This process is the second aspect of what differentiates Black Swan Cooperage’s barrels from commodity barrels.

Wood  is an organic product (no surprise there) that needs care and feeding in it’s use…..too much heat too fast will destroy all the flavor and mother natures has developed over a lifetime of growth.

Before the toasting proper is initated, the gentle heating for the barrels slowly releases a cross section of sugar sources flavors.  This heating also releases tannin to further volitailze this acid from the exposed wood surface.   This release tends to soften the overall quality of flavors that will  subsequently be extracted into your aging product.

We toast our barrels for an extended period of time using oak instead of burning gas (no products of propane or natural gas combustion) to slowly release a bouquet of oak wood based sugars which will subsequently be extracted into your product.

These processes prepares the oak staves to release and range of toasted sugar and soft vanilla notes and suppress the oak tannins.