What is your favorite brand of oak?

[Chateau Joe]

I have been using the LD Carlson cubes for years. They have Hungarian, French and American cubes in light, medium and heavy. I've tried them all and while they are good cubes I'm looking to try something different, some new tastes. A barrel is not in my budget right now but I was wondering what other brands of oak you are using and how you like them.

 

[Julie]

Hungarian, medium, i love it on blackberry.

 

[Chateau Joe]

Hungarian, medium, i love it on blackberry.

That's great Julie. But I'm looking for different brands of oak chips that people are having success with.

 

[ibglowin]

I hate to break the bad news but thats all there is for the most part really.

The only other place I have seen selling oak and they are mostly for wineries is Stavin

 

[cpfan]

In Canada, oak is usually sold in unbranded packages or packages branded by the wholesaler (as LD Carlson has done). My personal opinion is that while that company wants to have consistency from one year to the next, there is no guarantee.

The only name brand company seems to be Stavin (as Mike/ibglowin) mentioned. I have seen items that I was pretty sure were Stavin oak products packed in an unbranded package. I thought that Stavin made spirals but I can't see them on the web-site. Spirals should be available from some of the mail-order companies.

You could look at the Stavin web-site for further info
http://www.stavin.com/homewines/products.htm

Steve

 

[Chateau Joe]

Has anyone ever tried these? They make smaller ones for carboys.

www.winestix.net

 

[AlFulchino]

if you are willing to spend some money up front, there are many companies that will sell you for example a french oak ( whatever toast level) in 20 or so pounds and this will give you a reasonable consistency from year to year as you have the same batch of oak to pull from...if i get a chance tomorrow i will get the info for oneof the company's that i use for any of my oak adjunct needs and i have been very satisfied with

 

[ibglowin]

Rich (Rawhide) uses an oak ball of sorts. They are pretty good size. Can't remember the name of them for the life of me this AM.