Amounts

[usafcajun]

I'm getting ready to start a 5 gal batch of Blackberry/Merlot and would like to oak it. I picked up 4 oz of French oak at the hbs..what amount should I use for a relatively medium oak flavor?

 

[masta]

What type of oak...cubes, chips, etc. and what level of toast...light, medium, dark?

 

[usafcajun]

They're chips and I presume a medium toast based on the color. It is just labeled French toasted Oak on the bag.

 

[pkcook]

USAF,


Masta will likely give you a good amount to start with. My advice, with whatever amount you decide on,is taste often (daily)and rack when you get the flavor you are looking for. Oak is easily over done.Edited by: pkcook

 

[masta]

The extraction from chips is fairly quick compared to cubes so I would start with no more than 2 oz and as pkcook said taste test often.


I gentle stir before tasting to get a representative sample also helps as the oak flavor will be greater where the chips arelocated in the carboy.

 

[smurfe]

Would you add it to the primary like the kits?I believe the packets of chips in the kits are 2 oz aren't they? I believe I have one, guess I could measure one to see.


Smurfe

 

[masta]

The chips will work in primary and if the finished wine doesn't have enough oak then more can be added to the carboy.

 

[usafcajun]

This is a new thing for me.....using oak and it not being in a kit. I'm trying a scratch recipe, kind of combining two, to make a Blackberry Merlot this time since my last blackberry wine was such a hit and my Cab/Merlot was a hit.


Well, I went ahead and put approximately 2oz of the oak chips into the primary and set it to bubbling.


Thanks for all the info.