Despite all the variety of modern technologies that are used in the process of preparation of this or that drink, the traditional aging in wooden barrels is still very popular today. This is why it is important to choose the right wine barrel. A wine aged in a barrel acquires additional aromas and tart tannins and becomes more coherent and harmonious.
Tannins are substances that enrich the drink, it becomes more complex in taste and changes color. In white wines, the presence of tannin is undesirable and only possible in small quantities.
Barrels are used not only for aging but also for transporting beverages. Moreover, the barrel is the most hygienic container, because wood is a natural antiseptic, so wine or any other beverage stored in a wooden container is less likely to spoil. Also, the tannins in the wood barrels act as a natural preservative and a kind of flavoring.
What can be aged in oak casks? Usually people use barrels for wine, cognac, calvados, whiskey, and other spirits. It is possible to talk about more or less preferred wood for the preparation of a particular drink, but still, there is no perfect wood, but oak barrels have been the choice of winemakers for centuries.
The barrel’s size and wall thickness play a determining role. The bigger the barrel, the smaller and slower the oxidation and less the effect of the wood. The thickness of the walls also matters. In barrels with thick walls, the oxygenation of the wine is very slow.
It is also important to remember that with small barrels (3 to 5 liters), the volume to surface area ratio is completely different than with large barrels, and gas exchange is accordingly more intensive, and with it the losses. We are advice to buy oak barrels online here.
