Barrel ageing

[marcovin]

I have a 20l Oak Barrel that I recently put some red wine into. After about 3 weeks I noticed gas build up inside the barrel which was forcing wine out of the joins it also sounded like a faint fizzing was happening inside the barrel.

I have now emptied the barrel just in case and it doesn't seem to have had any ill effects but I'd wondered if it had started fermenting again or began the slippery path to vinegar!!!

The wine had finished a long while back and I'd added a protective dose of Sulphite before barreling so I'm not sure what was happening.

Has anyone experienced this phenomenon at all?


Marc

[Cellar_Rat]

It might be gas being released - how old was the wine, when it went into the barrel?

Have you tasted it?

Sulphite suppresses yeast but it does not kill it. It might be worth considering sorbate.

[marcovin]

It is about 5 months old and it tastes fine, not remarkable just fine. No hints of anything un-toward either which makes me wonder whats going on. It was definitely fizzy away like the clappers but I moved it into a Carboy and all activity seemed to stop.

Sorbate i guess is an option but I don't want to add it if its not necessary.


Marc

[rjb222]

Did you soak your barrel first or not?

[NorthernWiner]

My hunch is that it's either going through malolactic fermentation or the wine is simply degassing in the barrel. As long as you keep your barrel topped up and sulphite levels sorted, I wouldn't worry too much. What I would worry about is a bung working its way loose and allowing your wine to become oxidised. I don't know if you have availability to these where you live, but I like ferm-rite breathable bungs (pictured below). They act like an airlock, in that gas can escape, but air isn't allowed in. Another alternative is to use a rubber bung with a hole drilled through and attach a standard water airlock.

[marcovin]

Did you soak your barrel first or not?

I did yes I filled it with water and some VWP for about 5 days so the barrel can seal.


Marc

[lockwood1956]

I'm not sure the VWP was a good call, ensuring it is thoroughly rinsed might be an issue and it is a chlorine based cleaner.

I think fitting an airlock as Steve suggests is a good idea.

What was the SG of the wine as it entered the barrel?

what sort of wine was it?

I wouldn't add sorbate at this point. The wine should be finished as it enters the barrel and if it needed sorbate, this should be done beforehand, I would only add sorbate to a wine that I was going to sweeten. If there is residual sugar the wine needs to come out of the barrel and be fermented out before putting back into the barrel in my opinion.

regards
Bob

[lockwood1956]

You might find this thread useful

note no use of chlorine based cleaners due to TCA concerns

http://www.winesathome.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?5736-Barrel-care

[marcovin]

You might find this thread useful

note no use of chlorine based cleaners due to TCA concerns

http://www.winesathome.co.uk/forum/s...36-Barrel-care

Oh, yes I recall reading about TCA and tbh I didn't connect the dots I must have been panicking.

Thanks for the info on Barrel care although I do not have any SO2 gas only Sodium Metabisulphate but the wet method is not desirable due to its effects on the barrel itself.

Any suggestions?


Marc

[marcovin]

I'm not sure the VWP was a good call, ensuring it is thoroughly rinsed might be an issue and it is a chlorine based cleaner.

I think fitting an airlock as Steve suggests is a good idea.

What was the SG of the wine as it entered the barrel?

what sort of wine was it?

I wouldn't add sorbate at this point. The wine should be finished as it enters the barrel and if it needed sorbate, this should be done beforehand, I would only add sorbate to a wine that I was going to sweeten. If there is residual sugar the wine needs to come out of the barrel and be fermented out before putting back into the barrel in my opinion.

regards
Bob

SG was 0.996 it was Sangiovese and 25% Merlot.


Marc

[ToulouseLePlot]

Daft-ideas-R-us: have you considered pressure differences caused by temperature or barometric pressure from the day you sealed the barrel to when you noticed leakage? Or possibly shrinkage if the whole thing started out wet and gradually the outside dried?