Robert Morey

Hi, I can't seem to download the pictures... but I have a friend who is interested. Could you please send pictures to me and to her at robertjmorey@gmail.com and davoaracely@yahoo.com. Also, where is this forklift located? Thank you! Robert

For regular wine barrels, you can use steam or hot water to wash off titrates and remnants from prior uses. For general cleaning, though, you can "barrel clean" which is basically Oxy-Clean. Make sure that you rinse well afterwards and then neutralize with citric acid and then potassium metabisulfite, and then wash more. For the outside of the fermenter, there are mildewcide coatings that you should consider because, if it gets mildew on the outside, it may eventually work its way inside. Let me know if you have any specific questions, and good luck! Robert

Hi, We have one as shown here: http://www.tcw-web.com/Products/Labelers/Labelers.htm. We don't use it anymore because it's a wet glue machine and we now use pressure sensitive labels. We're in Napa--please contact me at 707-225-4829 or robertjmorey@gmail.com. Thanks, Robert

Hello, Could you let me know what the price is? Thank you, Robert

I have a Schaefer labeler as shown here: http://www.tcw-web.com/Products/Labelers/Labelers.htm. It's used but in great condition. Since I no longer use glue labels, I would like to sell this one. Please contact me at robertjmorey@gmail.com.

Hi Phil, I agree with Rusty--if you suspect something is wrong, don't use it. Weigh the risk versus the possibility of losing that batch. Is it worth it?... Soda ash followed by citric acid, potassium metabisulphite, and hot water should clear everything out but there is always the chance that bacteria could come from between the staves. I assume you're talking about used barrels and so you should be able to afford other ones. Barring this, put some water in the barrel for a week or so, and then submit 750ml to a lab to test for bacteria, brett, and other items. It's the only way you would know for sure what is in there. If you're looking for new barrels and/or oak products, please contact me. Thanks, Robert

Hello, I am an agent for Canton Cooperage out of Lebanon, Kentucky, and have oak chips and other oak products available. We ship out of Kentucky, if that helps. Where are you located? Kind regards, Robert robert@xtraoak.com

Hi John, Leaking is never good... was this a used barrel? If so, you may have titrates between the staves or, if it dried out completely, it could have become deformed. Rubbing flour on the outside won't do anything to fix the problem. Ideally, you'd have take the bourbon out and have a professional separate the staves and figure out what's going on but that's not usually cost-effective. If the leak appears to be a hole rather than a slit, you can hammer in an oak cone (they're about 1.5cm long) and can be found at most wine supply shops or from a cooper--I have some I can send you, if you'd like. There are also chemical sealants that some people apply on the outside but, as someone who sells barrels and oak products, I can't recommend that because they may have an adverse effect on your bourbon. If you can live with the loss of bourbon, that's probably your best bet. If not, I'd suggest moving the bourbon to another barrel. Sorry--I wish I could have been of more help. Robert

I don't have much of a suggestion other than for tequila but thought I would suggest that you consider using oak alternatives like chips if you would like to use neutral barrels and save on the production costs. As for size, I believe that it only has to do with the volumes you are producing: if you don't have 60 gallons of something, use smaller barrels. Part of the reason I mention this is that smaller barrels are typically much more expensive, per capita, than larger barrels. Robert

Hey D, I used to sell corks for a living but moved on to other things (barrels and oak alternatives). I still buy corks for my own wines and currently buy them from ACI (Alvaro Coelho e Irmaos; www.acicorkusa.com) and heartily recommend them to clients of mine. They have always worked with small(er) and distant clients, and that's important to me. Plus, their corks have always come out clean. Here's my advice on buying cork: - request samples from the bale where your corks will come from (not the generic, cleaned up samples); preferably, pull those samples yourself - do your soak tests and make sure they smell good; grade them - buy your corks and then compare the grading to the samples you received and do another soak test to make sure you're happy with what you got; if you're not, make sure that your sales order allows you to reject the lot - ask for documentation on your particular bale and make sure that it's not more than one year old; QA reports should be specific to your bale and not to the general harvest year or forest they came from - personally, I don't trust the re-humidification process on dry corks but I haven't come across problems because of that, either - keep track of corked wines, complaints from clients, and complaints from your tasting room; two years from now, look back at those data and see if you still want to deal with the company you bought from - if you're getting a cheap/good deal, you're not--there's a problem with those corks I hope that helps. It's extraneous work that we winemakers wish we didn't have to do but, with a dwindling market and salespeople losing commissions, you have to do your due diligence. Robert

