used bourbon barrel neutralizing/contamination

[yap]

I've been searching but can't find a thread addressing this specific issue. If someone finds one, please let me know....


I just finished pulling a beer out of a bourbon barrel. Everything went well and there is nothing wrong with the beer. I then wanted to "neutralize" the barrel so I rinsed the last bits of beer out and filled with filtered water to extract any remaining bourbon character until I am ready to fill again in a month or so..

About two days after filling with water the airlocks started spewing and there is definitely some "activity" going on in there. Something bacterial methinks. I am going to sample and send to a lab to try and identify. My plan was to put a sour into these barrels but if it is infected with something I don't want (like acetobactor) then I wonder if I am screwed. The chances of getting it out are probably pretty slim...?

I have 2 more barrels that I am about to empty and would like to try and further neutralize but obviously need a different method. Should I fill with 180° water and let it cool on its own in the barrel? Other methods? I don't want to sulfur it as the bourbon character is still too strong. any other suggestions??

thanks in advance...

[YSBrewer]

Subscribing to this...

[liammckenna]

filling with hot water and soaking may work.

there are products like Barrel Oxyfresh out there (Peroxide based)

re-use?

If you're looking for a sour, perhaps.

Otherwise sulfur, specifically sulfur dioxide, gaseous or liquid will quell many potential infecting microbes. not all.

finally, a technique I've heard of that makes sense.

Fill with hot water, soak overnight, drain and rinse thoroughly the next morning until runnings are clear, drain and put 1 L of bourbon (or any other full strength spirit) in the barrel, swish it around. Repeat the swishing every few days until you are ready to fill. drain excess spirit before filling. reserve and drink it.

Pax.

Liam

[chaser]

I usually blast with 190 degree water for about ten minutes through a barrel cleaning nozzle, then fill with cold water until i'm ready to use. The day before filling i'll drain the cold water, blast it again with 190 degree water, fill with 190 degree water, then drain that the morning i fill, and fill immediately. Works for me but then i've never seen a barrel full of water have activity in an airlock. Good luck!

Also great idea with the whiskey if only to be able to have some drinks at the end of the process.

[BDL]

Steam is great for sanitizing surfaces that are less than smooth, if you have access to it. I would think if you stuck a pipe down to the bottom of the barrel and let steam run through the barrel, for the minimum sterilization time for whatever you are worried about, you shouldn't have any problems.

Good luck,
-Brian

[yap]

Thanks for the replies. I have decided to trash the two barrels that I improperly cleaned. I taste tested the water and it was not good. Not worth the risk IMO. I will use the hot water method on the next few barrels I need to empty and see how that goes.

Steam would be great but I don't have any....

Thanks