The best oak aging barrels for moonshine are either made with French common oak or American white oak and they all belong to a standard range of sizes.
In a Hurry? Here are Our Top Choices
These barrels are made out of oak because these containers can have 3 wonderful effects on the spirits they hold. Oak adds a definitive taste and aroma to the spirit since some of the elements of the cask are drawn into the liquid. Additionally, the repetitive filling and curing using an oak barrel removes the overpowering smell of the spirit.
The 5 Best Oak Aging Barrels for Moonshine
If you’re looking for the best oak aging barrels for moonshine, the number of varieties available in the market can be a little overwhelming. For this reason, our guide will come in handy to introduce you to the right barrel according to your needs. Read our reviews to find whatever you came looking for or refer to our buyer’s guide to understand the key purchase considerations here.
1. Personalized American Oak Whiskey Aging Barrel
The Personalized American Oak Whiskey Aging Barrel is handcrafted using American oak wood which famously produced creamy textured and vanilla flavored moonshine. This barrel was manufactured with the help of cutting edge methodologies to ensure leak resistant and durable properties.
This barrel is beautifully toasted and for this reason, the wood got its dark brown color and the resultant moonshine has the best aroma and texture imaginable.
Pros
- Creates luscious aroma and textures
- Very easy to use and understand
- Can handle gentle hammering or rubber mallets
- Enables fast maturation of the liquor
- 90-day warranty
- Affordable and portable
Cons
- Not large enough for more than two drinkers
2. Personalized Custom Engraved American Premium Oak Aging Barrel
The Personalized – Custom Engraved American Premium Oak Aging Barrel has been handcrafted to perfections. The dimensions of this barrel measure up to 6 inches in height, and 7.2 inches in length and width. In other words, it can easily fit into any kitchen and still be able to provide for more than two drinkers.
This barrel is also sold with a wooden stand so users can avoid wobbling. Additionally, the resultant moonshine from this oak barrel will have a dark black, sweet and smooth texture with an irresistible aroma.
Pros
- The barrel can hold a volume of 1.75 liters
- More than sufficient for home use
- Can easily be stored in the corner of a basement or kitchen
- Sold with a wooden stand to reduce wobbling
- Also includes an instruction manual, paper funnel, bung and spigot
- Affordable
Cons
- Maybe a little difficult to understand without the provided instructions
3. Personalized Customized American White Oak Aging Barrel
In 3rd place, we have the Personalized Customized American White Oak Aging Barrel, which is no less than a masterpiece of its era. This barrel is a little smaller than the previous since it can hold 2 liters of liquor, which is sufficient for 2 drinkers.
This particular barrel has been made with charred wood which is why it has its luxurious medium brown texture. When moonshine is added to the mix, the resultant color, aroma and texture are quite unique and savory.
Pros
- Does not form leakages very easily
- The barrel has been manufacturedwith steep hoops all over it to make it more durable
- Can hold 2 liters of alcohol
- Looks very beautiful, especially in the midst of wooden furniture
- You can get customized engravings on your barrel
- Affordable
Cons
- May not hold enough volume for more than 2 drinkers
4. Personalized Wine Oak Aging Barrel – Custom Engraved
The Personalized Wine Oak Aging Barrel – Custom Engraved is probably the most traditional-looking handcrafted barrel on this list. This product is quite similar to the previous since this too can hold 2 liters of alcohol and has been manufactured using white oak wood.
What sets it apart from its alternatives is that its light-medium charred wood can help produce very exotic flavors with varying levels of sweetness. This barrel is particularly effective in making smooth textured whiskeys.
Pros
- Can serve 2 liters of alcohol
- Offers the most traditional designs
- Sold with a matching wooden stand
- 3-level charred, also known aslight-medium charred
- An instruction manual is provided on how to use this barrel
- Affordable
Cons
- Again, 2 liters of alcohol may not be the best product for more than 2 drinkers
5. American Oak Aging Whiskey Barrel | Handcrafted Using American White Oak
Finally, the American Oak Aging Whiskey Barrel has been handcrafted by dedicated and passionate individuals. It can hold 1 liter of alcohol for your personal servings and is sold with a premium stand, bung, spigot and even 2 bottles of the best Highland Scotch Whiskey essence.
This oak aging barrel has also been 3 level charred and its light-medium brown can create rich combinations of smooth textures and sweetness to alcohol. You could also have your barrel replaced if you notice any manufacturing defects within 90 days.
Pros
- Sold with all necessary add-ons and 2 bottles of scotch whiskey essence
- 3-level charred, also known aslight-medium charred
- The perfect personal oak aging barrel
- Black hoops around the barrel make sure it is not damaged and does not build leaks
- Very easy to use and no instruction manual is needed
- Affordable and very portable
Cons
- May require a little more elbow grease the first time around with the help of a rubber mallet
What to Look for When Picking the Best Oak Aging Barrels for Moonshine
Type of Aging Barrel
Based on the wood used to manufacture aging barrels, consumers can choose between American or European white oak barrels.
The former type of wood is sourced from some parts of Canada and eastern US. This wood has the ability to add a creamy texture and vanilla flavor to the moonshine during the maturing process. What’s even better is that this wood is faster growing and less expensive as opposed to its counterparts.
European white oak can be found all over Europe and extends all the way to Russia. This oak adds a little spiciness and bitterness to the moonshine during the maturing process. However, these barrels tend to be a little more expensive and take a lot more time to grow.
Basis of Technology
Different people use different technologies to extract flavors from wooden barrels and these are commonly divided into two categories, namely, charred barrels and toasted barrels.
Charring involves heating the barrel at high temperatures until the barrel turns dark black. Different intensities of charring results in different flavors and the darker texture usually results in sweeter moonshine because of the caramelized sugar.
On the other hand, toasting is done with controlled intensities and the resultant wood looks dark brownish as opposed to black. This type of wood aging results in lighter colored moonshine with a spicier texture.
Handcrafted or Manufactured
Each of the 5 best oak aging barrels for moonshine listed in this post have been handcrafted to perfection. For this reason, we can guarantee the quality and strength of each barrel and the exquisite moonshine they will result in.
Manufactured oak aging barrels are only different from handcrafted barrels because they don’t have pressure tests carried out on them to ensure they result in premium alcohol.
Our Final Thoughts
The 5 best oak aging barrels for moonshine in this post had been compiled after deep study and comprehensive analysis of each product. For this reason, you can rest assured that this is the last compilation of reviews you will have to read through.
We hope that our reviews helped you find an oak aging barrel that meets your expectations. Make sure your barrels are thoroughly cleaned with a dedicated cleaning kit – especially when you’re changing the moonshine for maturation.
