White Oak Barrels Add a Touch of Taste to Everything

There are not many containers or vessels as useful, versatile and unique as  American White Oak barrels. Barrels are most commonly associated with making whiskey or bourbon and pictured as oversized drums lined up in mills and distilleries. But making whiskey and bourbon are just two of the many uses for a white oak barrel—albeit those are probably the most important ones!

Small Oak Whiskey Barrels

At Red Head Barrels, we strive to make the top-quality small whiskey barrels meant for aging whiskey. We don't use recycled wood that's been previously used – we only use brand new wood that makes our barrels stand out and gives our whiskey the best flavor. We use the same wood that most distilleries and wineries use in their small oak whiskey barrels. Top Quality Small Oak Whiskey Barrels For Sale We source our wood from across the US including California, Missouri, and Kentucky. We build our barrels with a medium char, which we've found to be absolutely the best at aging spirits and adding flavor to them. Our small barrels come in different sizes - 1 liter, 2 liter, 3 liter, and 5 liter. We have larger barrel sizes available as well - but our small barrels might be the best if you're aging whiskey at home or are trying aging for the first time. Small Whiskey Barrels will age whiskey faster since there is less liquid in the barrels and more surface area covering them - so if you're impatient or wanting to get a great aging taste faster - a small barrel is best for you. If you're looking for something custom - we can custom make barrels with different sizes, chars, or finish - just give us a call or visit us in person to place a special order. Every barrel is made to our high standard quality we've set for us and our customers so you get the best with every purchase from a veteran owned business.

Beer Barrels For Sale

Beer Barrels For Sale

Our beer barrels are made with brand new, white american oak. We use a medium char on the barrel to give a unique flavor to the beer after aging, which we’ve found gives the best flavoring. Everyone has their own preference for beer aging and we know that you'll love ours. Our barrels are distillery grade – which is the highest quality available on the market and what distilleries use in their manufacturing – now available at home whenever you want it. Our beer barrels come in different sizes from small to large and the small barrels will age your beer faster. If you’re a beer aging pro, the larger barrels are best for you – but if you’re a beginner, you may want to try out a small beer barrel. If you want a custom or personalized beer barrel made, contact us directly to have it made. We can do custom chars, sizes, designs, and more.

Why Our Beer Barrels Are The Best For Aging

Our barrels are made to give the best flavor all types of beer. We’ve found the best combo that we love at home and want to extend the chance for you to love it too. We source our barrel wood across the US from California, Missouri, and Kentucky and we only use brand new American white oak. Our medium char is what we regularly use on barrels – but we have different chars available. We've even got a guide on how to take care of the barrels and how to prolong the life of your barrel to make sure you can age beer at home reliably and enjoyably. Plus make sure every beer aging barrel is made to our high standard quality we’ve set, so you know you’re getting the best with every purchase from a veteran owned business.

Large Oak Whiskey Barrels

At Red Head Barrels, we strive to make the top-quality large whiskey barrels meant for aging whiskey. We don't use recycled wood that's been previously used – we only use brand new, premium wood that makes our barrels stand out and gives our whiskey the best flavor. We use the same wood that most distilleries and wineries use in their large oak whiskey barrels for their production. Now it's available in your own home! Top Quality Large Oak Whiskey Barrels For Sale We source our wood from across the US including California, Missouri, and Kentucky. We build our barrels with a standard medium char, which we've found to be absolutely the best at aging spirits and adding flavor to them. Our large barrels come in different sizes - 10 liter & 20 liters. We also have much larger barrels that are available for purchase in person (53 gallon barrels). If you're an aging expert or a whiskey fanatic - a large oak whiskey barrel is just the thing you need for your home whiskey aging. Large Whiskey Barrels will typically age whiskey slower than smaller barrels - but that doesn't mean the flavor is any less tasty. In fact, since you can age more whiskey at a time - you get to enjoy the flavor twice as long with a large oak barrel. If you're looking for something custom - we can custom make barrels with different sizes, chars, or finish - just give us a call or visit us in person to place a special order. Every barrel is made to our high standard quality we've set for us and our customers so you get the best with every purchase from a veteran owned business.

