Oaking my GF 2012 pyments and other stuff.....

[fatbloke]

Firstly, I got an old barrel stave last week and an hour ago, attacked it with a saw and plane. All the dirt came off nicely, ending up with good, clean oak.

I've split and cut it into small "staves" that average about 6 or 7 mm square and about 10 cm long. It's currently in the oven toasting, but I'm not aiming at charing it too dark (if it starts to smoke, I'll take it out too cool off).

Is there some sort of ratio that I might use to work out how much to add per gallon ? As I've now got a nice sediment layer to rack off from my GF 2012 pyments (and the can of frozen Shiraz that Brian sent down), so I'm aiming at racking it off the lees sometime in the next week or so and was wondering about how much oak to use.

I'm not sure if I want it all as "oakey" as Sharpie seems to recommend (half a bleedin' tree ), but some guidance would be handy.

Secondly, I upgraded my phone yesterday, and without much swearing, have managed to work out most of the facilities I'm likely to use. I seem to recall a mobile app that I can use to post through, but after having actually put my hand in my pocket for "tapatalk", I can't find WaH under their listings, so was I just dreaming or is there a mobile app that we can post through ?

[NorthernWiner]

Is there some sort of ratio that I might use to work out how much to add per gallon ? As I've now got a nice sediment layer to rack off from my GF 2012 pyments (and the can of frozen Shiraz that Brian sent down), so I'm aiming at racking it off the lees sometime in the next week or so and was wondering about how much oak to use.

No real rule of thumb, as everyone's liking of (or aversion to) oak isn't universal.

I would simply advise to keep in mind the old axiom that oak is easily added but not so easily removed once it's in there. Start with a small amount, say one or two pieces, and leave it for a couple of weeks. Then taste and decide whether to add more.

[fatbloke]

Ok, so I follow you on that Steve, yet I'm unsure how much (by weight ?) would be a lot or a small amount. I've seen the packs (Ritchies brand I think) of medium toasted "oak chips" (that look rather like sawdust) in the local HBS, they weigh something like 2oz/50gms.

Not having any experience or knowledge of this, I don't know whether thats enough for a gallon or whether it's the entry level for 5 gallons etc.

Just like working out the level of toasting. Sure I've seen spirit barrels cut in half for planters at the local garden centre and I'm equally aware that wine barrels don't have any where near as much toasting or charring inside, hence I've got no concept of what's too much or too little or even where to start really......

I just figured that if I started with the home made staves changing colour some from what they are at the moment, to perhaps a more golden, yellowy sort of colour, or perhaps a little darker to start with, then knowing that I'd need something like, say the 2oz/50gms for either 5 or 1 gallon (I can just adjust the quantity for a mild flavour one way or another) is what I'm looking to know.

The remaining staves can always be toasted a bit more later on, I just have no idea what to use for an initial quantity.

[NorthernWiner]

Rather than weight, what you really want to measure is surface area. Two ounces of oak chips has much greater exposed surface area than an oak stave.

The inside of a full size barrel (225 liters or 50 gallons) has roughly 1.7 square meters of exposed surface area. Just scale that down to the amount of wine you are oaking and you will have your answer.

(and actually I would start with about half that amount)

[fatbloke]

Ah, I thought that might be the best, considered and most sensible idea.

Damn!

Sounds like I'll just use 1 per gallon then and leave them in while its clearing/ageing. That'd be the lowest amount I could get away with, then see what it's like next year.....

Oh and just for info, they've changed from a nice freshly planed light oak colour to a medium tobacco colour so I may have left them too long.......never mind.

[NorthernWiner]

Oh and just for info, they've changed from a nice freshly planed light oak colour to a medium tobacco colour so I may have left them too long........

That sounds right, John.

They should be about this color:

[Cellar_Rat]

I approach oaking in two way's
During fermentation. Firstly I split my oak into small kindling and then toast it hard. After a couple of goes have found 'just charred' (almost catching) is about right.
I use 2kg in 1HL.

Secondly for finished wine I made an 'oakery'. One large carboy with toasted staves shuvved in - about a dozen (12-14" long).
This works very well because you can taste is as you go. I found six weeks is good, and add 2 new staves with each new batch.

BE CAREFUL TOASTING THESE BLIGHTER'S - they produce explosive gases.

PS Still spirits do Premium french oak - which also works. I use this in my port recipe.

PPS On the 'next up' list is butchery smoke.

[fatbloke]

Well they're not far off from being the same or similar in colour to Steves picture, so I probably didn't over do it after all.

I'll crunch the numbers and use Brians quantities once its all racked.

It didn't occur to me to use oak in primary though so I'm hoping my batches don't get any "sawdust" taste....

[Cellar_Rat]

Well they're not far off from being the same or similar in colour to Steves picture, so I probably didn't over do it after all.

More Charred than lightly toasted

Chard barrel.jpg