Using oak

[piagio2000]

I know this will have been asked before but here goes.

I am going to add some oak to my bramble and Elderberry which has been maturing for a couple of months now.
It is maturing in 1 gallon PET's.
Questions are:

How much will I add to each gallon?
How long would I leave it in there?
What's the best way to sterilise the oak chips? I'm assuming just adding it as is would be BAD.

Appreciate any info.

[NorthernWiner]

I would start with no more than 1 to 2 tablespoons per gallon, and leave it for two weeks. Less is better, since you can't remove oak flavor once it's been infused.

To sterilize oak chips, you can spread them on a baking sheet and pop them into a medium oven for about 10-15 minutes. Some web sites recommend boiling them, but you're only boiling out the flavor that way.

[mcblades]

Hi:

If I were maturing wine I'd do it in glass/better bottle rather than PET.

regards

Mark

[silverfox]

oak in red wines

Hi, i like to use american oak in most of my red wines.
I used to be frightened of using too much Oak, but i am now much more adventurous.
In fact I use much more than most people normally use.
I tend to use it during initial fermentation as it seems to remove some of the more agressive tannins.
I just put the oak mor (sawdust) into a cup & cover with boiling water, leave for at least 5 mins to pasturise the oak.then add to the must. They are easily removed when fermentation is completed.
The amount I use vary from 10g /5 litres to >30g/5 litre.
My better wines have been made with 30g /5litre.
Hope this helps.

Thanks Silverfox

[hawkeyetim]

Am looking to buy some oak chips to add to kits as I find most do not include enough for my liking and also to add to my own recipes but have a few questions.

1. What is meant by medium or heavy toast?

2. Can I use any oak chips or only ones meant for wine?

3. I've seen these on Amazon would it be OK to use them?

Thanks

Tim

[lockwood1956]

You need proper winemaking oak....

it needs to have been air dried for a long time...and needs to be American, French or Hungarian oak (hungarian isnt available readily here) other oaks (like from Oak tables etc are no good)

the toast level is the amount the oak is burnt or charred

Those ones listed on amazon are no good for winemaking

regards
bob

[hawkeyetim]

Cheers Bob looks like its a trip to my hbs then.
I've got a Vintners Reserve Barolo to start next week so planning on bulk aging 2 gallons with different amount of extra oak in them so i can discover what amount i like.

Thanks

Tim

[SiSandrine]

A little story.
2 years ago in my in-laws garden in countryside just outside Nantes, France a nice oak branch 'fell off' the tree. It stored itself outside to season and just generally quietly age in a relatively sheltered part of the garden, ensuring that it had access to air flow and didn't get its little feet too wet. It was happy there but knew that in its life there was a greater purpose, a meaning or thirst if you will. No matter, for destiny was not in that little oaks own bark. Jump forward to Christmas 2010. A visiting vintner from Basingstoke decided to reclaim that prize and took the little oak to task with calculated axe blows. Off was stripped the bark and the soft, outer wood until the dry, solid centre was revelaed in all its glory. Happy days. Nothing was wasted, the offcuts were burned to warm the house, for twas was cold at Christmas in Nantes. The hard, centre wood was brought to Basingstoke where the staves - as the oak had now become - were to begin the next stage of their life. Once safely in their new, but temporary home, those staves were cooked on a baking tray at low temperature for about 2 hours. The house smelled good, sweet; the kind of sweet you get from roasting french oak in an oven. Not the kind of sweet that non-winemakers (wuggles, as I shall name them) truly appreciate though. However in its life journey that little oak was now, warm dry and in many parts. Staves, ready to make beautiful liquid music.
So how will this story end? There is a plan: as needed I'll chip and roast that oak in small batches for adding to wine. Will it work? Is the method good? I just don't know but I can't think of a reason why not. Ideas anyone?