US Patent 9885010 Apparatus and method for aging liquids

A rectangular or cylindrical container made of stainless steel or another liquid-impervious material has a plurality of openings formed in the side wall(s). Wooden boards, made of scarce white oak or other wood used for aging and flavoring beverages, are fitted into the openings and sealed so that their inside surfaces contact the liquid in the container. The inside surfaces have cross-grain cuts such as saw cuts or holes, which are used to enhance the infusion of beverage liquid into the wood to age the beverage rapidly and flavorfully. When one batch is finished, the used boards are removed and new ones are fitted into the openings and used to treat another batch. Thus, the use of wood, which can be scarce and expensive, is minimized.