# Barrel maintenance



## Rocky

I am sure that some of you have maintenanced your barrels by applying bees wax. I have two barrels that do exhibit some degree of leakage and Sandor provided me with the bees wax and the instructions. Does anyone have any tips on the process? Yesterday I took the Zinfandel out of the barrels and dried them over night. I then sanded the "bad" spots (really went over the entire surface at least lightly). The instructions indicate that the tool of preference is a putty knife which is heated to soften the bees wax, which is then forced into the joints around the leak. Is that pretty much it or are there any other points that you have found helpful? 

Thank you.


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## ibglowin

I don't think sanding is a good idea.

The whole point is to seal with the wax. Sanding will not help anything and could make matters worse. I have had great success with just paraffin (canning) wax. I just go over the bad spot with the wax bar and work the wax into the joint (go back and forth). Seals it quickly and easily.


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## Rocky

Mike, I am not sure why Sandor suggests sanding unless it is to reduce the stains from leaking wine. I never thought of parafin. Seems like that would work very well and would be much more cost effective than bees wax. Thanks!


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## ibglowin

I have found that just rinsing the outside of the barrel with warm water will get rid of most stains. A spritz with KMETA or Oxyclean will get rid of more stubborn stains. I don't sweat the stains all that much!


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## robie

Sandor advised me to use a small plumber's torch. Heat the area just enough to get the wood warm, but of course not enough to catch it on fire. 

Once good and warm, let the bees wax melt into the crack. He forgot to send me the bees wax, so I was all prepared to take Mike's advice and use the paraffin. However, the barrel finally stopped leaking on its own. It took almost a week to finally stop.


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## ibglowin

I might be tempted to try a heat gun but no way I would put a torch anywhere near one of my barrels!!! :<


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## robie

Good one, Mike. Actually, a small torch, like plumbers use, is pretty safe. You would just keep it moving and not try to get the wood too hot, just warm enough for the wax to be drawn into the crack. It would take a lot of intentional direct contact to light the barrel on fire.

The wood would turn charcoal color before it would lite on fire.

One could probably use boiling water to heat the wood, instead.


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## JohnT

My question is why is it leaking? Did you properly soak the barrel befor sealing? 

The whole point of using a barrel is to expose the wine to wood and to allow for micro oxidation and evaperation. If you use wax, the wax will serve as a barrer between the oak (wood) and the wine, thus limiting the benifits of using a barrel.


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## Rocky

John, I bouight two barrels from Sandor. I prep'ed them (added 1/3 V boiling water from a hot plate in my wine making area) at the same time in the same manner and one leaked and the other did not. That said, the "leaking" is not major rather just a staining of the wood at certain points along the joints between the staves. Also, the barrel that does show leakage does so more pronouncedly when I open the barrel to top off. Has to be a "pressure" thing. I see it as more an aesthetic problem than a production problem although "the Angels" seem to be taking a rather large share. I have run about 4 batches through the barrels and they came out fine.


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## robie

JohnT said:


> My question is why is it leaking? Did you properly soak the barrel befor sealing?
> 
> The whole point of using a barrel is to expose the wine to wood and to allow for micro oxidation and evaperation. If you use wax, the wax will serve as a barrer between the oak (wood) and the wine, thus limiting the benifits of using a barrel.



One only puts the wax directly into the seam that is leaking, not over any of the rest of the surface of the barrel.


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## JohnT

Rocky said:


> John, I bouight two barrels from Sandor. I prep'ed them (added 1/3 V boiling water from a hot plate in my wine making area) at the same time in the same manner and one leaked and the other did not. That said, the "leaking" is not major rather just a staining of the wood at certain points along the joints between the staves. Also, the barrel that does show leakage does so more pronouncedly when I open the barrel to top off. Has to be a "pressure" thing. I see it as more an aesthetic problem than a production problem although "the Angels" seem to be taking a rather large share. I have run about 4 batches through the barrels and they came out fine.


 
A little seapage is normal. You can help reduce this by soaking the barrel in water for several days at least. 

When you say it is a pressure thing, I would ask what you are using to seal the barrel. I normally use just a simple rubber stopper and f-trap for just this reason. 

As long as it is a case of just discoloration of the barrel and not a case where wine is dripping out, I would not be so worried. Remember, it is always better to taste good then to look good.


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