Using a Barrel for a White Wine after Using it for Reds

[jgmann67]

I have barrel aged two wines and am working on my third right now. Used the same barrel. All three wines were reds. But this season I’m going on the hunt for some Chardonnay and am wondering if I could clean the barrel and use it for a white wine (without giving the wine a pink hue).

anyone have experience doing that?

 

[crushday]

Jim, Interested in what experience has to say…

 

[BarrelMonkey]

Soak it in sodium percarbonate ("peroxycarb"), then empty out and soak in tartaric acid to neutralize. Rinse with water and you're ready to go with your white wine. But I'd only do this on an older (neutral) barrel - otherwise it'll significantly reduce any oak flavor from the wood. Here is a protocol, though they use citric acid instead of tartaric for neutralization. And this is for a full size (~60gal) barrel; I would worry about imparting some color if it were a much smaller barrel.

 

[mainshipfred]

Jim, I could be wrong but I don't think you'll ever get all the red pigment out. You might be able to drastically reduce it with several soda ash/citric rinses. I wouldn't worry about losing the oak since it's probably pretty neutral now.

 

[jgmann67]

Jim, I could be wrong but I don't think you'll ever get all the red pigment out. You might be able to drastically reduce it with several soda ash/citric rinses. I wouldn't worry about losing the oak since it's probably pretty neutral now.

it’s on its 3rd wine. I thought I might get one or two more wines through it before it went neutral. I might just be better off running a separate white barrel next to the red

Soak it in sodium percarbonate ("peroxycarb"), then empty out and soak in tartaric acid to neutralize. Rinse with water and you're ready to go with your white wine. But I'd only do this on an older (neutral) barrel - otherwise it'll significantly reduce any oak flavor from the wood. Here is a protocol, though they use citric acid instead of tartaric for neutralization. And this is for a full size (~60gal) barrel; I would worry about imparting some color if it were a much smaller barrel.

It’s an 8 gallon barrel so I’m likely not going to get it clear of the red pigment. Thanks!

 

[mainshipfred]

it’s on its 3rd wine. I thought I might get one or two more wines through it before it went neutral. I might just be better off running a separate white barrel next to the red


It’s an 8 gallon barrel so I’m likely not going to get it clear of the red pigment. Thanks!

That's what I do, I have a 25 liter that I partially neutralized that only sees whites and an occasional peach. It's probably completely neutral by now. I do have an extra 25 liter if your interested.

 

[Johnd]

I’m pretty sure that no matter how you clean out, you’ll impart red color into your white wine. The longer it sits, the worse it will get.

 

[jgmann67]

That's what I do, I have a 25 liter that I partially neutralized that only sees whites and an occasional peach. It's probably completely neutral by now. I do have an extra 25 liter if your interested.

That’s about 6.5 gallons right? How much??

 

[mainshipfred]

That’s about 6.5 gallons right? How much??

$190.00 plus shipping, unless you want to do a road trip. It's 6.6 gallons nominal.

 

[jgmann67]

$190.00 plus shipping, unless you want to do a road trip. It's 6.6 gallons nominal.

Given the current domestic budget, another barrel will have to wait.

 

[Boatboy24]

Sounds like a great way to make Rose.