I am interested in getting a barrel but don't yet have plans to make enough to keep it filled -- especially early on when things get over-oaked so quickly.
One suggestion from @bzac was to ferment a lower-end kit in the barrel to break it in. I was at my LHBS and noticed the Cheeky Monkey LE Cabern-EH for $80. I like big dry reds, and some pretty nice wines come out of the Okanagan so this sounds like it could be great. The only thing is that my first (and only) low end kit was a WE Mezza Luna Red which at a year is still not good. I really don't want another 30 bottles of that kind of thing.
So, what is everyone's thought. If I get it will I end up with 30 bottles of a decent early drinking Cabernet Sauvignon or 30 more bottles of topping up/cooking wine?
One suggestion from @bzac was to ferment a lower-end kit in the barrel to break it in. I was at my LHBS and noticed the Cheeky Monkey LE Cabern-EH for $80. I like big dry reds, and some pretty nice wines come out of the Okanagan so this sounds like it could be great. The only thing is that my first (and only) low end kit was a WE Mezza Luna Red which at a year is still not good. I really don't want another 30 bottles of that kind of thing.
So, what is everyone's thought. If I get it will I end up with 30 bottles of a decent early drinking Cabernet Sauvignon or 30 more bottles of topping up/cooking wine?