Wine Barrel Smell

[mayzi]

I just picked up a couple of large wine barrels ($50 each) to use as tables in my bar and as you would expect they have a fairly strong odour of wine. I have them inside in the bar and am finding that the smell is becoming pretty overpowering. Thinking about throwing a heap of bi carb into them in the hope that that will soak up the smell. Any thoughts or other ideas on this one? Anyone had the same problem? should i just learn to enjoy it?

 

[pokolbinguy]

Sounds like you have something growing in there or stale water or simlar inside.

Blast them with hot water if you can... thats how they get cleaned in the winery and then they are brandy rolled... where you place about a litre of high alcohol brandy in the barrel to act as a disinfectant against bacteria growth. You may find your barrells have some form of growth in them.... I have barrels at home and they dont smell... and the shouldn't.

If you cant blast them with hot water, use a good strong hose and give them a good wash out and then put them on their side (raised off the ground) to allow the water to drain out the bung hole.

Should be fine after a day or two.

 

[domonsura]

Just a note on the wine barrels, if anyone in Adelaide is after one/some, Paramount Browns have them for sale at present for $59 each. I'd love to get some, but nowhere to put them quite yet. I think they have heaps of them.

 

[mayzi]

Cheers Pokolbin. Will do that, however will probably avoid the brandy and just go for a disenfectant as they aren't going to be used for anymore beverage production, seems a waste of brandy....

On another note, I know one of the local pubs here have theirs half full of water to avoid the wood drying and 'shrinking' in. Would probably help on making them harder to move I guess aswell. Does this seem about right? As far as you mentioned with the stale water thing I'd be a bit worried half filling them, but then if its been disenfected and then sealed........hmmmm

 

[pokolbinguy]

Just seal them with a some form of lacquer or something similar before the timber shrinks and they will be fine. This will stop the moisture from evaporating from the timber and allowing it to shrink.