It turns out the uses of a used bourbon barrel are legion – from giving flavor to other food and drink, to decorating the homes and businesses of true whiskey fanatics. Here are a few possible encore careers for the humble bourbon barrel.
Aging other spirits
Aging beer
The craft beer revolution created a whole new use for ex-bourbon barrels: beer containers. Barrel-aged beers are usually dark, sweet, strong brews, but those experimental brewers have thrown everything into a barrel at one time or another, from low-alcohol stouts to mouth-puckering sours.
Aging other stuff
Maple syrup? Tea? Fish sauce? If you can eat it, there’s a good chance somebody’s tried to improve it by putting it in a bourbon barrel.
Quick whisky question
Single malt is everywhere, but what does it mean? We want to know what the word “single” means to you. Three quick questions, under a minute.
Smokin’
Barrel chips can be a great way to give a little extra something to cooked foods. Old Scotch barrels are often chipped and used to smoke salmon, while in the South, bourbon barrel chips bathe ribs and brisket in their rich, aromatic smoke. And it’s not just limited to meat; bourbon barrel pieces can be used to smoke almost anything dry, from salt and pepper to sesame seeds.
Décor
Eventually, barrels just get old. When they start to leak or lose their flavoring power, it’s time for retirement. A whole cottage industry exists transforming bourbon barrels into lamps, signs, furniture, and home decor. But there’s no shame in the final resting place of many barrels: sliced in half, planted with petunias, and standing guard over the entryway to distilleries and tasting rooms around the world.
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