| Oak barrels are the traditional way of aging
wine. Barrels do require special treatment before they are used. All
barrels come with a bunghole and a travel bung on the side. You need to
prepare your barrel for wine. Barrels should always be positioned
horizontally on a cradle. If allowed to rest on the floor or on end,
they could spring the bottom stave.
If you have not purchased a brand new barrel or are using one that
you know has only had wine in it, you need to smell the barrel. If it
has a vinegar or moldy smell, do not use the barrel.
If the barrel has stored pickles, fish or any other substance other than
wine, don’t use the barrel. The odors of these substances have been
absorbed into the wood and there is no way to remove them.
Assuming your barrel has no off odors and is apparently sound, fill
the barrel with cold water and keep it full for 48 hours. If it leaks,
you might try hammering the hoops until they are tight against the
staves and soak for another 24 hours. If it still leaks, look for
another barrel. Once you have determined that your (used) barrel is OK
to use, fill the barrel with a solution (read on) of barrelkleen.
Barrelkleen is a combination of sodium sesquicarbonate, soda ash and
lye. Mix one (1) pound of barrelkleen per five (5) gallons of hot water.
A 30 gallon barrel will require 6 pounds of barrelkleen and 30 gallons
of water. Leave this solution in the barrel for 24-48 hours. This
removes the excess tannins and allows the barrel to absorb water and
swell so it won’t leak. After 48 hours, drain the barrel and flush
with water until the water runs clear. Then mix one (1) ounce of citric
acid with one gallon of warm water. For a 30 gallon barrel you will need
3-5 gallons of this solution. Close the barrel and roll it so the
solution touches the entire interior. This neutralizes any remaining
alkali. Drain and rinse out the barrel. Now the barrel is ready for
your wine.
A barrel must never be left empty for more than 2 hours after it has
been conditioned.
You may wish to drill a spigot hole before filling with wine.
Different size spigots will require different size holes. Size your
spigot in a hole cut in paper or cardboard first. Drill a hole in the
head or end of the barrel near the rim. Place a tapered cork in the
hole. Make sure your cork fits the hole chosen for your spigot. A #14
cork fits a 1" hole. When the cork gets wet, it will swell and keep
the hole from leaking. Hopefully you don’t have a cat that will worry
the cork until it comes out. (We winemakers can tell some of the most
incredible horror stories!) When you are ready to transfer your wine
from the barrel, cut the cork flush the head and drive the spigot into
the barrel with a mallet. You may omit the spigot hole and transfer with
a racking rod and siphon or a small pump from the travel bunghole which
we assume you had a rubber bung in with an airlock.
If you are using a new barrel you may omit the barrelkleen step, or
if you are more comfortable with its use, you may cut down on the
exposure time to 12-24 hours. You must always neutralize the
barrelkleen solution. (See above)
A small 5 gallon barrel will impart more than enough oak in 2 weeks
or less. Wine in small barrels must be checked frequently for taste.
Finally, a barrel must never be left empty.
Keeping it filled prevents the barrel from drying out, growing mold or
going sour. If you don’t have more wine to fill it with, flush the
barrel with water until it runs clear. Fill the barrel with a solution
of 1 tablespoon of metabisulfite and 2 teaspoons of critic acid for
every 5 gallons of water. Replace this solution every three months or at
least replenish the chemicals and top up the water.
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