# Barrel Success



## eblasmn9 (Dec 15, 2012)

48 hours after filling the barrel with water the leaks stopped. I waited till day 4 to make sure the water soaked into the barrel enough and then I filled it with Down Under Shiraz/Cab Sav/Petite Verdot. After a couple of hours there were several very small leaks in several joints which quicky dried up. It has now been 3 days with no leaks.
I somehow feel like I graduated into a higher level of winemaking. I think I'll celebrate tonight.
Spraying kmeta onto the wine stains on the barrel really does work. Thanks Mike.


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## ibglowin (Dec 15, 2012)

Whoo hoo!!!


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## Rocky (Dec 15, 2012)

Looking great, Earl. Wait until you taste the wine that you have barrel aged. You will really be pleased.


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## Boatboy24 (Dec 16, 2012)

Very nice! I'll be prepping mine in a few days. What kind of stopper are you using, and what's this about KMeta removing stains?

Jim


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## Rocky (Dec 16, 2012)

Boatboy24 said:


> Very nice! I'll be prepping mine in a few days. What kind of stopper are you using, and what's this about KMeta removing stains?
> 
> Jim


 
Jim, if you get wine stains on the outside of your barrel, just spritz them with K-meta solution from a spray bottle and they will fade almost completely. The bung that he is showing on the barrel probably came from Vadai. I use a #8.5 drilled stopper on mine with an airlock early on and then go to the stoppers sold by Vadai.


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## Thig (Dec 16, 2012)

Looks great. I hope to barrel age at some point. Question? Since you cannot see in barrel, do you not rack into barrel until all lees have been cleared in a carboy. Guess I am just wondering how you bottle and make sure there is no sediment.


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## ibglowin (Dec 16, 2012)

Correct, you should wait until you have a clear wine that has been fined and stabilized before you add it to the barrel.


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## eblasmn9 (Dec 16, 2012)

Jim,
Just like you did, I ordered the stopper that was recommended for my 6 gallon vadai on MoreWines web site. It was too large and had a breathable air lock in it for barrel fermentation. I had to order the silicone bung for small barrels. It also set me back a week.
I used a spray bottle with kmeta on the spots and blotted the excess with a clean rag. Works great.
The reason I had so many stains on my barrel is I went brain dead.
The barrel is right at 6 gallons maybe slightly less. I racked from a 6.25 gallon Italian carboy.
As the wine was nearing the top, the realization that it was going to overflow was slightly late. I managed to lose only about a glass. I did have a bottle left to top off for the angels share. It left the barrel quite stained.
Note to self: next time rack a bottle or two off top and use to top off the barrel afterwards.

Thig, the wine was at the end of the 45 day cycle and was clear sitting on its lees. I have heard various ways, but I really want keep the racking and barrel cleaning between wines simple. 

I will probably send this wine back through the barrel at some point. Next year in the spring or summer I will have to get another barrel in order to get the wines planned for next year barrel aged. 
Looks at this point I will be barrel,carboy aging my wines for about a year.


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## Rocky (Dec 16, 2012)

Earl, if your angels are anything like my angels, you will need more than a bottle to top off!


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## eblasmn9 (Dec 16, 2012)

Rocky said:


> Earl, if your angels are anything like my angels, you will need more than a bottle to top off!



Rocky, sounds like your angels are thirsty. I bet mine will be too. Thanks for the tip. I also have some commercial wine that will be ready for the task.


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## Rocky (Dec 16, 2012)

They are beyond "thirsty." They are a bunch of lushes!


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## eblasmn9 (Dec 16, 2012)

Now, thats funny.


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