This forum has given me so much already, I'm almost afraid to ask more, but here I am...
Can I use gum arabic instead of acacia wood? And if not, can I use acacia cubes the same way as oak cubes?
Here is my reasoning:
I was listening to Bray (BOMM) on a GotMead podcast yesterday and I heard him mention acacia cubes instead of oak. Acacia is apparently better for more delicate wines by adding body without adding woodiness that would overwhelm floral notes.
As I am in Eritrea, oak anything is pretty hard to source, let alone barrels. Acacia though, is a different matter, as it grows here. Now I still can't cut enough for a barrel (strict tree protection laws) but a branch or two for cubes should be fine.
Gum arabic is a legal ingredient in wines to boost the body without adding any fermentables. Gum arabic is extracted from acacia trees, and it's so cheap here compared to what you all are paying in the west, it's actually easier to find than wood.
So could it be that in using acacia barrels, you extract the gum arabic and that's what's giving your wine body?
tl;dr Can I use gum arabic instead of acacia wood? And if not, can I use acacia cubes the same way as oak cubes?
Can I use gum arabic instead of acacia wood? And if not, can I use acacia cubes the same way as oak cubes?
Here is my reasoning:
I was listening to Bray (BOMM) on a GotMead podcast yesterday and I heard him mention acacia cubes instead of oak. Acacia is apparently better for more delicate wines by adding body without adding woodiness that would overwhelm floral notes.
As I am in Eritrea, oak anything is pretty hard to source, let alone barrels. Acacia though, is a different matter, as it grows here. Now I still can't cut enough for a barrel (strict tree protection laws) but a branch or two for cubes should be fine.
Gum arabic is a legal ingredient in wines to boost the body without adding any fermentables. Gum arabic is extracted from acacia trees, and it's so cheap here compared to what you all are paying in the west, it's actually easier to find than wood.
So could it be that in using acacia barrels, you extract the gum arabic and that's what's giving your wine body?
tl;dr Can I use gum arabic instead of acacia wood? And if not, can I use acacia cubes the same way as oak cubes?
