel actually make for some tastier meats? If so, I may do this with the Woodford barrel I have. I just don't have anywhere to display it and it's taking up room in my garage.

It makes for great smoking material. Jack actually sells theirs commercially. I am looking for for in Cincy to cut into chucks for my webber.

[M Pickle]

Can this seriously be done? Will the wood from the barrel actually make for some tastier meats? If so, I may do this with the Woodford barrel I have. I just don't have anywhere to display it and it's taking up room in my garage.

Absolutely! White oak is an excellent smoking wood. I can only imagine that the bourbon in the wood will add great flavor.

[Bmac]

Yeah i could see myself buying as much white dog as i could. Especially BT's but that would get mighty expensive. But the concept of being able to officially age something in charred oak would be incredible. In fact, you can take some of your single malts.and age them. Take tbat 12yr and turn it into an 18 yr

[Ejmharris]

Yeah i could see myself buying as much white dog as i could. Especially BT's but that would get mighty expensive. But the concept of being able to officially age something in charred oak would be incredible. In fact, you can take some of your single malts.and age them. Take tbat 12yr and turn it into an 18 yr

Crazy expensive too age anything in that big barrel. Leaving it to beer, furniture or wood chips is the best bet.

[Clavius]

Well I've decided that I'm going to take apart the Woodford barrel that I have and use most of the staves for smoking. I'll probably start on it tomorrow. Will take pictures and start a thread somewhere here on SB to show the progress in case anyone is interested.

Can't wait to get a look at one of those staves from the side and see how far the bourbon penetrated into the wood. I remember on one of my tours at BT they showed you on a stave how far the bourbon penetrated over x number of years. Pretty neat.