Charred Oak Barrels

Charred Oak Barrels For Sale

Our distillery grade barrels made with premium american oak wood are charred to perfection. We char them to add specific flavor to the whiskey while it’s aging in the barrel. There are multiple types of char. Our barrels are charred to add flavors mirroring vanilla, sweet caramel, smoke, spice, and more. Our charred barrels let you enjoy distillery aged whiskey in the comfort of your own home. Our charred american oak adds amazing flavor in each sip of your rum, whiskey, tequila, bourbon, wine, or any other liquor you wish to age in your red head barrel at home. Our barrels are made to be longer lasting for continued aging at home without a loss of quality. Top Quality Charred Whiskey Barrels For Sale We source our wood from across the US including California, Missouri, and Kentucky. We build our barrels with a standard medium char, which we’ve found to be absolutely the best at aging spirits and adding flavor to them. We have more custom char's available. If you're looking for a light char or heavy char - or a completely custom char, we have them available just get in contact with us (call or visit us in person) to place an order. Our barrels come in different sizes – 1 liter, 2 liter, 3 liter, 5 liter, 10 liter & 20 liters. We also have much larger barrels that are available for purchase in person (53 gallon barrels). If you’re looking for something else custom – we can custom make barrels with different sizes, chars, or finish – just give us a call or visit us in person to place a special order. Every barrel is made to our high standard quality we’ve set for us and our customers so you get the best with every purchase from a veteran owned business.

Flavor Smoking Products

At Red Head Barrels we believe that our wood is prmeium when it comes to making oak barrels. There is no comparison to the flavor of our wood and that includes the wood we use for smoking cocktails and food. We now have available cocktails smoker lids and gift sets. Also just launched was a bourbon barrel smoker chunks for use on your grill and your meat. Enjoy!

Toasted Oak Barrels For Sale

Toasted Oak Barrels For Sale Must Be Special Ordered

Our distillery grade barrels made with premium American oak wood are stocked with a medium char. If you prefer toasted let us know when you order your barrel. I could take 30 days. We char them to add specific flavor to the whiskey while it’s aging in the barrel. Our barrels are toasted to add flavors to the liquid that you're aging. Our toasted barrels let you enjoy distillery aged liquor and drinks in the comfort of your own home. Our barrels are made to be longer lasting for continued aging at home without a loss of quality.

Top Quality Toasted Oak Whiskey Barrels

We source our wood from across the US including California, Missouri, and Kentucky. We build our barrels with a standard medium char, which we’ve found to be absolutely the best at aging spirits and adding flavor to them. Our barrels come in different sizes – 1 liter, 2 liter, 3 liter, 5 liter, 10 liter & 20 liters. We also have much larger barrels that are available for purchase in person (53 gallon barrels). If you’re looking for something else custom – we can custom make barrels with different sizes, chars, or finish – just give us a call or visit us in person to place a special order. Every barrel is made to our high standard quality we’ve set for us and our customers so you get the best with every purchase from a veteran owned business.

Bourbon Barrels for Sale

Bourbon Barrels For Sale

We make our bourbon barrels with brand new, white american oak. We use a medium char on the barrel to give a nice flavor for the bourbon once it's done aging, which we've found gives the bourbon the best flavoring. Our bourbon barrels are distillery grade - which is the highest quality available on the market and what distilleries use in  their manufacturing - now available in your own home! Our barrels come in different sizes from small to large and the small barrels will age bourbon faster if you're aging at home. If you're a bourbon aging pro, then the larger barrels might be best for you

Why Our Bourbon Barrels Are The Best

In America, regulations say that bourbon barrels must be created with new white American oak to be considered a barrel official for sale. Any barrels that are made with used or recycled wood are not to be considered fit for sale and tossed aside. That's why we source our wood across the US from California, Missouri, and Kentucky and we only use brand new American white oak. Our medium char is what we regularly use on barrels - but we have different chars available. If you're looking to make a custom bourbon barrel order - we can make custom sizes, chars, and more - just give us a call, contact us, or visit us in person to place a special order. We make sure every barrel is made to our high standard quality we've set, so you know you're getting the best with every purchase from a veteran owned business.

Tequila Barrels for Sale

Tequila Barrels For Sale

Our tequila barrels are made with brand new, white american oak. We use a medium char on the barrel to give a nice flavor for the tequila after aging, which we’ve found gives the best flavoring. Our tequila barrels are distillery grade – which is the highest quality available on the market and what distilleries use in their manufacturing – now available in your own home! Our tequila barrels come in different sizes from small to large and the small barrels will age your tequila faster. If you’re a liquor aging pro, then the larger barrels might be best for you - but if you're a beginner, you may want to try out a small tequila barrel.

