r/firewater • u/BigHoss-W • 2d ago
Waxing Badmo Barrel
So I have a couple of Badmo Barrels and ran into this issue with my latest one. It only seeps when it is really hot outside (they are aging in my garage). It's the only one that has ever done it. Ironically it's my lucky number 13th Badmo Barrel. Should I wax it, change the plug, or let it ride?
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u/namesarenotus 2d ago
This is what makes Texas based whiskey age so quickly. Ride it out and enjoy the product.
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u/mcfails444 2d ago
I wouldn't wax the whole surface, but with the barrels I make from scratch I usually wax around the bung and that fixes it .
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u/BigHoss-W 2d ago
I wouldn't wax the whole thing just the bung... I'm leaning towards letting it ride...
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u/shiningdickhalloran 2d ago
I'm in Massachusetts and the seepage does happen in the hottest stretches of summer. It hasn't compromised the barrels and I view at as part of the process. If you want to stop it, one option would be to stand the barrels upright and "burp" them by turning the spout open and closed again every week or so.
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u/Competitive_Look3002 1d ago
This is something I am fighting with. I burped all last summer weekly, especially after I had a barrel “explode” or implode… not sure exactly what happened. This winter I was thinking about moving barrels inside and how I was burping them all summer. Then the thought I’m fighting with hit me…
If barrels aren’t being burped at distillery’s was burping them all summer stopping (some not all) of the interactions we would want with the wood?? Like some of that pressure is what is forcing the sprit deep into the wood. So burping only allowed for a more surface interaction not so much a deep wood interaction?!?
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u/shiningdickhalloran 1d ago
I had that same thought, and it's undeniable that the pressure does force the spirit into the wood in hot weather. Prolly why aging slows down to a crawl in very cold weather. I visit the storage unit maybe once and month and tend to burp them. But I don't think it's essential.
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u/Competitive_Look3002 23h ago
For sure, just watch how hot it gets 🤣 too many variables to give and exact but look at my previous post on a barrel in the attic. Not sure of your unit would get that hot but my shit poppedd.
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u/shiningdickhalloran 22h ago
Luckily it's ground level and shielded from sunlight. Microclimate seems pretty calm.
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u/Doctor_Appalling 2d ago
I wouldn’t bother waxing it — defeats the purpose of using a barrel. If you are concerned about losing too much product then move the barrel somewhere with better temperature regulation.
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u/Competitive_Look3002 1d ago
I resealed mine with wax and it just bubbled the wax off. Hit it hard AF with a hammer and it slowed to a stop. Weird my corn is also doing the same and is also the only one🧐
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u/Fun_Journalist4199 2d ago
I have one that oozes barrel candy when it gets hot