Barrel use

[Mapleleaf]

About 8 months ago I bought a 50l semi-synthetic food grade barrel and put in it a blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc for aging. Had a little taste yesterday and it is now ready to drink. The barrel has a spigot. Can I just fill a jug or a bottle whenever needed or is it better to bottle the wine? I guess I am worried about oxidization if I just keep it in the barrel.

 

[havlikn]

If it were me I would bottle it all. You have to be careful with food grade containers because they're not necessarily wine grade. There are so many levels of food grade plastics.

 

[Mapleleaf]

If it were me I would bottle it all. You have to be careful with food grade containers because they're not necessarily wine grade. There are so many levels of food grade plastics.

This is what I am afraid of also. I think I will take your advice and bottle it all.

 

[JohnT]

Bottle them all.

Yes you may have an issue of what the barrel is made up of, but you will have a bigger problem if you simply steal a bottle here and a bottle there over time.

The fact is this, if you steal a bottle off of your keg, the wine you take will be replaced by air. The more and more wine you take, the more and more air you will be adding to the mix.

Air is BAD, BAD, BAD. Among other issues, air leads to wine spoilage and also wine oxidation.

 

[Mapleleaf]

Bottle them all.

Yes you may have an issue of what the barrel is made up of, but you will have a bigger problem if you simply steal a bottle here and a bottle there over time.

The fact is this, if you steal a bottle off of your keg, the wine you take will be replaced by air. The more and more wine you take, the more and more air you will be adding to the mix.

Air is BAD, BAD, BAD. Among other issues, air leads to wine spoilage and also wine oxidation.

Another reason to bottle it all.