Hello,
I have some oak mini staves that were in a cabernet for about 3-4 months.
I don't know what brand they are but they are about 6 inches long by about
3/8 inches thick and two inches wide. If barrels can be good for 3 years I
expect these staves to still have flavor left in them. One possible problem
is that when I took them out and rinsed them off a few of the ones on the
bottom got some mold growing on them. I can throw those away but how do I
make certain the others are clean. Will soaking them in sulphite sterilize
any spores that might be on the wood? Should I just trash them?
-Alex P

"Alex" > wrote in message
...
> Hello,
> I have some oak mini staves that were in a cabernet for about 3-4
months.
> I don't know what brand they are but they are about 6 inches long by about
> 3/8 inches thick and two inches wide. If barrels can be good for 3 years
I
> expect these staves to still have flavor left in them. One possible
problem
> is that when I took them out and rinsed them off a few of the ones on the
> bottom got some mold growing on them. I can throw those away but how do I
> make certain the others are clean.

If you don't see anything growing on them, I'd guess that they are OK to
reuse. Just scrub them with sulfite solution and rinse them first. I
wouldn't expect such thin wood to have a lot of flavor left after 4 months
in wine however.

Tom S

"Alex" > wrote in message
...
> Hello,
> I have some oak mini staves that were in a cabernet for about 3-4
months.
> I don't know what brand they are but they are about 6 inches long by about
> 3/8 inches thick and two inches wide. If barrels can be good for 3 years
I
> expect these staves to still have flavor left in them. One possible
problem
> is that when I took them out and rinsed them off a few of the ones on the
> bottom got some mold growing on them. I can throw those away but how do I
> make certain the others are clean.

If you don't see anything growing on them, I'd guess that they are OK to
reuse. Just scrub them with sulfite solution and rinse them first. I
wouldn't expect such thin wood to have a lot of flavor left after 4 months
in wine however.

Tom S

How deep can wine leach tanins out of a barrel?
-Alex P


"Tom S" > wrote in message
. com...
>
> "Alex" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Hello,
> > I have some oak mini staves that were in a cabernet for about 3-4
> months.
> > I don't know what brand they are but they are about 6 inches long by
about
> > 3/8 inches thick and two inches wide. If barrels can be good for 3
years
> I
> > expect these staves to still have flavor left in them. One possible
> problem
> > is that when I took them out and rinsed them off a few of the ones on
the
> > bottom got some mold growing on them. I can throw those away but how do
I
> > make certain the others are clean.
>
> If you don't see anything growing on them, I'd guess that they are OK to
> reuse. Just scrub them with sulfite solution and rinse them first. I
> wouldn't expect such thin wood to have a lot of flavor left after 4 months
> in wine however.
>
> Tom S
>
>

How deep can wine leach tanins out of a barrel?
-Alex P


"Tom S" > wrote in message
. com...
>
> "Alex" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Hello,
> > I have some oak mini staves that were in a cabernet for about 3-4
> months.
> > I don't know what brand they are but they are about 6 inches long by
about
> > 3/8 inches thick and two inches wide. If barrels can be good for 3
years
> I
> > expect these staves to still have flavor left in them. One possible
> problem
> > is that when I took them out and rinsed them off a few of the ones on
the
> > bottom got some mold growing on them. I can throw those away but how do
I
> > make certain the others are clean.
>
> If you don't see anything growing on them, I'd guess that they are OK to
> reuse. Just scrub them with sulfite solution and rinse them first. I
> wouldn't expect such thin wood to have a lot of flavor left after 4 months
> in wine however.
>
> Tom S
>
>

It is my understanding that those staves are designed for one use and then
they are pretty much used up. Since wine contacts them on each side, the
wood only hast to be leched half the thickness to use it up. I don't think
you are going to get anythng out of them after 3 months use. They should
not hurt anything but ...

Ray

"Tom S" > wrote in message
. com...
>
> "Alex" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Hello,
>> I have some oak mini staves that were in a cabernet for about 3-4
> months.
>> I don't know what brand they are but they are about 6 inches long by
>> about
>> 3/8 inches thick and two inches wide. If barrels can be good for 3 years
> I
>> expect these staves to still have flavor left in them. One possible
> problem
>> is that when I took them out and rinsed them off a few of the ones on the
>> bottom got some mold growing on them. I can throw those away but how do
>> I
>> make certain the others are clean.
>
> If you don't see anything growing on them, I'd guess that they are OK to
> reuse. Just scrub them with sulfite solution and rinse them first. I
> wouldn't expect such thin wood to have a lot of flavor left after 4 months
> in wine however.
>
> Tom S
>
>