55 Gal Barrel HELP??

[Grancru]

I have been offered three 55 Gal blue barrels for $15 each.
They once had red wine vinegar in them and have a slight smell.
The price is great. Is there any way to remove the remaining smell before this falls production?
Given the grapes only ferment in the barrels for 7-10 days if some smell lingers will the juice really pick up the flavor?
Maybe a very mild bleach solution or other soaking for weeks to remove the smell?

All suggestions appreciated!

 

[ckassotis]

It was suggested to me when I started that you should never reuse anything with vinegar in it for wine. That there was no adequate way to clean it well enough to avoid contaminating any wine used in it. Not sure if that is the case, perhaps someone else can speak to that.

 

[gaudet]

Buy one and give it a test run to see if you can get the smells out. You can give it a nice soak in oxiclean. That stuff will remove the most stubborn organics from just about anything. Just make sure to give it a good rinse out a few times.

 

[Wade E]

Vinegar....... No Way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ibglowin]

Bleach, no way!!!!!!!

 

[grapeman]

Just buy a food grade Rubbermaid Brute. Just about as cheap and completely safe.

 

[gaudet]

I've heard mixed results about using those barrels Wade. I don't plan to ever ferment to that capacity.On some other sites people have used them with no problems. I think if you got rid of the smells, proper sanitation would take care of the rest.

 

[Wade E]

Mixed results IMO with 55 gallons is not worth it. Would you put 55 gallons of your wine in a crap shoot? Not busting on ya buddy just stating my $.02 and would not want to tell someone it would be ok especially knowing that bacteria can get in wood to the point where you cant get any sanitizer!

 

[grapeman]

These are blue plastic barrels Wade and he is using them it sounds like primary fermentation. I would rather spend $35 on a Bruteand be certain it is sanitary and no chance of vinegar contamination.

 

[gaudet]

Grancru,

I have to rescind what I said earlier, after thinking about it more (what would I do). Would I put 55 gallons of wine in it? Probably not........ Appleman and Wade are spot on. Get a brute, at least you know its history.

 

[Wade E]

Oh sh!t! It might help if I seen the BLUE</font> part!!!! (Eyes Rolling) Okay, that is way better but I still have to say that the smell is very hard to get rid off. Ask Runningwolf here as he made a Jalapeno wine and despite washing and sanitizing his bucket he made another wine and the jalapeno came through on it. Ive tried to use a few vinegar bottles for something other then having wine in them and I couldnt get the smell out it and that was glass. I think if you can get the smell out you will be fine on this.

 

[PeterZ]

I would never use a vinegar barrel for wine. Too much chance that a rogue Acetobacter sp. cell might turn your wine into vinegar.