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Just ordered my 1st Oak Barrel

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  • Just ordered my 1st Oak Barrel

    After reading Northern Winers and others comments on barrel ageing a while back I have decided to get an Oak Barrel in an attempt to further improve my fresh grape and frozen grape wines.

    I've learnt quite a lot about acid and balance and have been pleasantly surprised how good my Grapefest 2011 wines are turning out and I've done some oaking of different styles in both glass and plastic but feel it is now time to try something more adventurous.

    I had a chat with Alastair Simms, the Master Cooper at Wadworths brewery in Devizes and settled on a 20 litre French Oak barrel medium toasted. This will be made to order so it will not be ready until March/April time. I chose 20 litres so that I can use it on a 23 litre kit if required and have sufficient wine left over for topping up.

    The plan is to put a couple of kits in it to break it in as I believe being a small barrel the wine will oak quite quickly to start with and then start on my Grapefest wines.

    Any comments/advice will be very much appreciated.

    Rob

  • #2
    ..you didn't fancy the little stainless number on eBay then
    Gluten free, caffeine free, dairy free, fat free – you gotta love this red wine diet!

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    • #3
      Originally posted by Cellar_Rat View Post
      ..you didn't fancy the little stainless number on eBay then
      It would take roughly 160 of your frozen grape drums to fill it. Can you imagine what the Fedex man would say........

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      • #4
        Nice purchase!

        A new French oak barrel of that size should be able to handle 4 batches of wine in the first year, maybe 2 in the second year. By year 3, I reckon you'll be able to age a single batch of wine in it for an entire year. Just keep an eye on it at first, because the first few wines may only require a month's time.

        My tips:
        • Don't forget to keep topped up and add a dose of sulphite every couple months. At first, you will lose a lot of wine to the "angel's share", but once the wood is fully hydrated, the losses will subside. You would be surprised how much wine soaks into the wood!
        • If you can get "breathable" bungs, I highly recommend them. They eliminate the need for an airlock. Gas can escape, but air can't get in.
        • If you want to keep the barrel looking nice and prevent stains, look for a mildewcide product. I use one called O'Sullivan BarrelGuard. It leaves a shiny, moisture repellant finish, without affecting micro-ox properties or the porosity of the wood.
        • Keep it full at all times. You don't have to rinse it out between every fill. I only do that about once a year. If you do have to leave it empty for any length of time, you should keep some sulphur wicks on hand.
        Steve

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        • #5
          Thats great Rob. I spoke to Alastair too, a really nice guy. We are planning a house move so I am under instructions not to order one (for the time being) and Steve thanks for the great operating principles.
          Simon
          "I can certainly see that you know your wine. Most of the guests who stay here wouldn't know the difference between Bordeaux and Claret." - Basil Fawlty

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          • #6
            Nice one Rob.

            How much is that setting you back, if you don't mind sharing?

            (and can they do a group buy discount?)

            Not sure where I'd put one yet!

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            • #7
              Thanks for the tips Steve, I am collecting information on barrel usage from anywhere I can find it at present.

              Rich, the barrel is £140 + vat. I can ask Alastair if he would do a discount for a group buy and what quantities it would apply to.

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              • #8
                Surprisingly, that's cheaper than I thought it would be.

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Rich View Post
                  Surprisingly, that's cheaper than I thought it would be.
                  me too..
                  Gluten free, caffeine free, dairy free, fat free – you gotta love this red wine diet!

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Cellar_Rat View Post
                    me too..
                    me three......

                    To clarify, these are made from reclaimed wood from old Burgundy barrels that are stripped back to bare wood and then reused to make the smaller barrels.

                    He has also quoted for a new 20 litre barrel made from American Oak @ £240 + vat. The American Oak would be new wood and is expensive to buy hence the higher price.

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                    • #11
                      Does he do larger sizes? I'm after a 45litre as I normally do 10gallon batches.
                      Cheers,
                      Dave.
                      If I won the lottery I'd spend half the money on wine, women and song.
                      But I'd probably just waste the rest of it!

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by SleepyDave View Post
                        Does he do larger sizes? I'm after a 45litre as I normally do 10gallon batches.
                        Yes Dave, I believe he can make virtually any size you require.

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