Unbundled from the barrel, the stave can be toasted in various ways. After years of research we’ve determined convection heating is the best. Small batches and digital controls give us control over the critical chemical transformations (see Lab Testing, below).

Convection Toasting

Flame toasting yields inconsistent flavor throughout the piece (Figure 1). On the surface, heavier toast, then (unpredictably) lighter with penetraton.

Prolonged, convection heat reaches inside the staves to provide consistency throughout the piece (Figure 2) and throughout the extraction process.

Size/Heat/Flavor

Full stave mass is a vital difference: we apply more overall heat (time and temperature) than any conventional barrel alternatives.  Result? Toast versatility and complexity.

Lab Testing

We use the ETS Oak Aroma Analysis (www.etslabs.com) to test toast levels. Results are shown below:

Light Toast Download PDF

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Medium Toast Download PDF

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Heavy Toast Download PDF

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