Cellar Craft Chard Instructions

[uavwmn]

I am a little confused on the Cellar Craft Showcase Chardonnay instructions. If anyone who has made this kit, can help me out.


Step 1 is getting the juice in the fermenting bucket, etc. Then it says if you have a pouch marked oak, to add it to the fermenting bucket......of which I did have a bag of oak cubes.


I have racked to the carboy waiting for the SG to go below .998. The next step (4)after that is racking to a clean carboy, degassing and adding the Kieselsol and chitsosan. "And if your kit contains wood cubes add them now".


In Step 1 did they mean "oak powder or chips"? I have an extra bag of oak cubes from another kit that I didn't use, should I use these at Step 4?

 

[Flem]

I did a Cellar Craft Riesling that had basically the same instructions. I decided to add the Oak cubes at the Stabilizing and Clearing stage. I figured it would be in contact with the wine for a longer period of time. The instructions are very misleading. IMO

 

[Rocky]

Kathie,
I agree that the instructions are confusing. Since they were oak cubes, I would think they should have gone in at Step 4. The oak chips and shavings normally go in at Step 1. As to whether you should add the cubes you have at this point, it would depend on how much "oak" you like in your wine. My taste would say not to add them, but yours may be different.

 

[Flem]

Since you'recurrently at Step 4, I would put them in now.

 

[Rocky]

Kathie,


You can certainly put them in now as Flem suggests, but in actuality, you don't have to do anything right now. You could rack the wine into a clean carboy, degas, add the clarifiers, wait a day or two and see what it tastes like. If you want more oak, add the cubes. If it has enough, save your bag of cubes.


It depends on two things; your taste preference and what type of Chardonnay you are going for. The French Chards are more floral and crisp while many of the Western, New Zealandand Australian are more tropical fruit (some even citrus) and oakey. You can always add more oak flavor; it is difficult to remove if it is too much. Alternatively, you could also split the batch and oak half and not the other.

 

[uavwmn]

Rocky,


That was my thinking also. I am going to not throw the oak cubes in and see how it turns out. I would like to see if it tastes a little floral and citrus fruity.
The directions need to be rewritten IMO.
Thanks guys for the help.

 

[Flem]

Then it is my understanding that you are not adding any oak at all. Is that correct?

 

[ibglowin]

Remember those are not oak beans!

 

[Rocky]

Flem, I think Kathie is saying that she had a bag of oak cubes in the kit and she added them in the fermentation step, to wit:


"Step 1 is getting the juice in the fermenting bucket, etc. Then it says if you have a pouch marked oak, to add it to the fermenting bucket......of which I did have a bag of oak cubes."


In Step 4 it says to add the oak cubes and she is wondering if she should add a second bag of cubes (a bag that she has from another kitwhich she did not use) because she already used the bag that came with the kit she is making.

 

[Flem]

Sorry Rocky, I thought she was saying that she didn't know whether to add them in Step 1 or Step 4.

 

[uavwmn]

Flem, I added the oak cubes during the fermentation process in Step 1.
I think I am not going to add the oak cubes at Step 4.

 

[Flem]

Thanks for clearing that up for me. Since they were not included with the kit, it's probably a good decision to not add more at Step 4---unless you really like oak.

 

[ibglowin]

Those are not oak beans

They are Acacia.

 

[Rocky]

Mike,


You have to help me here. You are totally losing me with "oak beans" and "acacia." What are you referencing?

 

[ibglowin]

Everyone keeps talking about the oak in this kit. There is NO oak in this kit! Its Acacia wood! This will not impart vanilla like Oak.
If you are thinking about not adding wood to this kit see this link on Acacia Barrels

 

[Rocky]

Okay, then you are saying that the bag of cubes that came in Kathie's kit that was marked "oak" and that she added in the fermenting step is in reality "acacia?" Why would Cellar Craft do this? Why would they mark a packet "oak" that is really "acacia?"

 

[uavwmn]

Rocky, the Cellar Craft Directions say "oak cubes". Technically, it is not oak at all but acacia wood which imparts floral and citrus fruit flavors to the wine. The company did not bother to change the "oak" word in the directions.
After googling "acacia" I decided to add the "acacia cubes" to the carboy for a couple of weeks. Then I will rack again to clear the wine and bulk age for a couple of months.


Hope this clears up and confusion.
Kathie

 

[uavwmn]

Thanks, ibglowin

 

[ibglowin]

I have long since tossed my box and bags from this kit. I can't remember where exactly the fine print is located that those are Acacia and not Oak.

Mine is currently bulk aging. I added mine in when it went to secondary and then transferred them back after fining and stabilizing. I left mine in until they all sunk to the bottom. Took about 4 weeks I think.

 

[Rocky]

What confusion! I am glad that Chardonnay is not one of my favorites! I will not have to go through this mess.