Hello, Pretty much any glass company or distributor you buy your bottles from can give you leads on cardboard companies, particularly if you need a custom size. The one piece of advice I have is to make sure that you are NOT buying Chinese cardboard. Chinese cardboard is both very flimsy and also be made of recycled materials that, when in contact with water, quickly develop molds and mushrooms. I had to re-package an entire vintage/varietal because there was black fuzz growing on my boxes due to the humidity of the warehouse. And the warehouse was not particularly humid, probably around 70%. Robert P.S. You're not related to Janine Garofalo, are you?!

Hi Wes, You probably mean barrel "racks" because pallets, at least in the wine industry, are squares made of pine wood and are typically used for storing/transporting cased goods. I don't have any preference or representation for Western Square but they popped up first in Google. Here's a picture of how to store barrels full of liquid: http://www.westernsq...rel_racks.html The highest I've ever seen is 6 sets of barrels when using racks. If you are just laying barrel on top of barrel (well, sideways), the highest I have seen is 3 layers but, in Tequila (Mexico), they go much higher: http://www.tequilaso...ela/index.html If you use racks and there's the possibility of earthquakes, here is a sobering test: http://peer.berkeley...ummer/wine.htm In order to avoid this, there are several ways to minimize the damage and you can find the options online but let me know if you'd like me to help you with that. I hope this helps! Robert

Hello, For "finishing," a growing number of distilleries are using new and used oak wine barrels, as well as Port and Sherry used barrels. Does anyone have any experience with new wine oak barrels and/or alternatives likes chips and staves? Or anyone interested in doing some trials with us? Please let me know. Thanks, Robert

Hi, Because the bottle may be exposed to temperature and humidity changes, you should consider using label glue, i.e., glue that is actually used on labels. Napa Fermentation Supply in Napa, California, has it--that is where I buy mine. Works great on the labels and would certainly work well on the seals. Good luck, Robert

What sort of closure is it? If it's a screwcap, I'd look primarily at defects in the bottle--Chinese bottles have been known to have uneven ridges which could allow for leakage. Check the bottle that's leaking as well as the screwcap as it's possible that the material of the screwcap got cut through during application (but that's pretty rare, IMHO). You have confirmed that the leakage is a spirit and not condensation, right? Either way, I'd take the leaky bottles back to the bottle and closure manufacturers and have them do some research. If they want to keep your business, they'll do the research... Robert

Hello everyone, I received the following query from a reporter. If you're interested in being interviewed, please contact the reporter directly and by the deadline. Name: Mike Drummond (Magazine) Category: Business and Finance Email: query-7jb@helpareporter.com Media Outlet: Magazine Deadline: 05:00 PM EST - 8 April Query: We are interested in speaking with an analyst/expert in the alcoholic beverage industry who can discuss the barriers to entry for new brands of distilled liquor, as well as previous and projected consumer drinking trends. We also are interested in exploring innovations in alcohol beverage-making technology. Is it possible to make hangover-proof booze? Kind regards, Robert Robert J. Morey XTRAOAK / Canton Cooperage robert@xtraoak.com 707-225-4829

Hello Jack, Before you get signed up for the new penitentiary in Illinois, can I ask you a quick question? I'm trying to learn how people use oak barrels and chips in the manufacture of mezcal and/or tequila. Would you mind giving me your thoughts and some guidance? My email addresses are robert.morey@att.net and robert@xtraoak.com. Thanks! Robert

