Oak Advise Requested

[PCharles]

I've got 12 gallons of Cab sauv in my fermenter. It was picked and crushed Saturday, yeasted Sunday, and fired up on Monday (sounds of fermentation).

I'd appreciate some advise on oak. When to add, how long, ect.

I don't have a barrel and will have to use chips or pellets. I'd like a spicey peppery effect.

I've attached a photo of my punch down tool.

Thanks for the advise.

Paul

 

[PCharles]

Links Related to Oak Chip

Not sure why, but when I searched this forum for oak, I didn't get any results. Perhaps I'm doing something wrong with the search feature.

I searched the net and found several wine/oak pages.

• http://www.grapestompers.com/articles/oak_wine.htm
  
• http://www.eckraus.com/wine-making-oak/
  
• http://www.grapeandgranary.com/oakbeans.html

Additonal suggestions are welcome.

Thanks,

Paul

 

[Rock]

Also depends on the kind of yeast you used to get the pepper taste you talk about.I have CS and CF in an american oak barrel from last year this wine has more vanilla and smokey.I had a cab come out of a french oak barrel with coca and chocolate,i think you will need to try it your self to taste what you like best.

 

[Racer]

It really comes down to personal taste as to what works for you. But what I do using oak alternatives is try to stay to 2-3 oz. of oak chips or cubes per 6 gallon batch of red wine. Med. plus toast level is a good happy medium for me and my taste buds. I also like to add the oak into primary fermentation as soon as possible. I don't like the oak to be really obvious in the taste of the wine. The sooner its added the more subtle the taste is. Hope that helps a little for you.

 

[Tom]

Personally I like OAK. I add 2 cups med toast (6 gallons) in the secondary. I leave it in 2-3 months and then rack.
If you are doing a MLF I add just before adding the MLF culture then (3 months)

 

[PCharles]

Oak and MLF

I picked up my White Labs MLF and some oak today. I decided to go with the medium toasted French oak. That was the only one my source had that was cubed, not chipped. The instructions suggest adding after fermentaion and I agree, I'll be adding it just prior to MLF.

I feel certain the cubes are small enough to get out of my carboy, even with some swelling. I've heard plastic tubes with holes drilled in the side works well when it comes time to remove the oak. I don't want to put just any plastic tube in the wine, so I may just add it to the carboy.

Thanks for your suggestions,

Paul

 

[joea132]

I've heard plastic tubes with holes drilled in the side works well when it comes time to remove the oak. I don't want to put just any plastic tube in the wine, so I may just add it to the carboy.

Thanks for your suggestions,

Paul

There is a company that sells a perforated stainless steel tube with silicone bungs on the end to oak your wine and easily remove the cubes afterwards. I bought some and didn't like them. The cubes eventually fall to the bottom after a couple of weeks and wont give you a problem with racking anyways.

 

[roblloyd]

I also do cubes. They float for a couple days then sink. Racking is easy and getting them out of the carboy involves a little shaking. I don't see the need for the holders either. Great concept though.

 

[PCharles]

Good Advise

Thanks for the feedback. I'll pass on the tubes and add the cubes to the carboy.

These grapes were picked and crushed Saturday and yeasted Sunday. Fermentation was detected Monday. My initial SG was 1.093. Today, Wednesday, the SG is 1.020. I didn't expect it to drop so quickly. Must temp is 73 degrees F.

I just thought of a question regarding the cubes. I've read that the wood should be decontaminated with K-meta or by boiling. Is there a reason I should choose one of these two choices, or do you have another suggestion for treatment of the oak cubes before placing them in the fermented carboy?

Thanks, Paul

 

[roblloyd]

I've baked mine in the oven and I've also made a "tea" in the microwave.
I think the tea one added flavor faster but I have no proof.
The microwave was putting them in a glass bowl, add the cubes and 1/2" of water (may 1/4 cup?). Then covered and put on high until it was boiling and lots of steam. Probably 4-5 minutes.
Then after it cooled I poured it all into the carboy. The tea water smelled like liquid oak.

 

[Paulc]

I put oak chips in a tupperware with with a small amount of kmeta and let it sit for a while, and then add hot tap water to try and waterlog the oak before adding to the carboy. I imagine the cubes will be the same as chips in that they float and crowd the throat of the carboy giving lots of exposed surface area to the air in the carboy throat. Seems like just asking for something unwanted to grow on the chips/cubes before they sink. I add the chips and the wonderful smelly water to carboy when I rack. The chips really need to sit in the hot water for several hours for it to do much in getting them to sink quickly.

FWIW, paulc

 

[joea132]

I soak them for about an hour in a K meta solution as well. I just put a pinch of K meta in a bowl of water and put a smaller plate over it to keep them under water.

 

[Randoneur]

I would add the oak cubes at start of MLF and carry over when you rack. I think the oak cubes help the MLF work by kind of acting as a host for the bacteria. I use medium toast french at a moderate rate on my Cabs.