Oak Spirals vs.Oak Chips, Powders, Etc.

[Billberry]

I finally got back up to the not so LHBS and went over and looked at the spirals more closely. There was actually 6 sticks in the package but they were 2 rows of 3 which in the packaging made it look like 3 sticks. The prices I saw when I was there last time were still the same exorbitant prices as before.
Then I asked the lady working there about them and found out that they were not carboy sticks but were actually sticks for oak barrels that have gone neutral! She then showed me the sticks for carboys and the size was quite a bit smaller. The price for those was close to what most on this thread has quoted; $7.50 for American and $15 for French.
Even though the ones for the barrels are approximately twice the size of the carboy ones (the diameter of them is about the same size as a barrel bung hole)and even though there are 6 in a pack the price still seems rather steep to me at around $85 and up.But I guess it's cheaper than buying a new barrel.

 

[Floandgary]

Just added a 4oz. pk. of med toast Hungarian chips to 6 gal bucket during fermentation (per instructions). Is that its lifespan or can I leave it in till secondary ferment is done? 2 weeks maybe

 

[tonyt]

If you are racking from plastic bucket primary to glass carboy secondary I would leave the chips behind. You could always leave it in plastic fermenter till dry and forgo secondary, that would give you more time on the chips. If you do rack to secondary you can add some oak cubes in secondary and even leave them in through clearing. Lots of choices, you can just kind of feel your way and see what seems more logical at the time.

 

[Floandgary]

That was kinda my plan. Couple extra days in primary shouldn't hurt. thanks for input

 

[geek]

I put oak chips in primary and leave them in bucket unti it goes dry all the way; I then rack to glass carboy and even add more chips then.