Hi Dave, If you're using natural corks, you might get some air leakage that could cause a bubble at the top of bottle. The hot wax heats up the neck of the bottle which, in turn, heats up the cork a little bit, causing it to leak air into (and occasionally through) the wax. So, I find that being quick at dipping it in and pulling it out works well. It would help if the bottle were already at room temperature, or even a bit warmer (without affecting your spirit, of course); less contract in temperatures. You should also get the hang of twisting the bottle around so that the wax doesn't drink too far down the bottle. You'll get the hang pretty quickly--do a few trial runs. It's like flipping an omellette... B-) If you're using bar tops, I don't think you'll have the same problem but it's possible that the air could come out through the side (under the bar top) but that never happened to me. Lastly, dipping it in twice never worked for me as I ended up with bottles of different closure thicknesses. When something was wrong, I let it cool down, sliced off the wax, and did it again. But give it a shot and see if you like the way it looks. For an added flair (and more work), you could use a silk strip over the neck of the bottle (or even a string to be used as a tear band) such that one or both ends dangled from under the wax. Just a thought... Good luck! Robert

Howdy, Just received an email about an exhibit in San Francisco on Nov. 19. About one dozen independent/small producers are going to be pouring there. It appears that they also put on a similar event in NYC. I have no idea who these people are but, for those of you looking to pour/sell, you might be able to join in, if not now, then for the future: http://www.thrillist.com/links/94378. Good luck, and good weekend, Robert

Hi Charlie, Having gone through the when I started making wine, I can tell you that it's a great feeling when you actually get something ready to hand out. My only 2 cents would be that you consider thinking about who you're going to be selling to, and look at inviting them to participate somehow in your journey. People who are involved in crafting or guiding the development of a product are much more likely to buy it and help you sell it. Make them feel like they have a moral ownership in it. Just a thought... social networking like Facebook is good for stuff like that! Kind regards, Robert

Hi, As a winemaker, I am happy to say that I haven't had such problems but here are my 2 cents. It seems that baking soda is the preeminent option for clearing out smells, including peppers. Other ideas can be found at http://housekeeping.about.com/od/kitchen/p/fridgeodors.htm. There's a winemaker in Texas that makes jalapeno wine--let me know if you want me to contact her about this. Good luck! Robert

Hello Wilder, I don't think anyone has suggested this yet, and I'm not sure it's the complete answer but it may help. The California Wine Institute maintains a website for wine shipments outside of this state. The laws for spirits may be a bit different but there may be links to resources that could help. Check it out at http://www.wineinstitute.org/initiatives/stateshippinglaws. Good luck! Robert

Howdy, A client in Mexico is making tequila and would like to buy 15 or so used whiskey or bourbon barrels. He will take care of shipment and will pay in advance. Please contact me and I will put you in touch. Thanks! Robert Robert J. Morey e: robert.morey@att.net c: 707-225-4829

Hello everyone, Bill said it was OK to introduce myself here now that I am working for XTRAOAK / Canton Cooperage (Kentucky) selling oak barrels and oak alternatives. We sell barrels made of American oak in various sizes. Because of our experience making barrels for the bourbon industry in Kentucky, I am sure that we can help you; of course, we have been making barrels and alternatives for other industries and spirits for many years now as well. Regarding oak alternatives, we have chips, staves, inserts, XOAKERS (round balls of oak), etc, in various toasts and made of French or American oak. My territories are Texas, Mexico, and Hawaii although, if you are interested but not in one of these territories, I will put you in touch with someone who handles your area. Please contact me if you'd like more info, samples, and/or pricing. And keep distilling! I've tried some amazing bourbons, vodkas, grappas, and gins made by folks who are on this list, and believe that the US is making world class spirits. Kind regards, Robert J. Morey Email: robert.morey@att.net, robert@xtraoak.com Cell: 707-225-4829 www.XTRAOAK.com