Why Our Tequila Barrels Are The Best

Our barrels are made to give the best flavor to many types of liqour, tequila included. While there are certainly many different types of ways to create a tequila barrel - we've found the best combo for you to be able to age your tequila at home and enjoy it with ease. In fact we source our wood across the US from California, Missouri, and Kentucky and we only use brand new American white oak. Our medium char is what we regularly use on barrels – but we have different chars available. If you’re looking to make a custom tequila barrel order – we can make custom sizes, chars, and more – just give us a call, contact us, or visit us in person to place a special order. We make sure every barrel is made to our high standard quality we’ve set, so you know you’re getting the best with every purchase from a veteran owned business.

Wine Barrels for Sale

Wine Barrels For Sale

Our wine barrels are made with brand new, white american oak. We use a medium char on the barrel to give a nice flavor for the wine after aging, which we’ve found gives the best flavoring. Most will have their own preference for wine aging so make sure you know what sort of flavor profile you're looking for when ordering a wine barrel. Our barrels are distillery grade – which is the highest quality available on the market and what distilleries use in their manufacturing – now available in your own home! Our wine barrels come in different sizes from small to large and the small barrels will age your wine faster. If you’re a wine aging pro, then the larger barrels might be best for you – but if you’re a beginner, you may want to try out a small wine barrel.

Why Our Wine Barrels Are The Best For Aging

Our barrels are made to give the best flavor to many types of alcohol. While there are certainly many different types of ways to create a wine barrel – we’ve found the best combo that we love at home and want to extend the chance for you to love it too. We source our wood across the US from California, Missouri, and Kentucky and we only use brand new American white oak. Our medium char is what we regularly use on barrels – but we have different chars available. If you're looking for a specific char on your wine barrel – we can make custom sizes, chars, and more for a custom order – just give us a call, contact us, or visit us in person to place a special order. We've even got a guide on how to take care of the barrels and how to prolong the life of your barrel to make sure you can age wine at home reliably and enjoyably. Plus make sure every wine aging barrel is made to our high standard quality we’ve set, so you know you’re getting the best with every purchase from a veteran owned business.

Rum Barrels For Sale

Rum Barrels For Sale

Our rum barrels are made with brand new, white american oak. We add a medium char on our barrels to give a nice flavor for the rum during aging. We've found it's the best combination for the flavoring after the aging. Our rum barrels are distillery grade – which is the highest quality available on the market and what distilleries use in their manufacturing. You can have the power of a distillery now in your own home. Even our smaller sized barrels still are the same quality as the ones distilleries use. Our rum barrels come in different sizes from small to large. The small barrels will age your  rum faster. If you’re a liquor aging pro, then the larger barrels may work best for you – but if you’re a beginner, you may want to try out a small rum barrel.

Why Our Rum Barrels Are The Best

Our barrels are made to give the best flavor to many types of liqour, rum included. While there are certainly many different types of ways to create a rum barrel – we’ve found the best combo for you to be able to age your rum at home with the best flavor outcome possible. If you've had flavored rum or infused rum, you'll know there's a great benefit to aging rum in a barrel yourself. We source our wood across the US from California, Missouri, and Kentucky and we only use brand new American white oak. Our medium char is what we regularly use on barrels – but we have different chars available. If you’re looking to make a custom rum barrel order – we can make custom sizes, chars, and more – just give us a call, contact us, or visit us in person to place a special order. We make sure every barrel is made to our high standard quality we’ve set, so you know you’re getting the best with every purchase from a veteran owned business.

Whiskey T Shirts For Sale

Whiskey T-Shirts For Sale

Our popular whiskey t-shirts are all about fun and having a good time when you're drinking. Whether it's out and about or relaxed at home sometimes all you need is a good drinking shirt to relax in. Some of our shirts show our favorite drinking or whiskey quotes, songs, or one-liners which as whiskey lovers, are hard to forget but funny to remember. We make our shirts comfortable and super soft with a BELLA+CANVAS blend. We made sure they fit super well and a true to size. They also make great gifts!

