Cleaning up a used oak barrel.

[oregonparamedic]

I recently picked up a used oak barrel from a local barrel house for a whole $20 and it had been used to sour ales in it. My plan is refinish it and use it as a pub table. The outside is no problem but the barrel is sealed and has some sour ale left overs inside (you can hear it when rolling the barrel). My question is should I open it up, drain it, and rinse or just leave it? There are no leaks and I figure it might keep the wood damp and the barrel sealed. Thoughts?

 

[Jersh]

If there is only a little bit of liquid splashing around it will eventually dry out...

 

[oregonparamedic]

That's what I was thinking. I think I'll leave it as is rather than open up that sour funk.

 

[Jersh]

Actually it will probaby dry out quicker than you think.... I have a 5 gallon whiskey barrel and when I got it it was 100% bone dry, so I soaked it in water to reswell the wood, then added a full 750 ml bottle of the brand of whiskey that the barrel previously housed and that soaked in and evaporated in less than 2 weeks... Of course I was rotating the barrel every day to expose the entire thing but still, it will dry out quick.