Adding oak and other things to wine

I do have another question for anybody out there regarding bulk aging. I am going to add oak and peppercorns and maybe coffee beans when I bulk age after stabilization - They will be in a mesh bag, and I was wondering, do you just drop the mesh bag to the bottom of the carboy before racking the wine, or what? Not sure on how to do this. Do you have to rack the wine again when aging is done to remove any sediment that the oak, etc. has created?
Thanks!

Some folks around here talk about wrapping and hanging things from fishing line so you can pull them out. The oak though depends on the type used. Sticks can be tied and pulled too but I just drop in the cubes and change or dump when I rack.
Mike

Kraffty said:

Some folks around here talk about wrapping and hanging things from fishing line so you can pull them out. The oak though depends on the type used. Sticks can be tied and pulled too but I just drop in the cubes and change or dump when I rack.
Mike

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I guess then it wouldn't hurt to just drop the bag down in the bottom and then rack from the bucket to the carboy - I bought oak chips and using peppercorns and a few coffee beans as well. I don't think much sediment will be created from that. I don't want to keep racking back and forth. These carboys and buckets are heavy and my arms are not what they used to be.... I heard of the fishing line thing and tried that with my fastferment unit, but ran into problems with air leaks from the fishing line....
Thanks for the input!

If I may, I'd suggest you add these things incrementally, starting with the oak. See how you like it with just the oak. Then try a few peppercorns for a couple weeks. Then maybe think about the coffee. Or, break it up into smaller batches and try different variations/combos.

@ joecal

Can you pull the fishing line thru a S - style air lock

That way you should still have a good seal and a waterlock at the same time

vacuumpumpman said:

@ joecal

Can you pull the fishing line thru a S - style air lock

That way you should still have a good seal and a waterlock at the same time

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That's a good idea - I will give it some thought. Thank you!

Boatboy24 said:

If I may, I'd suggest you add these things incrementally, starting with the oak. See how you like it with just the oak. Then try a few peppercorns for a couple weeks. Then maybe think about the coffee. Or, break it up into smaller batches and try different variations/combos.

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Sounds like a plan. The only reason why I wanted to add these other flavors is due to the fact that when I make wine, it never tastes like it is supposed to taste when I follow directions with just oak. My wines are delicious, but my Cabernet's don't taste like a Cabernet, and the same goes for everything I ever made from Nebbiolo to Pinot Noir. They are very good wines, but do not resemble what the kit says they are...Don't know why...

JoeCal1952 said:

Sounds like a plan. The only reason why I wanted to add these other flavors is due to the fact that when I make wine, it never tastes like it is supposed to taste when I follow directions with just oak. My wines are delicious, but my Cabernet's don't taste like a Cabernet, and the same goes for everything I ever made from Nebbiolo to Pinot Noir. They are very good wines, but do not resemble what the kit says they are...Don't know why...

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How old are these kits? In my experience, they all taste somewhat similar when young and it isn't until 18 months (24+ in some cases), where they really start to taste the way they should.

Boatboy24 said:

How old are these kits? In my experience, they all taste somewhat similar when young and it isn't until 18 months (24+ in some cases), where they really start to taste the way they should.

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Well, maybe I am not waiting long enough to drink them - I have to stop reading the instructions that say after 3 months in the bottle you are ready to drink.

The place where I get my kits has a huge turn around so they are fresh - I mostly have to order what I want. They don't stock much. This last kit is the cheaper Winexpert. I like it because it is 2.9 gallons instead of 5 and it is easier to handle. I never used a cheap kit before but I hear if you oak this right they are very good. We'll see. This one is going to sit in the carboy after degassing for a minimum of 3 months, hopefully 6 if I add a little more metabisulphite?

Every so often it has to be thrown out there..... It cannot be bought anywhere,, it is not sold anywhere. Winemakers best ingredient,,,,, Patience!!!

JoeCal1952 said:

Well, maybe I am not waiting long enough to drink them - I have to stop reading the instructions that say after 3 months in the bottle you are ready to drink.

The place where I get my kits has a huge turn around so they are fresh - I mostly have to order what I want. They don't stock much. This last kit is the cheaper Winexpert. I like it because it is 2.9 gallons instead of 5 and it is easier to handle. I never used a cheap kit before but I hear if you oak this right they are very good. We'll see. This one is going to sit in the carboy after degassing for a minimum of 3 months, hopefully 6 if I add a little more metabisulphite?

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It's really hard to wait early on. But trust me, its worth it. A few of my early high end kits are coming up on 3 years now and boy, I wish I had more left. Most are down to just 2 or 3 bottles.

Boatboy24 said:

It's really hard to wait early on. But trust me, its worth it. A few of my early high end kits are coming up on 3 years now and boy, I wish I had more left. Most are down to just 2 or 3 bottles.

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I guess we both have to learn some patience and control.....I already finished up 2 high end barolos before their time!