Our barrels leave the cooperage only after passing our rigorous
quality control process, which includes air and water testing. Accordingly, our barrels are ready to fill immediately upon receipt. If you will not be filling the barrel immediately, be sure to keep it in a cool place. Avoid storing empty barrels in excessively moist places as this may allow mold to develop.

Since the wood will immediately absorb any liquid placed in the barrel you may want to rinse the barrel out with water before filling. Rinsing is a simple process. We recommend the following method:

Fill the barrel with approximately two gallons of cold or, even
better, warm water for 15-20 minutes. Swirl the water around in the barrel to ensure maximum contact with the wood. (You may also vary the water temperature and the amount of time you soak the barrel. The keys to remember are that hot water will extract oak flavors quicker than cold, and that more oak flavor will be extracted from the wood the longer the barrel is soaked.)