BARREL PREP INSTRUCTIONS     

HOW TO PREPARE THE BARREL BEFORE PUTTING WINE IN IT

•           . TIGHTEN THE HOOPS IF THEY ARE LOOSE.

         . START WITH THE BELLY HOOPS UP TO THE HEAD HOOPS

                   WATER TREATMENT

• PUT BOILING HOT WATER ON THE HEAD OF THE UPRIGHT BARREL 15 -30 MINUTES.  REPEAT THIS PROCEDURE ON THE OTHER HEAD
• PUT 1/10 OF THE BARREL MEASUREMENT OF HOT BOILING WATER INSIDE THE BARREL.
• PUT THE BUNG IN PLACE AND STAND THE BARREL ON EACH HEAD ABOUT 15 - 20 MINUTES.
• THEN ROLL THE BARREL SLOWLY ON ITS BELLY SO THE BOILING WATER HITS ALL OF THE STAVES.  KEEP THE BOILING HOT WATER IN THE BARREL FOR 2 HOURS. 
•  POUR THE WATER OUT OF THE BARREL.
•  PLACE THE BARREL ON THE BARREL RACK WITH THE BUNG HOLE ON TOP WHERE YOU CAN SEE IT. 
• COMPLETELY FILL THE BARREL WITH TAP WATER.  KEEP THE WATER IN THE BARREL 3 OR 4 DAYS UNTIL THE BARREL IS COMPLETELY DRIED ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE BARREL AND SHOWS NO LEAKAGE OF WATER.  ADD WATER INTO THE BARREL KEEPING IT COMPLETELY FULL AT ALL TIMES AS NEEDED TO KEEP THE BARREL FULL OF WATER SO IT WILL SHOW LEAKAGE FROM ALL AREAS OF THE BARREL.  WHEN THE WATER LEVEL AT THE BUNG HOLE SHOWS NO DECREASE OF WATER AT THAT LEVEL AND THE BARREL IS HOLDING THE WATER AND WATER IS NO LONGER LEAKING FROM THE BARREL, THE BARREL IS NOW SEALED AND SOAKED WELL ENOUGH AND PREPARED FOR YOUR WINE.   DO NOT PUT WINE INTO THE BARREL UNTIL YOU HAVE SEALED THE BARREL COMPLETELY OTHERWISE YOU WILL HAVE LEAKAGE WITH YOUR WINE WHEN YOU PUT YOUR WINE IN IT.  THE BARREL HAS TO BE COMPLETELY DRIED FROM WATER SEAPAGE/ LEAKAGE.  THE LONGER YOU SOAK THE BARREL THE  LESS LIKELY YOU WILL HAVE ANY LEAKAGE OR PROBLEM.  IN SOME CASES IT TAKES A FEW DAYS FOR THE BARREL TO SOAK UP THE WATER DEPENDING ON HOW DRY THE STAVES ARE.  YOU NEED TO PREP THE BARREL PROPERLY BEFORE YOU PUT YOUR WINE IN THE BARREL BECAUSE YOU WANT THE WOOD TO SOAK UP THE WATER INSTEAD OF YOUR WINE, WHEN YOU PUT YOUR WINE INTO THE BARREL. 
• POUR THE WATER OUT AND FILL IT WITH WINE.
• NEW BARRELS DO NOT REQUIRE A SULFUR STICK.

                              IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE GIVE US A CALL AT 626 289 - 8250.

                                                                       BEST OF WINEMAKING TO YOU!

                                                                           SANDOR & RUTHY VADAI