Unsanitized oak+basic sanitation questions.

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LesIsMore

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Hi everyone. I am new at wine making and I just made my second wine kit. With the first one I followed the kit directions. With the second kit, I got more adventurous and decided to split the 6 gallon batch into two 3 gallon batches. One half I made per instructions, the second half I added a spiral oak stick.

I now realize I should have sanitized the stick, but at the time I was concerned the sanitation liquid (I use StarSan) would soak into the oak and later release into the musk. Therefore I did not sanitize it.

Is this something I should be concerned about? Also next time, how long should I soak the stick in the sanitizer? How long is enough? And lastly, should I rinse after using StarSan? I have heard some people rinse, and some say no need to rinse.

I greatly appreciate everyone's input. Thank you!
 
No worries...the wine is alcoholic enough to kill off most stuff by itself.
 
I usually spray with a so2 solution. add 3 grams of K-Meta and 11 grams of tartaric acid to one gallon of water. use a spray bottle to speay oak spiral and any other implements that touch the wine.
 
I will always santize my oak -
I believe it did ruin a batch of wine because I did not santixe a handful of chips prior to bottling.
 
I will always santize my oak -
I believe it did ruin a batch of wine because I did not santixe a handful of chips prior to bottling.

Well vacuumpumpman, my wine turned out pretty good actually. I had a handful of people try it (including a couple people who have been making wine for years and who teach wine making) and everyone loves it. So I wouldn't be too worried. Wait until it matures, try it and see for yourself. I guess everybody's experience is a little different.
 
Well vacuumpumpman, my wine turned out pretty good actually. I had a handful of people try it (including a couple people who have been making wine for years and who teach wine making) and everyone loves it. So I wouldn't be too worried. Wait until it matures, try it and see for yourself. I guess everybody's experience is a little different.
Seems like once a week someone asks the same question you started with, and we never reach a consensus. I don't sanitize oak chips or spirals (so long as I didn't just drop it in the gutter, which hasn't happened - yet!), while others do. It's not going to make a huge difference either way - at best, you avoid ruining a batch of wine due to spoilage, but IMHO the odds are probably less than 1 in 1,000. None of us can quantify that probability since every situation, wine-making environment, and other sanitation practices are different.
 
Hi.
I have my first batch of blackberry fermenting away.
I read about boiling oak chips to prepare.
When I opened my bag of oak, I realized I have powder...
I just threw it into my must. Hope its okay haha
 
Seems like once a week someone asks the same question you started with, and we never reach a consensus. I don't sanitize oak chips or spirals (so long as I didn't just drop it in the gutter, which hasn't happened - yet!), while others do. It's not going to make a huge difference either way - at best, you avoid ruining a batch of wine due to spoilage, but IMHO the odds are probably less than 1 in 1,000. None of us can quantify that probability since every situation, wine-making environment, and other sanitation practices are different.

Thank you for your input Bartman. I sanitize the crap out of everything that come in contact with my wine so I think I'm safe there. Once again thanks for sharing.
 
Hi.
I have my first batch of blackberry fermenting away.
I read about boiling oak chips to prepare.
When I opened my bag of oak, I realized I have powder...
I just threw it into my must. Hope its okay haha

Hi JH, from what I've learned and from what everyone says here, I thin you should be just fine. I've made a batch of Diablo Rojo before with a wine making instructor before, which came with oak powder, and we did not sanitize it at all. It turned out to be some of the best wine I have ever tasted, so if I were you I would not worry about it too much.
 
Hi JH, from what I've learned and from what everyone says here, I thin you should be just fine. I've made a batch of Diablo Rojo before with a wine making instructor before, which came with oak powder, and we did not sanitize it at all. It turned out to be some of the best wine I have ever tasted, so if I were you I would not worry about it too much.

Great!
Thanks for the peace of mind!
 

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