Decorative Whiskey Barrel Decor For Sale

Decorative Whiskey Barrels & Whiskey Barrel Decor For Sale

Our barrels can also be used a decor or decorations. Things like making furniture, decorations, planters and more is possible. These barrels can be used for aging but are not warrantied so it should be done at your own risk (we don't really recommend it). They are either dried out or may have factory defects. It's best to use them as decorations and nothing more. Even though they may not be the same as our normal barrels, they will still look just as beautiful when used for whatever you like. These are sold as is but can be engraved or customized, just contact us for a special order and we can help you out with that. The smaller sizes typically include all accessories but larger sizes won't have them available when purchasing so please read the product description so you know what you are getting.

Wooden Whiskey Barrels For Sale

At Red Head Barrels, we strive to make the top-quality wooden whiskey barrels meant for aging whiskey. We don't use recycled wood that's been previously used – we only use brand new wood that makes our barrels stand out and gives our whiskey the best flavor. We use the same wood that most distilleries and wineries use in their production. Top Quality Wooden Whiskey Barrels For Sale We source our wood from across the US including California, Missouri, and Kentucky. We prefer to use a premium white American oak and build our barrels with a medium char, which we've found to be absolutely the best combination for aging spirits and adding flavor to them. Our wooden barrels come in different sizes - 1 liter, 2 liter, 3 liter, 5 liter, 10 liter, 20 liter, and more. We have larger barrel sizes available as well (53 gallon full size barrel available for purchase in person). If you've ever seen the whiskey making or aging process, you know that the right materials makes a whole lot of difference. That's why we have such high standards for our wooden barrels. Without the right wood, our barrels wouldn't have the great flavor, long lasting, and easy to use qualities that they do. If you're wondering why we care so much about quality - just try a sip and you'll find out for yourself. If you're looking for something custom - we can custom make barrels with different sizes, chars, or finish - just give us a call or visit us in person to place a special order. Every barrel is made to our high standard quality we've set for us and our customers so you get the best with every purchase from a veteran owned business.

Oak Barrel Aging Kits

You may not be able to distill your own moonshine in the backyard, but our Red Head Liquor Flavoring Kit, flavor essences, and whiskey accessories get you pretty close. Our whiskey accessories and other products can save you money by allowing you to turn most any cheap booze into a top-shelf liquor you’ll love while giving you the freedom to experiment with new recipes and flavors. Be sure to take a look around and see all we have to offer, from flavor infused barrels, and whiskey barrel gift ideas to shot glasses, cleaning and maintenance supplies, and replacement parts – everything you need to get started flavoring your own liquor except, well, the liquor itself.

Gift Ideas

Looking for gift ideas? We have oak barrel gift sets in all varieties that make memorable gifts. Aging barrels and mug sets, cigar barrel and liquor barrel gift sets, or just get the Gold package that has all the oak aging barrel goodies with it.

Liquor & Alcohol Flavor Essences

Whiskey Flavoring Essences

Whiskey is a bold drink for a bold person, it inspires confidence and projects class. Flavored whiskey is a twist on the traditional distilled grain alcohol utilizing the addition of different flavors. For a flavored whiskey enjoyed by all, our whiskey flavored essences are the standard for whiskey and essence enthusiasts alike. They allow for an unprecedented level of customization and improvement in pursuit of the best flavored whiskey. The ability to customize your whiskey is a must have for any alcohol enthusiast. Limitless flavor combinations exist, the use of essences for alcohol spirits enable you to fine tune your flavored whiskey to accomodate any flavor palate. From Highland Scotch to Canadian Rye the fusion of your favorite neutral flavored vodka or swish alcohol with any of our whiskey alcohol flavoring essence will result in a unique and memorable experience each time. The cherry bourbon alcohol essence will add a sweet and desirable flavor to your whiskey creating a unique experience that will be a joy for your palate to process. Our non alcoholic whiskey flavoring is an all natural way to achieve the deep flavor sought after through the process of aging whiskey, utilizing essences for alcohol spirits the conventional whiskey flavor loved by all can be achieved quickly and affordably. Customization never truly ends when it comes to alcohol flavoring essence, whiskey flavor can be changed as well as intensity. The best flavored whiskey for each person is different so experiment away! Your ideal flavored whiskey might be in the next batch you make! The process for using the alcohol essence to make flavored whiskey is simple and can be enjoyed by savvy brewmasters and newcomers alike. Simply mix the alcohol flavoring essence with a grain alcohol in one of our Oak Aging Barrels, the concentrated whiskey flavoring will flavor and enhance what would previously be a boring and unimpressive flavor and turn it into a gentleman's whiskey that will stand among the best of them.

