At this point, you can take a flathead screwdriver and carefully insert it into the croze where the leak is located. Slowly pry back the stave around the leak, back away from the head pieces. The next step is easier if you have someone to help you. You will now want to insert a piece or two of flagging and make sure it lines the seam in the staves where the heading pieces sit. Use a separate flathead screwdriver to gently push it in tight against the stave wood. You can even rub the flagging down with some barrel wax for an extra layer of protection. Once the flagging is set, you can push the staves and head pieces back into place. You need to be careful with this step to make sure the heading sits perfectly back in
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the croze. If the heading is off at all, you may have just made a bigger leak. Once the heading is back in place, you can put the hoops back on, using the hoop driver to tighten them back down. Finally, before filling the cask back with your decanted spirit, I suggest filling it first with some water to check that your repair is sound. If it isn’t, then just dump the water and adjust the repair as needed. This technique can be used to fix a variety of leaks. Basically, anytime you have a leak that fits along a seam in the cask that necessitates some flagging, the method above should be followed. The pictures on the previous page show one of my distillers fixing a leak in the stave joint of one of our ex-calvados casks.
PINHOLE LEAKS The other common leak that shows up in the warehouse is the pinhole leak. Fortunately, these leaks are easier and less involved to repair. As before, you will want to wipe away and dry the leak area to pinpoint the exact origin point. Once you’ve identified the leak origin, you can take a drill with a 1/8” or 5/32” drill bit and drill a small hole where the leak is. Quickly insert a wooden spile into the hole and carefully tap into the wood with the hammer end of your bung puller. If the spile is not completely flush with the wood and you find it unsightly, you can scrape the risen section off with a chisel or barrel scraper. Occasionally you will come across a leak that is more elongated and not merely a pinhole. These leaks aren’t common, but they do happen. The repair is similar to the pinhole fix. Identify the leak origin and mark it. Take a chisel and insert the blade into the small leak channel. Gently tap the back end of the chisel handle with a hammer to even out the leak spot and deepen it a bit. Next, take a small wooden wedge and insert it into the newly deepened channel. Carefully tap the wedge deep into the leak and chisel off any remaining wood that sticks out above. 83