Where To Buy An Empty Bourbon Or Whiskey Barrel

If you're a true whiskey fan, you may have pondered what you could do with a used whiskey barrel. Specialist artisans called "coopers" painstakingly craft whiskey barrels, which then become vital drivers of flavor, aroma, and color for the whiskey. These barrels cannot be reused for bourbon in particular, though they're often repurposed. Other distilleries use them to age other spirits, and breweries use them to mature beer. But these long-lasting barrels with their rustic aesthetics also make their way into bars and restaurants as furnishings, which may get you thinking about how cool a whiskey barrel would look in your own home. If that's the case, you'll need to know how to actually procure one.

The first step is to simply ask around. "Most liquor stores around me either give them away or sell them for $50," says bhatch729 on a Costco Reddit thread, explaining distilleries send empty barrels to their retail accounts, who may then be willing to sell or even just give them away. On another Reddit thread, pmikelm79 says, "I bought a [Buffalo Trace] barrel from a liquor store...for $50. I then bought an Old Elk barrel for $50 as well." Reach out to distilleries, too — Redditor IAmAChemicalEngineer says Buffalo Trace quoted them $285 for a used barrel. Keep an eye out for distilleries and even breweries selling these on social media and Reddit. Or, shop online: At Midwest Barrel Co., you can buy a Willett Rye barrel for $130, or a Russell's Reserve barrel for $140.

Whether you find yours at the liquor store, a distillery itself, a brewery, or an online outlet, expect to pay around $50 to $300, depending on the whiskey it was used for. When you consider that some brands sell barrels upcycled into items like home bars for nearly $1,000, finding your own barrel can be a real steal. Splurging on a rare barrel is only worth it if you're a die-hard fan of that specific whiskey, or if your DIY plans actually include re-aging a spirit or maturing, say, your home-brewed beer. If the latter is the case, though, you may want to consider adding bourbon-soaked oak chips to your homebrew to get the same woody, smoky notes without the money or space a barrel requires.

If you're more after the aesthetics of a whiskey barrel, find a bargain and get to work. It's ready to go as a high-top table, fun for a home bar area or patio. With some light home project skills, you can cut and hinge a door and add shelves inside to create storage or the home bar itself — it's perfect for displaying whiskey bottles, of course. You can cut them in half width-wise to fashion them into garden containers, or cut them length-wise and add a seat for pub-style statement chairs. Basically, repurposing a whiskey barrel can be as simple as placing a lamp or planter on top in the living room, or fully building it into furniture.