The process used worldwide in the production of barrique barrels was accidentally "invented" in France. Wine producers near the sea also used herring barrels from fishermen and tried to remove the undesirable fish odour in the wood by brushing or planing it out. When this did not lead to a satisfactory result, the barrels were burnt out on the inside. This led to the development of toasting or barrel branding of the inner barrel walls of barrique barrels. As a rule, the two barrel bottoms are not toasted because this is correspondingly time-consuming. However, this also depends on the barrel manufacturer or the customer's (winemaker's) wishes.
Toasting takes place over an open oak fire, using a gas burner or infrared heat. A temperature of around 200 to 250 °C is reached. The duration and intensity of the heat determine the degree of toasting: 10 to 15 minutes for wines, 15 to 20 minutes for spirits (e.g. cognac, whisky, rum). During toasting, the wood is thermally altered without charring the surface.
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Dr. Christa Hanten
Fachjournalistin, Lektorin und Verkosterin, Wien