Sterilise an oak barrel

by **Robj** » Fri Jan 17, 2014 7:21 am

Hi all
I've had a new 3l small oak barrel for about 10 month and I've had a bottle of port in it and topped it up with water after a few month, just noticed it's got some green mould on the tap so now I'm worried I've infected the barrel, does anyone know how I can sterilise it because I'm almost ready to stick a batch of whiskey in it and don't want to ruin it??? Grateful for any help

by **Sam.** » Fri Jan 17, 2014 1:44 pm

I would give boiling water a crack :handgestures-thumbupleft:

by **Dominator** » Fri Jan 17, 2014 7:37 pm

Give it a wash with boiling water to clean the mould etc away. I would not be to worried about an infection, 65% alcohol will kill almost anything.

by **the Doctor** » Fri Jan 17, 2014 8:40 pm

traditionally burning sulphur is used... but I would just throw in some azeotrope and toss it around then rinse... The whiskey will be safe.
Doc

by **Bushy** » Fri Jan 17, 2014 9:22 pm

If the tap is a brass of some sort, you may find it's corrosion.

by **Robj** » Thu Feb 13, 2014 8:44 am

Rinsed it all out and seemed fine, it's had some red wine and pepper corns in it for a few weeks (made some wine that never tasted great so was just experimenting). Just busy with a spirit run, making the cuts, then am gona stick this batch in it n c what happens. Don't suppose anyone knows what's the best way to determine which cuts to use or do I just go on smell and ABV to finish with 65% ABV, I'll figure it out, cheers for the help guys

by **SBB** » Thu Feb 13, 2014 9:02 am

Robj wrote: just noticed it's got some green mould on the tap

Bushy wrote:If the tap is a brass of some sort, you may find it's corrosion.

My first thought to Bushy.

by **Robj** » Thu Feb 13, 2014 9:49 am

It's an oak peg, hopefully was just on the outside, seems fine. Just busy using my voltage control box on a spirit run, working class so cheers for the advice in another thread, got my first 4 250ml jars at 81%ABV after chucking foreshots of course, 5th @ 80.5, 6th@ 78, 7th 76 u get my drift, wasn't expecting them to be that high, not really I'll stop collecting @ 50 you reakon, or sooner, gona run out of jars, was only expecting about 2.5l will what low wines I had, cheers bud

by **Brendan** » Thu Feb 13, 2014 10:07 am

Hey Rob,

I don't know what you're running, but thought I'd mention this in case it saves you on the run.

You mentioned about defining cut points by abv, and collecting down to 65%.

Your cuts will be entirely by smell and taste...collect in smallish quantities as you have been and smell them tomorrow. The main point is just because you want to age at 65%abv, doesn't mean you keep everything to obtain that...you may find that you keep what was collected from 85% to 75%, which you will then water down to 65% for ageing (just an example). It will all depend on your wash and how it's distilled, that's why it's such an art/craft.

Good luck :handgestures-thumbupleft:

p.s. Open a new thread to continue this discussion. Sorry mods, just realised where we were :shifty:

by **Robj** » Thu Feb 13, 2014 10:21 am

Cheers for that Brendan, I'll open one now, didn't realise, new to this still ;-)

by **Robj** » Thu Feb 13, 2014 10:56 am

Opened in pot stills mate, need help