Your personal blend of fortified can be a luxurious addition to any home. With a little time and attention, you can meld your special ingredients into a complex mixture that you can sip with satisfaction.
This fact sheet answers common questions we get asked about starting your home barrel. We share our tips for looking after your barrel and maintaining a quality blend throughout the barrel’s life in Barrel Care Part 2: How to Maintain a Fortified Keg.
What type of barrel?
Size & Storage
The main shapes on offer are round or oval in a variety of sizes, most commonly 4.5L, 9L, 14L and 20L (all between AU$250-400 per keg). Basically, the smaller the barrel and the warmer storage area, the more rapidly wine development will take place. Most customers with moderate port-drinking tendencies are happy with the 9L size which provides adequate time for the wine to age and for the owner to notice its development. Evaporation in barrels less than 9L size is quite dramatic – 1/3 lost over 2 years!
At the other end of the scale, anything over than 20L needs a LOT of drinking in order to make room for new additions (if changing the blend). If you are only going to have one barrel and you are in for the long haul, then 14L is ideal.
Where do I find a good keg supplier or cooper?
We recommend purchasing your barrel from a reputable supplier with access to a good supply of aged oak and a range of quality accessories. The basics required are a stand or cradle and a tap that starts easily and doesn’t leak. Check that the stopper (bung) fits snugly and there are no chips or cracks in the barrel. Other useful bits of kit are a measuring jug, funnel and some kind of dipstick to monitor the wine level.
When it comes to oak age the older wood the better and as for oak type, we prefer to use old fortified barrels as this aids faster maturation of new fortified wines. Old red wine barrels are still fine to use, but will take longer to mature. From our experience, we tend to achieve softer, fuller tannins in our fortifieds from using Amercian oak rather than French oak barrels.
Keg suppliers in South Australia include AP John Coopers, SA Cooperage Workshop, and A.Stiller Coopers. We cannot recommend one supplier over an another as it depends on your requirements, sources of timber and craftsmanship of the final product. It goes without saying that you really do get what you pay for.
What about a custom finish?
There are many finishes and stains to choose from. The binding metal hoops can be antique brass, black or a shiny steel look. Some people ask if the external finish will affect the evaporation rate, but we believe it’s the internal treatment that should be your main focus. A quick note on cleaning the outside surface – don’t polish or clean the barrel with chemical polisher but use water or a gentle dishwashing solution to remove dust or staining.
9L barrel with antique finish
A perfect gift idea is to personalise the barrel by engraving your unique image or special text onto the keg face.
How do I start my home fortified barrel?
Most times the supplier will provide instructions, but if they do not here are some basics:
- Rinse barrel with hot water with the bung in tight. Then fill with cold or warm water to see if it leaks. Make sure the barrel is left somewhere where leaking water will not do any damage and NEVER? immerse the barrel in water.
- You can rinse 3-4 times with water to help remove woody flavours, but remember to change water each day. It is important to never keep water in a barrel or it will go off! Rinse barrel well and check for any troubling smells. If off-odours persist, you may have to have the barrel re-fired, which also sterilises it.
- We advise filling barrel with cheaper youthful fortified to extract initial wood flavours, or you can fill with blend of your choice and then turn barrel for a fortnight. We don’t advise using any spirit as that then stays with the wood flavour (unless you like spirit flavour!).
If using a second hand barrel, it can be rejuvenated by fermenting sugar and water in it. Then rinse with hot water before using with fortified wine. If in doubt, check with a cooper or keg supplier.
What about storage temperature?
Higher storage temperatures contribute to faster wine development. Kegs can handle being stored in a shed in the southern and eastern parts of Australia. In the tropics we recommend finding a spot between 20-30?C.
Have more questions? Ron is happy to help. Please contact us for a qualified assessment of your personal blend.
Are you able to blend dry / sweet sherry with port?
Hello
Just wondering of you can help me, what’s the best way to sterilize a wooden port keg please. I noticed that my barrel was leaking so I emptied it ( levels got low ) it’s now seems to be sealed but there is a slight smell coming from the barrel. Jus wondering what’s the best way to clean and sterilize the barrel before I refill it.
Thanks.
What does turn barrel for a fortnight mean? What would you start your barrel with I used a cask tawny and added some port I had, it is a bit tart( if that is the right term). I have decanted half the barrel once as per instructions. Thanks for listening to me.
Thank you for the information about caring for port barrels. Is it possible to acquire 20 litres of the Ruby from an outlet you may have in Melbourne or is it possible to do so direct by courier. Cost of such a process would be welcome as well.
regards
john camillo
I am trying to age port in a 5ltr barrel from scratch
am also interested inbuying online
Is it ok to keep my keg with port in I live in Mackay qld tem. 27 c to37 c thanks
I have an oak barrel which I have used for port. However, I have not put any port in it for perhaps 20 years. I notice there is a very thick sweat syrupy liquid coming out of the tap. I have been putting a cheap port into the barrel to try and remove the syrupy liquid. Is this the right procedure to follow to restore my barrel? and is the liquid that is coming out safe to consume? Hope you are able to help me?
My port has tuned to syrup can I fix it
Hi Ron.
What a helpful web-site! I do have a problem with my port. the barrel was purchased in SA, built by Tubbies using seasoned American White Oak from used red wine barrels.
I have been patiently cultivating my port since Jan 2006, just sampling a spoonful every year. All was going as expected until a recent check. I found a seal had formed just under the bung (which I haven’t pierced), and a foam all around the bung.
I poured a sample and found it to be very pale in colour, very smelly and foul in taste! Sounds appealing doesn’t it!
I thought I was following the instructions, like ensuring the barrel is half full, not allowing water or sun get to it etc
The wine-maker where I purchase it has been most unhelpful.
I’m hoping you can give me some good advice as I have no idea what is wrong or what I need to do.
Thanks for your attention. I really appreciate finding your site.
Eric
Thank you for your assistance. I have had a small (4.5 L) French Oak keg for many years and have not known how to prepare it. I do not know its past history so will use your recommendation of fermented sugar and water.
Thank you again.
Alan
My port barrel is now thirty years old and has developed a leak in the bottom ,can you tell me the life span of a 20 ltr keg
and if it can be rejuvenated it appears to have developed a mold inside .
I am hoping you can help. I have a small, maybe 5 L port/sherry ? Barrel , originally purchased in Adelaide , from 25 years of storage , it has been in a cupboard empty and unused. It seems a shame and I would like to try to restore it if this is possible , as it looks in near new condition. Could you please advise a course of action., With thanks MRS Anita Shipton
I am relocating from north Queensland to the sunshine coast. I have a 4.5lt port barrel. How do you transport a barrel? Do I keep it full and tape the bung in and tape up the tap. If I empty it how long can it go without fluid? I am getting a removalist to relocate it so want to ensure the port and barrel make the journey. I have good port in the barrel and do not want to waste it. Thanks in advance.
Scott
I have a port barrel and the tap is very hard to operate. Can you please advise how I can loosen it. I appreciate your assistance.
Terry Purton
Melbourne
Victoria
Good morning …….
How full should I keep the port barrel do I have to leave air in the barrel … thank you
Also I just purchased a 80 to a 100 year old barrel .. what do you recommend to put in the it was dry out barrel ….. it had a small leak but now it’s fixed I do have port in it is there a blend that you recommend I do love Drambuie