Barrel or not barrel

[Colaarmbar]

I was on line looking up something when I said to my self " self how much does a whiskey barrel make a difference in your beer" well I had to reply to myself " well hell, I haven't ever used a barrel so how in the hell am I going to tell you what it does" so I thought I would ask y'all. Are the old whiskey and wine barrels really worth it with home brew. How much of a difference do they really make?

 

[Gfei]

You can get pretty much the same effect with oak chips soaked in whiskey/wine. But then you lose the awesomeness of saying you fermented in a barrel.

 

[audger]

just remember that a wooden barrel, especially a charred barrel, imparts a LOT of flavor into the beer. it can easily overpower a beer that isnt well pared with that wood flavor, so think about what type you are putting into the barrel before you throw any old beer into it.

 

[Maltose]

There is also the risk of contamination and difficulty of cleaning barrels. Oak chips are cheaper and easier to sanitize.

 

[Colaarmbar]

Thanks for the input. I really couldn't see it being economical or the best idea.