What char do you perfer?

[Eric Huser]

For the last couple of years I've been bringing home a couple of 100 board feet of white oak from my yearly trip to Wisconsin. I let it sit out and weather all winter then cut up my own dominos and toast the wood. I usually age my wine in a 1/3 of each light, medium, and heavy. I toast my light in oven at 275 degrees, medium 375, and heavy 450. I hit them all with the torch to open-up the grain. The heavy I really char.

With all the experience on this site I was curious if there is one preference.



Thanks
Eric

 

[JohnT]

For me, it depends on what you are trying to achieve.

If I want a smokey quality, I go with heavy, If I want a vanilla characteristic, then medium, and for nice wood qualities I go with light.

 

[NorCal]

I use to be a medium plus guy, but the last two years all have been medium. I’m trying to get more fruit flavors in my wine and i feel the heavy chars cover up the fruit of the lighter varietals.