# Barrel Evaporates quickly?



## Elmer (Sep 25, 2014)

I have a 5.1 gallon american oak barrel. It is now neutral and has its 4th wine residing inside, a barolo.

I have noticed that once a month I have to top up right to the plug, which then over flows when I cork it.

I have read that you loose something like 10% in the first few weeks but it slows down after that. However I am topping up with 1 bottle a month. Is this correct?
Is this normal?
Is there something I should be doing to prevent this or just continue to top up?

Secondly, all the wax I had used to seal the barrel has been pushed out of the barrel (like play-do squeezed through your fingers).
the barrel does not leak, but I was not sure if this was due to shift in pressure and humidity?


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## berrycrush (Sep 26, 2014)

Where did you buy you barrel from?


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## Elmer (Sep 26, 2014)

berrycrush said:


> Where did you buy you barrel from?



I have no idea, my wife snagged it for a holiday gift.
But it may be from American Oak Barrel Company.
But I can not specifically confirm not deny that information.


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## richmke (Sep 26, 2014)

Do you have any teenagers?


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## Boatboy24 (Sep 26, 2014)

That sounds about right. Depending on conditions, I can lose between 375 and 750ml in a month.


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## tonyt (Sep 26, 2014)

I top up at least every two weeks to the tune of about 375 per month. 750 per month sounds a bit high to me but I imagine it depends on atmospheric conditions, temp, humidity and so on where your barrel is stored.


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## Rocky (Sep 26, 2014)

After working with these small barrels (6 gallon), I have come to the inalterable conclusion that these so-called "angels" are a bunch of lushes!


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## richmke (Sep 26, 2014)

Wow. If you guys are loosing that much in the barrel, I think I'll stick to glass carboys and oak swirls.

Hmm... if it is evaporating, does that mean the wine is becoming concentrated?


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## Boatboy24 (Sep 26, 2014)

richmke said:


> Hmm... if it is evaporating, does that mean the wine is becoming concentrated?



Yep. 

I had a Carmenere in a 6 gallon barrel for 21 weeks and lost almost a gallon in the process. But it was totally worth it.


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## geek (Sep 26, 2014)

So the Flex tank now comes to mind......hmmmmm


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## tonyt (Sep 27, 2014)

richmke said:


> Wow. If you guys are loosing that much in the barrel, I think I'll stick to glass carboys and oak swirls.
> 
> Hmm... if it is evaporating, does that mean the wine is becoming concentrated?



Yep. Many of us long for when our barrels become neutral so we get the comcentration without the oaking. I do my oaking as rich says in glass carboys and oak swirls (spirals).


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## manvsvine (Sep 27, 2014)

the smaller the barrel the larger the surface area to wine ratio , so you get faster evaporation.

a 60 gallon winery barrel evaporates (depending on ambient humidity) approximately one bottle a month.

if you are storing your small barrel in a place without much humidity , combined with the small size , you are going to get very high evaporation rates.


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## berrycrush (Sep 29, 2014)

Can you post a photo of your barrel's end? Just want to see how thick the oak staves are.


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## Elmer (Sep 29, 2014)

I top up my barrel this weekend, it only required 1/2 a .750 litre bottle.
So I guess I did not lose as much as I was thinking.

However, while I may be loosing more than I would storing in a glass carboy, The change to the taste is well worth it.
The dreaded KT is all but vanished.


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## tonyt (Sep 29, 2014)

Here you go


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## berrycrush (Sep 30, 2014)

It looks thin to me. What you guys think?


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## Elmer (Sep 30, 2014)

tonyt said:


> Here you go




Mine barrel is about as thick.


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## ibglowin (Sep 30, 2014)

It's perfectly proportionate to the size of the barrel.



berrycrush said:


> It looks thin to me. What you guys think?


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## berrycrush (Oct 1, 2014)

ibglowin said:


> It's perfectly proportionate to the size of the barrel.



Sorry I thought the picture was of Elmer's barrel. I don't know the size of your barrel, TonyT, so I cannot form an opinion from the picture.


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## ibglowin (Oct 1, 2014)

Tony's is a 23L Vadai Barrel.


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