make them more pliable and easily bent into
the final barrel shape. In Europe, the barrel
interior is heated with a small brazier of
burning wood scraps to 400ºF/200ºC. Once the
softened staves have been tightly hooped into
their final positions, the interior is “toasted”
further at 300–400ºF/150–200ºC, for 5 to 20
minutes, depending on the degree of cooking
desired: less for wine barrels, more for spirits.
In the United States, the heat treatment for
whiskey barrels is more extreme. The hooped
staves are first steamed to soften them, and
then the barrel interior is charred with an open
gas burner for from 15 to 45 seconds.
Barrel Flavors Several things happen when
alcoholic liquids are stored in new barrels.
First, the liquid extracts soluble materials that
contribute color and flavor, including tannins,
oak and clove and vanilla aromas, and the
sugars, browning-reaction products, and
smoky volatiles formed when the barrel was