Exterior Barrel Treatment

I would not use anything on the barrel exterior that would interfere with the ability of the barrel to "breathe". Unless of course you're cutting them in half and using them for planters ;)

Steve

I wouldn't use linseed oil (could be toxic or affect the flavor of the wine), but I've heard of a product called mildewcide that is allegedly made for this purpose.

Personally, I don't use anything on my barrels. Neither does any other commercial winery I know of.

Tom S

Thanks for your replies. I think I'll leave it alone. Is it normal to have rust on the edges of the galvanized hoops of a new barrel? Should I be concerned about this?

Thanks, David

If it's just rust you are worried about, you could rub a bit of "food grade" grease on the hoops. I'm not sure where you get the grease from tho', we used to use it in a food packing plant I worked in.

--arne

For "food grade grease", I've always used petroleum jelly. "Food grade oil" means olive oil or the equivalent.

Just a thought..for you.. When I bought my barrels. I filled them with water. and set them outside in the sun. I left them there for 4 months of summer topping them up and/or changing the water once a week. I turned them once a week too, to weather the barrel evenly. They now sit on a rack in the wine celler and look like they have been there for 100 years... :)

cheers Marv

The stuff we used resembled petroleum jelly, but without the slight smell that the petroleum jelly you can buy in the drugstore has. It had no odor at all that I could recall.

--arne

Unfortunately, any flavor they once had is probably long gone. :^(

Why spend so much $$ on barrels if you are going to render them flavorless with this treatment?

Tom S

Quite a number of commercial wineries in this area (Sierra Foothills, CA) *do* treat the outside of their barrels. It's a mildewcide intended for the purpose and leaves the outside of the barrel looking varnished. Sorry, I don't remember the brand name. Some wineries do it, some don't. It doesn't seem to do the wine any harm and the barrels stay pretty.

- Mark W.

We will very often wash around the bungs with a strong SO2 solution after filling - especially when the cellar hand has been a bit clumsy filling the barrels. I really doubt that any of that SO2 ever makes it through the wood. Other than that, we don't do a thing, other than hosing down the outside after emptying or filling (usually to wash the old chalk marks off!).

Cheers,

Andrew

What is the generally accepted procedure for maintaining barrels? I'm taking the reigns from my father in law, who's been making wine for the family since he came over from Italy over 40 years ago. We make about 200 gallons a year (4 50 gal. barrels). The crushing/ fermentation takes place in 8 barrels with the top removed, so this means I've inherited 12 barrels total.

They are not topped with water during the year, they basically dry out after use. Each year, the rings are tightened and they're filled with water so they bloat and become water tight once again (they usually leak initially for a few hours or so before they retain water).

This year we've noticed some mold/bacteria in the fermentation barrels, so I'm wondering if we should scrub the insides with a sulphate citric solution. We will most likely be crushing in a week or so, so I don't want to use anything that will taint the wine.

Any tips on barrel maintenance would be greatly appreciated. Cleaning, storage (filled with water or not), etc. I've also heard some folks talk about 'shaving' the insides of their barrels to get more life out of them. Not sure if this applies to the fermentation barrels, though.

Thanks.

-Marc

Tom S wrote:

Do yourself a favor and get rid of those moldy fermenters. 55 gallon food grade plastic drums are a lot easier to handle and sanitize, and if you get the right kind they impart no off flavors or aromas to the wine.

Then - and this is the worst part - get rid of the barrels you've been using all these years and replace them with new. They surely don't have any flavor left in them anymore. More importantly, since you haven't been maintaining them properly, they surely have stuff growing in them that will taint your wine.

Before investing in any new barrels, you need to become familiar with the way to maintain your barrels clean between uses and topped up during use.

Tom S

Tom:

Thanks for the tips, I'll check into the food grade plastic drums. I just scanned Lum Eisenman's home winemaker's manual and he seems to be in agreement with you (or vice versa). Is there much difference in the final product when plastic drums are used during fermentation rather than oak?

Any other direct pointers to info on barrel maintenance? Like I said, this is a 50 year tradition in the family, so I'm sure it's going to be an arduous task affecting such a fundamental change so soon. Would you recommend Sodium Bisulfate / citric acid / SO2 or the like to sterilize things? We have ever used them.

We have two storage barrels that are only a year old, the other two are at least 3 years old and are candidates to be replaced as you mention. We buy them used off a local guy, and I think he replaces every 2 years. We've had rather good luck AFAICT with the process since I've been around (about 10 years), and we actually won a couple of amateur medals the last couple of years. Though now I believe the factors aiding us are not scientific (a picture of my mother-in-law praying the rosary during winemaking season comes to mind...).

Thanks again.

-Marc

I suppose there is a slight difference, but not worth mentioning. The amount of time the must spends in the fermenter isn't much compared to the time the wine spends in the barrel aging.

The best way to maintain a barrel is full of adequately sulfited wine, topped up brim full and bunged tight with a silicone bung. The wine evaporates right through the wood, so it's necessary to top up weekly or so. While you have the bung out you should taste the wine and smell for developing problems. It's one of the more pleasant duties of winemakers. :^)

If you have to leave a barrel empty - even for a short time - you should blast the insides with hot water (bunghole down) to clean as much sediment/tartrates out as possible. Do this until the water runs clear, then give it another blast just to be sure. Let the barrel drain for a couple of minutes, flip it over and burn a sulfur candle inside. When the candle goes out, bung the barrel tight with a silicone bung wrapped in several layers of Saran Wrap. That keeps the sulfur dioxide gas from attacking the silicone.

For prolonged empty storage it's a good idea to repeat the hot water rinsing and sulfur candle every couple of months so that the barrel stays tight and clean. Before filling you should give the barrel a cold water rinse to get rid of the excess sulfur dioxide. Be careful not to breathe the fumes from the sulfur candle or the gas inside the barrel - especially if you have asthma.

If you happen to let the barrel dry out after gassing it'll be OK, but you'll probably have to re-tighten the hoops and soak it tight again with cold water.

Like I said,

I assume you meant "never". Yes, but you should buy potassium metabisulfite rather than sodium sulfite. Sodium sulfite is OK for sanitizing your equipment, but you don't want to put it directly into the wine. Why keep both on hand when potassium metabisulfite will do the job for both? BTW, buy your meta from a source that has a lot of turnover of stock. The stuff degrades quickly in the presence of air - even the dry powder - so keep it tightly sealed in a glass jar. Buy fresh every year and use the old stuff for general purpose sanitizing, where potency isn't quite as critical.

Cut 'em up and either make planters out of them or use the wood to season a BBQ fire!

We buy them used off a local guy, and I think he replaces

If you're making a big red wine, you ought to consider buying at least one _new_ barrel. Either that, or adding new oak via StaVin "beans" or Vintner's Alternative "barrel replacements" to an older barrel. Forget about shaving. That doesn't get you back to a new barrel flavor anyway, and it tends to promote leaks.

We've had rather good luck AFAICT with the process since

With a few simple improvements in your technique you can greatly improve beyond even that.

Though now I believe the

Don't abandon that if it works for you! :^D

BTW, I occasionally hear stories about old world home winemakers who make a barrel every year, and during the course of the following year draw wine for the table from a spigot at the bottom of the barrel. As the barrel gets emptied over the months the wine gets progressively worse and worse because of the huge colony of spoilage organisms growing in the increasing air space above the wine. By the next Spring it's pretty much vinegar (or worse), but the next Autumn they make another batch IN THE SAME BARREL! Once a barrel has held spoiled wine, it's only good for firewood.

Tom S