Rum Flavoring Essence

Everyone loves drinking rum, it is synonymous with beach days, good vibes and easy living. Bring the flavor of the Caribbean to your home with one of the 5 choices of rum alcohol flavoring essence. Your home crafted rum will take its drinkers on a trip they won’t forget through a unique flavor experience exclusive to your rum flavored by our alcohol essence. Whether you are making a light brew to be used in a flavorful cocktail, or a nice dark drink to be consumed neat, rum flavored alcohol essence can completely transform or bolster an old recipe, or inspire a new idea. The best flavored Rum is within your grasp and worth pursuing, just mix some of our essences for alcohol spirits with your favorite neutral liquor to recreate some favorites. Create great flavored rums just like Captain Morgan Spiced, Captain Morgan Jamaican, Captain Morgan Cuban, Bacardi Gold, Malibu, and Creole Orange! These classics have stood on their own for generations and with a good oak barrel and some alcohol essence your brew could stand amongst them. They say variety is the spice of life and rum alcohol flavoring essence can provide the variety and the spice necessary to broaden your horizons and lead a truly spicy life. Rum's unique flavor makes it a desirable choice for desserts, and cocktails. Create the perfect dessert rum to use in your cooking, or for an after meal relaxer. Having a variety of flavored rum options will always come in handy when entertaining, cooking, or giving a gift. The Rum alcohol flavoring essences are also an economical choice considering the cost of retail flavored rums, each 20 ml bottle will make about 1L of flavored rum. Using our rum alcohol flavoring essences in an oak barrel will yield you a better flavor, and a lower cost per ounce than buying a premade flavored rum. The pride you feel when you achieve the best flavored rum, will only be matched by the intensity and purity of the flavor. The combination of the white lightning liquor, and the oak aging barrel, influenced by the all natural essences for alcohol spirits will be a life changing experience. The bold unique flavor achieved by using alcohol essence to craft and age your own rum will be the talk of your drinking circle for many evenings to come.

Brandy Flavoring Essence

A brandy drinker is familiar with being particular -- it is a personality trait often found in people with exceptional taste. Being picky or particular with your Cognac is a virtue of luxury and you can bring that luxury home with brandy flavoring alcohol essence. Brandy flavoring has been a huge hit, enhance the quality of your brandy with the XO flavor or create an entirely new experience with the Apple Brandy Essence. People love our Brandy essences for alcohol spirits! Mixing a bottle of brandy alcohol flavoring essence with a bottle of your favorite neutral flavored brandy will net you a creative concoction guaranteed to satisfy and impress time and time again. The true joy of brandy and many wine based drinks is the pursuit of one’s ideal flavor, this can be affected by many factors in the production of brandy that are out of the consumers control. Alcohol essence gives you a bit more of a say in this by influencing the flavor of the brandy and molding its robust flavor to fit your taste specifications. Brandy is about appreciating detail, subtlety and nuance. Flavored brandy is the ultimate example of this, adding unique flavor combinations such as cherry or plum to a brandy can add the playful tantalizing taste you have been pursuing. It's never too late to open your mind to new things. If you are the kind of person who has a hard time straying away from what you've grown accustomed to, essences for alcohol spirits could be the perfect toe into the water that is flavored brandy. Modern day mixology relies heavily on subtlety, flavor compatibility, and presentation. Flavored brandy, aged in an oak barrel is the perfect example of this and can make even the most simple neutral flavored brandy seem like a master mixologists concoction with just a little bit of alcohol flavoring essence. Alcohol essence can bring a modern day take to a beloved classic, and bring together brandy lovers of all generations. When you drink with friends and family you drink to have fun, spread the fun to everyone with a variety of flavors to choose from.

