Oak barrels for mead

Oak barrels are excellent for ageing mead. The oak will make the mead dryer, softening the sweetness and smoothing the sharpness. Although mead ageing does not involve any fermentation, the process of ageing mead in an oak barrel will dramatically change its flavour.

Since mead is essentially wine, ageing will only improve it, mixing and bringing out the intended notes, at the same time dissolving certain unwanted flavours, which is an additional advantage.

Oak wood is simple to use and could become an interesting ingredient, bringing out the subtlety of your mead. An oak barrel will contribute with a variety of flavour compounds, such as vanilla, which will add some astringent tannin and colour to the mead. The inside of the barrel must be toasted. A higher level of toasting will add more caramel, vanilla and chocolate after-taste. However, if you wish to experiment and discover even more interesting flavours, you can pick a charred oak barrel as well.

You should keep your mead in oak barrels for at least one and a half or two months, allowing it to mature and reveal the best of its flavour qualities.

We offer an assortment of oak barrels for mead, ranging from 3 to 50 litres.