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uavwmn

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Does anyone know how many times (usage) one can get from a 6 gallon oak barrel??????
 
About 3 years before it will need a shave, then another 1 to 2 after that. Then it will become a neutral barrel. You'll still get concentration, but no more oak taste.
 
Uavwmn thanks for asking the question and Dean thanks for answering. I just got a barrel and am trying to stock up so once I start using it, it will stay wet.
VC
 
Dean, so after a couple of times of usage there is no added benefit of using an "oak" barrel if it loses its oak aging capabilities.
 
After the oak is used up there is still the benefit of micro-oxygenation which is the act of adding very small amounts of 02 into your wine. Another benefit is the concentration effect (Angels Share) which is the effect of evaporation. This lowers the amount of water in your wine concentrating the flavor and body.
 
So at that point you could add oak cubes/chips to your barrel and just keep on a truckin !!!
 
Yep!Make sure you have some wine for topping up as it evaporates!
 
Yep, you use oak cubes, chips, and staves in a barrel that is neutral. You still want the concentration and micro-oxygenation as Wade stated. As well as top-up wine! If it's a 6 gallon barrel, you'll typically need about 8 gallons with top ups over the course of a year. However, a new 6 gallon barrel will do 3 or 4 batches at just 6 gallons because you can't leave it in there more than a month at a time due to over-oaking. Smaller volumes = more surface area to extract oak. It would be close to 3 weeks to start, next wine would be 4 weeks, next would also be close to 4 weeks, then the final wine would be 6 to 12 weeks, and then it finally starts to get longer. You'll be putting your first 4 batches back to glass for sure. Maybe you'll be able to long term age your 5th in the barrel.

Like I said, you can also send it back to a cooper and have them shave and re-fire the inside to extend the oaking capabilities.
 
Or you can turn it into a nifty table. :) It'll smell good too. A guy I know made one from a used wine barrel .
 

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