Alcohol Flavor Enhancers

Don’t get stuck with liquor that has little or no taste. Be prepared to savor the flavor with our selection of enhancing flavor essences. Beyond the essences that help replicate or modify conventional classics there are also essences that introduce entirely new flavors to your spirits. There are six delicious natural flavor essences to choose from and each one will provide a unique and enjoyable experience to the whisky, rum, brandy, or liqueur of your choice. The flavor enhancing essences for alcohol spirits can be used to fine tune or spice up the taste or oakiness of one of your barrel aged batches, or added to conventional classics for a unique and fun experience. The caramel flavor is rich and extra dark and provides a good color for liquors or dark beers. Or if you are in the mood for a little bit of fun, some of the fruity flavors can be used to replicate signature favorite cocktails or invent new treasures. The raspberry flavored alcohol essence goes particularly well with vodka. A generous amount of flavoring can contribute a lot to a neutral flavored vodka, or a small amount of alcohol flavoring essence can add a subtle taste of raspberry to an esteemed classic. The strawberry flavor compliments a creamy liquor, tequila, or vodka especially well and adds a fun fruity twist to many fan favorites. Strawberry margaritas with strawberry infused tequila, alcoholic strawberry shakes, the possibilities are truly endless with the variety of flavor enhancing alcohol essence. Cinnamon is a staple flavor in many desserts, dishes, and more recently liquor. The cinnamon alcohol flavoring essence is a versatile tool that can be used to bring out the flavor of existing favorites, or add some holiday flare to a new invention. The vanilla flavoring which is a natural extract comes at an increased strength to enhance whiskies, brandies, rums, or create a new flavor entirely. Consider mixing essences to further customize and push your flavors. The toasted oak flavor is made for food and drinks that are pursuing that luxurious oak flavor so often associated with fine dining and drinking. A good whiskey, aged in an oak barrel, enhanced by the oak flavor would be a force to be reckoned with on the flavor field. Cinnamon flavored liquor bolstered by alcohol essence can be mixed with a creamy liqueur to create a fun cereal like taste, or added to a whiskey, rum, bourbon, or brandy.  The caramel flavoring can be used to quickly achieve the color that is often sought after when appraising liquor. It creates the ideal color and consistency for your brew to stand proudly amongst the top of the line or 5 star competitors. There’s no need to settle for adequate with our flavor enhancing alcohol essence around, add a little or add a lot it’s up to you to make the flavor as strong or as subtle as you’d like. Don’t be overwhelmed by the possibilities, it may take some time and experimentation to nail down the perfect ratio of essence to liquor depending on the spirit you choose to mix it with. This offers many opportunities for the curious mixologist to practice their new hobby on their friends and family, you’ll always be able to have a new concoction ready or be able to bust out an old favorite with a ready reserve of alcohol flavoring essence.

The basic ingredient of a drink is the essence, which ultimately determines the flavor of the beverage, and its quality and character. There are quite a few different types of essences that are available such as bourbon, whiskey, rum, and brandy; each alcohol flavor is individually bottled with ultimate care, so that it blends in perfectly with the concentration of the beverage. The more one uses the essences the better he would understand the tastes, and the countless ways in which these can be blended to create perfect flavors that one would want to savor on. Essence, is indeed the soul of the drink.

Adding the right liquor flavoring essence to your own neutrally flavored liquors and spirits is important, unless you want them to have little or no taste. Whether you are a seasoned spirit aging pro or just starting out, here at Red Head Oak Barrels, we offer a wide range of liquor flavoring essences to meet all your needs. Whether you bought your oak barrels from us or not, you will love our liquor flavoring essences. It will be the perfect complement! If you like to take the time to figure out which flavors you like best, these essences are perfect for experimenting. However, you should be prepared to be experimenting with liquor flavoring essences for quite some time, because of the great variety of flavors that we offer. They include 8 types of whiskey, five different types of rum and four different flavors of brandy. Liquor flavoring has never been more fun! All you need to get started to create the best tasting drinks are several bottles of great tasting essence, some bottles of neutral flavored alcohol from your local liquor store and one or more of our oak barrels.

Limited Time Sale

Clearance, discontinued and sale items. Some items are limited availability and once we are sold out they will be removed from our site.

It’s safe to say that most everyday drinkers agree with alcohol aficionados that spirits—and even beer and wine—taste like top shelf quality after spending time in a barrel. But  American white oak barrels are actually THE secret ingredient when it comes to improving everything from pickles and kombucha to vinegar, worcestershire sauce and so much more.

