# Old Barrels? One has name Tonnelleie Saury.



## s2000 (Aug 20, 2011)

Cleaning up my dad's old wine cellar. Found 4 barrels, 3 - 30 gallon and 1 15 gallon. 2 of the 30 gallons on the left are only good for planters at this point. The 2 on the right are in better shape but they need a lot of help. I looked inside and they are funky with mold growing in them. Probably no good to make wine in anymore as well.


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## s2000 (Aug 20, 2011)

Ok after googling find out its French Oak. Again moldy inside so probably not good even if I take apart powerwash and put back together? What do you guys think?

About Tonnellerie Saury
Tonnellerie Saury, based in Brive in the Corrèze region, was founded in 1873. Tonnellerie Saury and Groupe Charlois joined forces in 2009, creating the world’s first French cooperage group integrating and controlling the entire production chain from forest to barrel. Saury barrels are renowned for highlighting fruit but never overpower the wine. They highlight the front and mid-palate and build structure in all varieties. Saury offers a full range of barrels, tanks, and vats in French and American oak with our traditional fire bent or proprietary water Immersion process.


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## Rocky (Aug 20, 2011)

It would be a shame to use these barrels for planters. Would you consider selling the good 30 gallon and the 15 gallon? I would like to try to salvage them.

If you would like to try to salvage them, take the top three hoops off the barrel and remove the end with the spigot. Clean the inside with very hot water and Oxyclean and a scrub brush. I would then mix a strong (3 T to a gallon of water) k-meta solution and put it in the barrel and let the gasses work for about 3 or 4 days. Then, take a butane torch with a fan tip and char the inside of the barrel. When you have all this done, replace the end piece and the hoops. Fill the barrels with hot water and k-meta to get them to seal. I would try the 15 gallon first.


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## s2000 (Aug 20, 2011)

I was actually thinking of taking the 2 better ones and taking them apart and powerwashing the individual pieces of wood then putting back together. Thanks for the tips on cleaning. Again not sure yet on what I am going to do. 

I was actually thinking the 2 older ones would make great bar stool and table for tastings.


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## Rocky (Aug 20, 2011)

I would strongly advise against taking the barrel apart. You will never get it back together again, unless you are a cooper. Just take the top three hoops off and you will be able to spread the staves enough to get the end off and be able to power wash the instide. Remember to use Oxyclean and k-meta.

Also, be careful with the power washing. You could damage the wood.


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## s2000 (Aug 20, 2011)

Got it on the taking apart. Actually I was thinking of ripping out a layer of wood with the powerwasher. Guess thats not a good idea then. I'll try by just removing the 3 bands and powerwash in low setting then hit it up with Oxi-Clean and brush. Then put all back together and put some sanitizer in there. Should I fill the whole barrel with sanitizer?


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## s2000 (Aug 20, 2011)

Also in the charing. Shouldn't I burn one of those sulfur sticks in there too? Maybe I could even char by smoking with oak chips like they used to do in the old country.


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## Rocky (Aug 20, 2011)

You would not need to fill the whole barrel with sanitizer. The gasses do the work, but it would be good to roll the barrel around to get the sanitizer dispersed. Burning a sulfur stick would be like "belt and suspenders" as the buring sulfur gives off SO2, just as the k-meta solution does. Your barrel is made of oak so charring it with a torch would be virtually the same as buring oak chips inside and the torch is easier to control.


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## Stefani (Aug 20, 2011)

I think a Pressure Washer set at around 2000 PSI with a 45 degree or 25 degree fan pattern shouldn't damage the wood too much. If you have an electric pressure washer like a Karcher like I have, then you shouldn't have to worry too much about wood removal with a wide enough fan pattern. 

I'd start with wider fan pattern and then use the 25 degree or narrower for the more resistant spots. Keep the nozzle just close enough to get the mold scrubbed off and no closer. Start the nozzle further away and slowly move in closer until you get the surface showing that the mold or whatever is starting to come off.

I also read in the Winemakers Companion (1967) about how to recondition used wine casks.

It says to only knock off two bands at a time. Then after sanding and repainting bands then it should be filled water to seal for 3-4 days. After that then gallon of water water, Potassium Meta-bisulfite and citric acid should be thoroughly rolled in the cask so that the solution can get into every portion of the cask.

Does this make sense?


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## Wade E (Aug 20, 2011)

I personally disagree as once wood gets infected it will be almost impossible to ever trust it again. Just like a cork bacteria can get way into the pours of the wood where no sanitizing can get to. Not worth risky batch of wine on IMO!


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## Rocky (Aug 21, 2011)

Wade is correct that there is a very high risk in trying this, but the reward is also very high. My understanding is that these barrels belonged to your late Father. It would be really great to restore at least one of them.


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## Wade E (Aug 21, 2011)

I do also agree with rocky but thats up to youif you want to rish a minumum of 15 gallons of wine and all your time. Barrels are the way to go but require careful sanitary work to keep them good. You really shouldnt ever let them go dry as that pts them at greater risk.


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