Wine makers

doc623 · #1 04/21/05, 03:18 PM

How do your clean/treat your barrel between batches?

MoonShine · #2 04/22/05, 12:49 AM

Hmm I'm curious about this too. I am thinking of switching to barrels. I now use old stonewear crocks,but those are too small it seems.

Don Armstrong · #3 04/22/05, 09:03 AM

If you're talking plastic or glass, then strong bleach. It will kill anything, if it's kept closed it will stop anything growing, but when you open it the chlorine is gone altogether in just a few hours, so you don't end up with it in your drink. You can get rid of the bleach even faster while keeping it sterile by rinsing with very-hot (boiled) water.

doc623 · #4 04/22/05, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don Armstrong

If you're talking plastic or glass, then strong bleach. It will kill anything, if it's kept closed it will stop anything growing, but when you open it the chlorine is gone altogether in just a few hours, so you don't end up with it in your drink. You can get rid of the bleach even faster while keeping it sterile by rinsing with very-hot (boiled) water.

Sorry. I should have clarified.
It is a wood barrel and not a plastic/glass/metal barrel.
I disagree with the clorox recommendation.Not from the sanitizing stand point but from the residuals.
Glass/plastic/and/or metal may also be sanatized with a variety
of products that are commerically available and leave no residuals.
I am referring/asking for methods to treat/sanatize a wooden barrel.
Does any one do any thing else besides or in addition to or in place of
sulfur strips?
For example some old timers used to use a soda rince.
I am just learning about wooden barrels and would like any information/
experiences in reference to wooden barrels.
Thanks in advance

Peepsqueak · #5 04/22/05, 09:22 PM

Iodine may be good. They have it in the wine making shops and I use it to disinfect beer making materials, i.e. bottles, etc. Also, it is reccommended for cleaning out vats so the bacteria is not rancid from fruits used. I hope I explained well enough...I have not made any wine or beer since my kids were born, but I used to make it all the time and the iodine was my disinfectant.