American white oak barrels impart a distinct flavor you won’t find from any other ingredient or methodology. The magic of time in a barrel joining forces with different ingredients works all kinds of magic. You’ll notice delicate hints of vanilla, honey and coconut and an overall elevation of flavors. Sugars and spices pop and demand to be noticed and you’ll find that no matter what you are aging or brewing, it will taste better than it ever has before.

White oak barrels are also quite decorative, either functioning as intended or repurposed as decor, mugs, vases and more. Rustic and charming and 100 percent handmade by our own barrel makers—Coopers—you really can’t get a more functional American conversation piece than a white oak barrel.

Red Head Oak Barrels are handcrafted using the finest premium white oak to produce barrels for aging spirits, wine, beer and just about anything else you can think of. We source our American White Oak from a variety of forests across the continental United States, including California, Missouri and sometimes Kentucky. Our Coopers are American craftsman dedicated to excellence in this time-honored field.

A Quick Intro to White Oak Barrels, Whiskey and Bourbon

American White Oak Barrels are known to bring out and complement whiskey’s finest flavor notes although other woods such as maple and hickory are sometimes used. White oak is not just known to elevate whiskey; tequila, rum, and even beer and wine are also improved by aging in a wooden oak barrel.

But whisky or whiskey—with or without the “e”—is not the elixir everyone knows and loves until it spends time in an American White Oak barrel. There are barrel requirements concerning how alcohol becomes whiskey and it all depends on the country of origin. That is where the spelling differences come in as well.

The countries that prefer to keep the “e” both have an “e” in their name. Those that choose to spell it without the “e” don’t have an “e” in their names. Hence, America and Ireland both keep the “e” while Canada, Scotland and Japan all drop the “e.”

In the United States, Scotland and Ireland, whiskey and bourbon can only be called such if a genuine American White Oak barrel is used for the aging process. Other regions allow variations in the type of wood used. Canadian and Japanese whiskey, for example, only require that wooden barrels be used, not necessarily oak.

All bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon. Congress declared bourbon "America's Spirit" in 1964 and, according to the Federal Alcohol Administration Act, bourbon whiskey must be produced from a fermented mash of at least 51 percent corn. Kentucky produces 95 percent of today’s bourbon.

Some rules and regulations:

  • Bourbon legally has to be aged in a charred new oak barrel
  • Whiskey is aged in used bourbon barrels
  • Scotch is aged in used whiskey barrels
  • Rum is aged in used Scotch barrels
  • Tequila is aged in just about any old barrel

It takes at least 30 years for a White American Oak tree to reach full growth and maturity and only fully mature trees make the best wooden barrels for aging liquor. White oak has a tight grain that prevents leaking and can be bent by heat without splitting. It is porous and allows oxygen in and out of the cask. The oak is also full of naturally occurring oils called vanillins and  naturally occurring chemicals called tannins. As the spirits age, the oils are drawn out of the wood and over the maturation period they add to the liquor’s flavor profile.

Work Liquor Wizdardy With White Oak Barrels and Fusions

If you’re planning to make liquor at home you don’t have to worry about any particular aging or barrel requirements. In fact, you can rest assured that as long as you’re starting with a white oak barrel, you’re going to enjoy improved liquor quality no matter what you put into the barrel (or how you spell whiskey).

Let’s say you want to try your hand at making bourbon. Red Head Barrels has liquor making kits that will help even a complete novice turn out exceptional liquor. All you need to get started are any of our flavor essences, the neutral-flavored alcohol of your choice (from your local liquor store), and one (or more) of our authentic oak aging barrels.

Our essences are perfect for experimenting to find your favorite flavors. We offer:

Our barrels come in a wide variety of sizes, starting with our one liter. For home use, large is in the range of 20 liters, and once you have your recipe mastered, it is mighty nice to have that big barrel of whiskey or rum aging by your home bar.

But there are distinct advantages to going with something smaller, like our popular two liter barrel. For starters, the aging process is faster—up to six times faster—with a smaller barrel. There are other advantages too:

  • Enhanced flavors. The ratio of interior barrel surface area to stored volume makes for stronger favor notes of vanilla, spice and oak in a shorter time.
  • More experimentation. Less is more when it comes to trial and error. If you’re not happy with your batch, you’re not stuck with volume.
  • It’s portable. You can easily move a 2 liter or even a 5 liter barrel from the kitchen to the rec room. A 20 liter might take a bit of muscle. Smaller barrels also fit better into tight spaces.

