What is the best way to clean a wine oak barrel?

[JasonToews]

I purchased a 6 gallon oak barrel which had wine in it befor. You can really smell the vinegar, just wondering what the best way to clean it, I will be ageing beer in it. I also noticed that it kinda leaks, from my research, is it true that all I have do is fill it up with water and leave it for a couple days to expand the wood?

any help is much appreciated!

oh btw, the small leak is from the bottom of barrel in the corners.

 

[LakewoodBrew]

im no expert to be sure, but oak is very porous. once a barrel is soured, its pretty much impossible to eliminate the bugs. if it's really just vinegar, then you may be ok, but funky smelling barrels are pretty suspect. fill it up with watered down cheap vodka and see if it swells enough to hold. many barrels will weep or seep indefinitely. you have to keep topping it off to keep it from oxidizing whatever is in there.

good luck

 

[bwomp313]

I'm not too knowledgeable on barrels but vinegar would make me think acetobacter and that makes for nasty nasty beverages

 

[Turner5]

Maybe this...

http://1000oaksbarrel.com/index.php...=barrel+kleen&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=37

 

[JasonToews]

is using neutralizing acid in the barrel ok for when your going to be using it for beer?