More wine.

[lpmarks]

Hi everyone. I've been making wine and cider using (3) 6 gal carboys and (2) 5 gal carboys and I would like to start making larger batches. Bought some 55gal olive barrels and couldn't get brine/odor/flavor out of it. Does anyone have any other low cost ideas. Thanks.

 

[goosen1]

I wouldn't use that barrel for your wine. The brine that the olives were in will not come out of the wood. Your better off buying a new barrel. There is a manufacture that is not to far from my house that makes barrels. A co-worker said that they are not expensive to buy right from the factory. The name of the company is Independent Stave Company, Lebanon MO.

 

[brewingmeister]

First off.. what are the barrels made of: steel, plastic, stainless, wood or what??

What did you already clean with that didn't work?

 

[Goofynewfie]

First off.. what are the barrels made of: steel, plastic, stainless, wood or what??

What did you already clean with that didn't work?

Depending on what they are made of you may be able to get the smell out . I was able to do it in a old 55g barrel that used to contain franks red hot

 

[huesmann]

If it's porous, your screwed. If it's non-porous, try soaking with a bleach solution, then a good soaking with plain water.

 

[lpmarks]

Barrels are plastic and I did some research on trying to clean these barrels and what I found was people used baking soda and apple vinegar. Tried that. Soaked for a while and then just baking soda and no luck.

 

[lpmarks]

Actually forgot. I did use Clorox. No luck.

 

[Goofynewfie]

Try febreeze, and then let it air out outdoors for a few days than use hot water. Thats what worked for me with the red hot barrel

 

[lpmarks]

I'll give that a shot. Thanks.

 

[Honda88]

o man i would never have vinegar anywhere near my wine thats asking for trouble

 

[roadymi]

I get 15 gal malt extract barrels from my LHBS. Worked dandy for my cider last fall. They are heavy when full but you can at least manhandle them around. 55 gal is over 400 lbs.......you better situate them where you want them before you fill them.

 

[Norwest]

Hi,

I posted a similar question on the Equipment/Sanitation Section recently regarding getting the Dr. Pepper smell out of some HDPE barrels. One suggestion was using a slurry of vegetable oil and baking soda. Sounds messy but will try it on one of may barrels. Norwest

 

[Honda88]

anything but vinegar

 

[Norwest]

Hi,

I discussed this issue with one of the organic chemists at my company and he recomended acetic acid (ie. vinegar). Distilled white vinegar is sterile unlike cider or wine vinegar which many still contain the "mother" bacteria. Concentrated or "glacial" acetic acid avaiable from chemical suppliers is a very effective cleaner but appropriate chemical safety measures must be practiced (goggles, lab coat, acid vapor mask or fume hood). He also suggested high percentage ethanol or isopropanol as this should extract any thing that might get extracted by the cider, wine or beer. Going to try distilled white vineger followed by an ethanol rinse before I mess with vegitable oil.

Norwest

 

[lpmarks]

Thanks to all who have responded. Haven't tried anything yet but I will let everyone know if any of there solutions were successful. Thanks again.