"gene" > wrote in message
m...
> I vacuum-fill wine bottles... not sure I'd want to pull 5-7 inches vacuum
> on a barrel. Might pull the end plates loose because you'll be pulling
> the vacuum on an empty barrel, not a full one (which would support the
> ends as an incompressible fluid).

I've never applied vacuum to a barrel - only gas pressure for racking. I
keep it to ~ 3 to 5 psi for safety reasons. Goes amazingly fast even at
that low pressure. I can empty a 60 gallon barrel in 5-10 minutes. I
suspect that vacuum at an equivalent minus pressure would be OK too -
especially as the arched shape of a barrel tends to be strong with the force
in that direction. The heads are another matter, but oak is pretty strong
stuff.

I think the latter is the
> reason the barrel can suck a bung in during aging without pulling loose
> the ends.

Anyone who has ever seen that happen isn't tasting and topping frequently
enough. ;^D

> Once again, Tom the terrific to the rescue.

That's certainly not I! I've never worn a funnel as a hat. (Any of you old
timers recognize that reference?)

Tom S