Looking ahead to 2024, Junhe plans to expand and enhance its product line, introducing 20L and 60L medium-sized oak barrels and developing a broader range of flavor-infused barrels, such as Chinese Yellow wine and coffee barrels.

The Mongolian oak wood used for making both the barrels and the casks is sourced from the forests of Changbai Mountain. These trees have a growth cycle of 80-100 years and a ring diameter of over 40 cm, making them a very rare material for barrels. The supply is limited each year.

Firstly, the wood boards for the same barrel must have a consistent moisture content to prevent deformation caused by large moisture gradients. Secondly, boards with poor water tightness are discarded.

The Mongolian oak barrels undergo strict wood selection, with each cut board reaching 50mm. The final barrel body has a net thickness of 40-45mm, allowing for multiple cycles of shaving and toasting. This significantly reduces usage costs and effectively minimizes barrel-making waste.

The toasting of the oak barrels involves direct flame applied along the curvature of the staves, moving equidistantly from the inner barrel wall to ensure consistent toasting temperature. The temperature inside the barrel is monitored in real-time, and the flame size and intensity are controllable. The entire toasting and charring process is data-driven, with electronic visualization throughout.

The toasting equipment is equipped with a carbon dioxide outlet for extinguishing the flames on the inner barrel wall. Carbon dioxide is introduced just before the oak barrel inner wall reaches the ignition point or as soon as it starts to ignite. This allows for controlled carbonization, gradually deepening the char layer and increasing the density of the grain without causing it to flake off.