How Hard Is It To Use Oak Barrels?

I have been pressing Apples for a month now and freezing the juice until I can get 6 gallons ready to go into the primary fermenter. I am making wine for the first time and want to use the same equipment and techniques, but I keep reading about a keggin system.

Does this mean the use of oak barrels? And if so, I've seen some videos at commercial wineries about how they clean them. It looks like you need a lot of expensive equipment.

Do you recommend using barrels to age/clear/store cider? If so, what kind of things do I need to consider?

Brand new member here but been reading for some time. Thanks.

you've never seen a keg at a grocery store or kegs of beers in movies? oak barrels are for aging. kegs are kinda like a tap that you can dispense a drink right out of.

Okay, so let's say I wanted to use oak barrels for aging. Is there something different about the container I would use as a keg?

UncaMarc said:

Okay, so let's say I wanted to use oak barrels for aging. Is there something different about the container I would use as a keg?

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Most kegs are stainless steel, and hold pressure. They are carbonated (if desired) and dispensed with c02. Many homebrewers use old soda kegs that pepsi and coke came in for fountain machines. They are 5 gallon size. Or you can use beer kegs as well- "pony size" up to a 1/2 barrel size.

If you're new to cider, I'd probably skip both the barrel and the kegging and just go with bottles. Barrel need special care, and kegging is usually for carbonating the beverages.