Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

Got this little 5 litre barrel filled with port at the moment. Thought I had it sealed but it still weeps just the tiniest bit and where it's weeping there's this greenish white mould growing. The port has been in there for 6 weeks or so.
Has anyone seen this before?
Should I be worried about using it for spirit?
Obviously the weeping is a problem, pretty sure I can fix that by belting the hoops on a bit harder

Can anyone let me know if this mould might be dangerous? I highly doubt it would be living inside the barrel?

Sorry forgot to put pics :angry-banghead:

Have seen big funky kumbucha type mushroom inside barrels...

Remove the port, fill with water and let sit till it swells the wood enough to stop the leak. 6 weeks should have already done the job though. The mouldy stuff is prob just feeding on the sweet nutrient exuding from the leak... When sealed, rinse inside with 90% ABV to kill/sterilise the heebie geebies and go for it.

Hi Fishleg,
Mould on wine barrels is common when you have a little leakage.
The way I have approached this problem in the past on 220ltr barrels is as follows:
1. Clean off the mould with brush etc
2. Spray the affected area with a potassium metabisulfite.. Say 15gms desolved in 1 litre
This will slowdown the mould from growing back any time soon.
3. Tighten the hoops.... I'm sure your have done this.
4. Assuming the small leak continues I would mix up a small batch of bentonite with the solution above and apply it to the areas that are leaking. From my experience bentonite is the best way to stop persistent leaks in barrels. Noting that my barrels are 220ltrs.

I don't believe that the port will be infected by the mould... It never has in my experience though if concerned you could clean the barrel as detailed by Kenstar.

Hope this helps.

Wineleader wrote:Hi Fishleg,
Mould on wine barrels is common when you have a little leakage.
The way I have approached this problem in the past on 220ltr barrels is as follows:
1. Clean off the mould with brush etc
2. Spray the affected area with a potassium metabisulfite.. Say 15gms desolved in 1 litre
This will slowdown the mould from growing back any time soon.
3. Tighten the hoops.... I'm sure your have done this.
4. Assuming the small leak continues I would mix up a small batch of bentonite with the solution above and apply it to the areas that are leaking. From my experience bentonite is the best way to stop persistent leaks in barrels. Noting that my barrels are 220ltrs.

I don't believe that the port will be infected by the mould... It never has in my experience though if concerned you could clean the barrel as detailed by Kenstar.

Hope this helps.

^:)^ great info :dance:

Sweet thx guys, haven't tightened the hoops yet. Think I'll just leave as is until my next rum spirit run and I'm ready to fill it.
Remove those pesky little keeper nails and belt the hoops on a bit more I'm sure it will be tight as a fishes arse(hopefully it doesn't taste like a fishes arse) :handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft: