Wine Barrel Rack

I have a 20 and I just used 1 x 6 and grooved out a channel with a Sawsall or jigsaw; I used the barrel end for a template and just cut heavy so the 1 x6's would end up on a hoop. I just attached them to 2 x 3 spacers. I can send you a picture if you would like, iot's an easy job if you have a good jigsaw or Sawsall.

It's not pretty but neither is the barrel...

Joe

last year we bought a 60 gal barrel & faced the same circumstance. We went to the local vocational school with our problem, needing a rack, and for the cost of lumber & casters (plus a couple of pizzas for the students,) the cabinetry students crafted a fine ship's cradle on casters for us. Total cash outlay: about $65. Total inconvenience factor: bringing the barrel to & fro, a trip to home despot, plus bringing the cradle home upon completion. the pizza was a cash arrangement. On the whole, well worth the experience if there's a trade school in your vicinity. hope this helps.

We used to have a College for trades but that has moved to another town to reduce costs. This barrel rack should be easy enough even for me. I'll just keep sampling the wine until the stand is finished.

Joe, I make racks for my barrels using 2X4's, a miter saw, rotating wheels, water-proof wood glue and some screws. It cost less than $20 to make it for a 120L barrel, and I haven't had any structural issues for it's 2 season lifetime. The wheels are key for rearranging your wine area on the fly to accomodate whatever comes up. The barrel is full now, so I can't get you a good pic of the rack. I'll try to put something together in Photoshop to give you an idea of what it looks like.

I don't think standing a barrel on it's end is a good idea when it's full of wine. As the wine evaporates, you'll have a much larger exposed suface area than when the bung is facing up. 55L barrels aren't too heavy and can rest on the staves w/o a problem. I have a

There are stackable, powder-coated racks that hold 2 barrels and can be purchases for under $100, but the smallest barrels I've seen them accomodate are 100L.

-David Denver, CO USA

I have heard of only one winery that did that. Rather than bunging his barrels tight and rolling them to keep the bung wet (a now obsolete process, thanks to the silicone bung) Parducci used to bung his barrels tight and stand them on end. Although I failed to see the point in doing so, his wines certainly never suffered for it. I doubt that he still does it that way, but 30 years ago he did.

Tom S

David,

Your barrel rack sounds useful I wouldn't mind seeing the design or drawing!

I was refering whether empty barrels can be stored on their ends once properly prepared. I wouldn't dare stand a full barrel on its end.

Joe