Cleaning barrels

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Cleaning barrels

Postby j0sh2008 » Sun Aug 19, 2018 1:36 pm

Hey all,

Has anyone cleaned out old barrels ? I was talking to Sam the other day about how he recondition his barrels. But I was wondering if anyone has tried steaming them?

I ended up buying 5 oak barrels for $120 on gumtree, but I want to give them a good clean out.
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Re: Cleaning barrels

Postby bluc » Sun Aug 19, 2018 3:24 pm

I wouldnt steam them. DO them like sam remove the head and give them a good blast with a blowtorch. Maybe even use a plane to reveal som fresh oak before re charring. I dont reakon steaming wood would do much. Or if its just to sterilise make a cheap wash tpw? and add that let stand for a couple weeks drain and add the spirit you want. :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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Re: Cleaning barrels

Postby j0sh2008 » Sun Aug 19, 2018 4:30 pm

Yeah I saw somewhere that steaming gets deep into the pores and releases the tannins.

I was going to give sams method ago and see how hard it is to pull apart a barrel. But I’m not as handy as Sam :angry-banghead:
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Re: Cleaning barrels

Postby bluc » Sun Aug 19, 2018 4:57 pm

Then personally I would opt for option 2 put cheap spirit in to kill anything that may or may not be in it.. but I am by no means an expert perhaps steaming would work..all cooper vids I have seen the shave the stave toast char and re assemble..
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Re: Cleaning barrels

Postby db1979 » Sun Aug 19, 2018 5:42 pm

j0sh2008 wrote:I was going to give sams method ago and see how hard it is to pull apart a barrel.

Pulling it apart is easy, getting it back together is another story :?
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Re: Cleaning barrels

Postby Robbers Dog » Sun Aug 19, 2018 6:07 pm

There are great tutorials on You Tube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgKD6hA-_5c
What size barrels did you buy?
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Re: Cleaning barrels

Postby Birdman85 » Sun Aug 19, 2018 6:38 pm

What sort of barrels are they? 120 is a deal
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Re: Cleaning barrels

Postby Sam. » Sun Aug 19, 2018 9:06 pm

Robbers Dog wrote:There are great tutorials on You Tube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgKD6hA-_5c
What size barrels did you buy?


Well that bloke knows just enough to be dangerous.

1. all he puts in it sugar wash :wtf:

2. He want's it varnished?

3. He has no idea of what the terms for a barrel are (heads, hoops, croze etc)

And why bother sanitsing a barrel of your going to put 63% spirit in it??

Only reason you might throw a kettle load of boiling water in it is to find leaks.
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Re: Cleaning barrels

Postby j0sh2008 » Wed Aug 22, 2018 5:47 pm

Yeah think I will just give it a go at taking it apart and trying to get it back together
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