Spirits age the same way inside a small barrel; the only difference is time.

Make an Impact With White Oak Barrels

Aside from aging spirits, wine and beer, oak barrels make great gifts as well as decor. Sometimes it’s impossible to find a present for someone who has everything or decide on that perfect “look” for a recreation room, bar, man cave or she shed. At Red Head Oak Barrels we have solutions for everyone on your gift list no matter what the occasion and decorating items that are functional and fun.

  • Personalization. Our barrels can be personalized in many ways, reflecting your name, favorite team or special occasion—we can engrave almost anything you want.
  • Functional. We also have ageless wooden barrels coated on the inside with beeswax. These lined barrels work great as a dispenser and won’t change the taste of the beverage you put inside it.
  • Easy. We have white oak barrels pre-infused with your favorite liquor for simple and fun experimentation. We cure the barrel with the liquor flavor of your choice, giving you an opportunity to experiment with flavors you have never tried before. For example you could order an oak barrel that has been infused and cured with Irish whiskey and then age your own homemade version with our Irish whiskey essence and vodka. This eliminates the need to cure your barrel. All you do is pour your liquor in and let the aging process work its magic.

As far as white oak barrel gifts, we think everything is suitable for everyone but to make it easy, we broke our top selling gifts into categories. Feel free to be creative and click around—we really do have something for everyone.

Get Your Oak Barrel On (the Floor, the Door, Everywhere)

So you have this great man cave or she shed and now you have to fill the walls and counters. Or maybe your playroom is graduating to a gameroom and needs a new vibe. Whatever the reason is that you need a fresh look and new decor, white oak barrels make great accents.

At Red Head Oak Barrels we have a wide range of barrel head signs that can also be customized to reflect your personal style. Barrel Head Bottle Holders looks great on any wall and show off a prized bottle of wine. Our Bag N Barrel sets dispense your wine without changing the flavor and our Wine Making Kit not only looks great on your bar or counter, you’ll age some impressive tasting vino.

Of course any of our oak barrels look great and can be used to age just about anything you can dream up. But if you’re not sure you want to jump into aging spirits, wine, beer or hot sauce, white oak barrels make great beverage dispensers when properly lined and they also have a variety of other uses. Our used 53-gallon casks, for example, are repurposed in the most ingenious of ways, from kitchen tables to bathroom sinks.

The Red Head Barrel Difference

Red Head Oak Barrels sells handmade American oak barrels specially designed for aging and mellowing rum, whiskey, bourbon, tequila, brandy, wine, beer and more. Proprietor Steve Mayes—AKA Red—experimented with barrel aging for many years before opening Red Head Oak Barrels in 2013.

A U.S. Navy Veteran, his business philosophy is to over-deliver and give his customers more than they expect. A Baton Rouge native living in Dallas for over 25 years, Red Head Barrels believes in “lagniappe,” an expression in Louisiana that means “a little extra.”

We have a variety of recipes and liquor making kits so you can turn ordinary spirits into top shelf liquor for a fraction of the price. Make your own flavored Canadian, Kentucky, Tennessee, or Irish Whiskey, Bourbon, Scotch, Spiced Rums, and more at home for about $10 a fifth.

We have hundreds of 5-star reviews and stand behind every product we make. A multi-generational team of professional expert coopers make our wooden staved vessels by sanding and tapering the oak staves so that they fit the hoops perfectly without nails and glue. The oak aging barrel is perfectly charred during assembly and each comes with a wooden spigot, a bung and a stand. Call us with any questions you have at 469-969-0449 or see our website for more information.

Humans have been aging liquor in oak barrels for centuries. Oak is the perfect wood for aging spirits because of the flavors and aromas infused in to the drink. Oak also imparts new flavors into the spirit that gives the drink more body, flavor and smoothness. Oak is a reactive container that will react with whatever is put into it and, lucky us, that is reacts well with our favorite liquors.

Get out there and have fun infusing new flavors into your favorite Scotch, Whiskey, Cognac, Rum, Tequila, Bourbon, Brandy, or Wine.