racinjason1978
Junior
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2012
- Messages
- 4
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Hello All,
Disclaimer: I have searched and read the forum and have found many different results on oaking.
If you don't want to read all below, here's the short and quick:
-How long can I leave my oak chips in my carboy? Do I HAVE to take them out? Put them in along with yeast on day 1...usually leave in carboy for 6 mons.
Long version and history:
I just joined the forum. Brief intro: Fam has been making wine since 1999. I got my own American oak barrel in '04. Ive made Merlot, Cab Sav, Cab/Merlot, Syrah, and White Merlot over the years.
This year Im trying oak chips in my carboy (not in my barrel). I am making Malbec. So my questions are:
- How long do the chips stay in?
- Will it hurt to leave them in until I bottle?
- Do they stop "oaking" after a certain period?
Here's my plan/process (please let me know if I am way off course):
I just put the juice into the carboy this saturday (5 gals). I used approx 1.5 oz of oak chips (pre soaked for about 30-45 mins) Then, I wrapped the soaked chips in cheese cloth and tied fishing line (all sterilized) to make a tube and put it into the carboy during primary fermentation. I don't like to let any air hit the wine until I bottle, so my main question is if it is okay to leave the chips in until I bottle (approx 6 months from now)? What are the consequences? I have read that the chips only oak for so long and that If added during primary fermentation, that it's hard to "over oak" if they are added during this time.
Thoughts??
Disclaimer: I have searched and read the forum and have found many different results on oaking.
If you don't want to read all below, here's the short and quick:
-How long can I leave my oak chips in my carboy? Do I HAVE to take them out? Put them in along with yeast on day 1...usually leave in carboy for 6 mons.
Long version and history:
I just joined the forum. Brief intro: Fam has been making wine since 1999. I got my own American oak barrel in '04. Ive made Merlot, Cab Sav, Cab/Merlot, Syrah, and White Merlot over the years.
This year Im trying oak chips in my carboy (not in my barrel). I am making Malbec. So my questions are:
- How long do the chips stay in?
- Will it hurt to leave them in until I bottle?
- Do they stop "oaking" after a certain period?
Here's my plan/process (please let me know if I am way off course):
I just put the juice into the carboy this saturday (5 gals). I used approx 1.5 oz of oak chips (pre soaked for about 30-45 mins) Then, I wrapped the soaked chips in cheese cloth and tied fishing line (all sterilized) to make a tube and put it into the carboy during primary fermentation. I don't like to let any air hit the wine until I bottle, so my main question is if it is okay to leave the chips in until I bottle (approx 6 months from now)? What are the consequences? I have read that the chips only oak for so long and that If added during primary fermentation, that it's hard to "over oak" if they are added during this time.
Thoughts??