Storing wood barrel (3 weeks)

[Teamsterjohn]

Hi guys, I emptyed the wine from my wood barrel into a carboy today. So I cleaned the barrel by risening it out a few times, then with very hot water I added Sodium Carbonate and Citric Acid to it and shaked the hell out of it. Its a 5 gallon barrel. Then ran some more water to it till it came out clear. Now I have it upside down to drain empty. My question is, how should I store it for 3 weeks before my next batch of wine goes in there. Should I Fill it with water and sulfite with citric acid, or burn a sulfite stick? thanks John

 

[Wade E]

Id fill it with water to keep it swelled, you should try and make a schedule so as you could keep it full with wine instead of using water cause thats just a waste of good oak getting absorbed by water.

 

[Teamsterjohn]

I did have one Wade, had plans on keeping my wine in there for a month. But reading so much stuff about over oaking, I removed the wine after 2 weeks. I will have a new batch of wine ready in a few weeks for it.

 

[Wade E]

Just remember that with oaking a wine you want to over oak it a little as it will settle in unlike sweetening where that is the opposite.

 

[rodo]

Never leave plain water in a barrel for more than two days.

The following link provides good info about the care of oak barrels.
http://morebeer.com/public/pdf/wbarrel.pdf

 

[Teamsterjohn]

Thanks guys. Hopfully I can get some wine in there in 8 days from now.

 

[Manimal]

I'd fill it with a sulphur-citric solution if you're only going to have it empty for a few weeks. If you ever want to keep it without wine for longer periods, I'd burn sulphur in it every few months and then rehydrate with water for 24 hours prior to filling with wine to make sure it swells up and seals any leaking staves, etc.

 

[Teamsterjohn]

Thanks, John