EZ Oak Idea....

[rshosted]

I was thinking of a new oak idea over the weekend. I have
recently found, since going to oak cubes, sticks, or spirals, I have a lot of
oak chips left over. I’m talking about the bigger oak chips about the size of
one’s fingernail. Okay, that’s gross… lets say…. The size of an M&M.



Anyway, I was thinking usually after oak sits in a carboy
for a batch of wine it pretty much becomes neutral. So I was thinking on a
batch of 25-30 bottles, I could put a piece or two of my M&M sized oak into
each bottle just prior to corking. This would allow it to oak inside the bottle
and I bet it gets pretty easy to determine the size of oak one should use
depending on how much they like…. After the oak was used up, the wood become
neutral and could just be discarded upon drinking the bottle.



Anyone ever tried this? Seems like an easy quick alternative
to oaking the old fashion way. (admittedly, I could see the possibility to
over-oak; which is why one would only want to use one or two little pieces per
bottle.)

 

[Wade E]

Ive thought of that but wondered if they would swell up and be hard to get out of the bottle or turn someone off that I was giving it to who might not like that floaty thing in the bottle but its a good idea.

 

[Dean]

Some spanish wine makers do this. Many times I've opened a bottle of spanish wine only to have oak strips in the dregs at teh bottom. It's usually found in Garnachas (Grenache in Spanish).