How late can you add oak?

[okwine39]

Before I got any equipment or found this forum or anything I mixed up some great value 100% grape juice with simple syrup in a couple of one gallon carboys. I pitched the yeast yada yada and now two months later it has cleared to a beautiful color. I have not racked it yet. I tried some and it is ok but I believe it would benefit from some oak to give it more of a bite if that is the right word. So can I sill add some oak spirals to it or some oak tannin? what would be your suggestion?

 

[djrockinsteve]

You may add oak at anytime. Need to allow time for it to do it's thing. Tannin can be added anytime as well but be cautious, a little goes a long way.

Do not confuse the oak taste with tannin.

 

[okwine39]

how would you describe the difference in the two?

 

[Wade E]

I agree, Oak like a lot of things can be added at any time. If I were to add oak later instead of during fermentation though Id use cubes, spirals or the staves as the chips impart there flavor very fast and make a mess of your wine so youll have tp let it clear again and rack it within 1-2 weeks tasting after a few days to make sure you dont over oak it.

 

[Tom]

Oak can leave a smoothness and vanilla overtone

 

[okwine39]

I was thinking of spirals. What would adding tannin do for the wine now?

 

[djrockinsteve]

tannin will give wine a "pucker" taste. Not like a sour astringent taste unless you add too much. Think opposite of a flat taste. Again a little goes a long way.

 

[ibglowin]

Oak is mostly an aroma (think vanilla) but also adds a bit of mouthfeel as well.

Tannin is added for increased mouthfeel alone, no real detectible aroma.

Tannins are usually not needed for higher end kits. Most only use them on low end kits that they want to bump up the mouthfeel. Since they (low end kits) start out with much less total dissolved solids (TDS) they will always be a little on the "thin" side taste wise and a small addition of Tannin can help to overcome that "thin" taste.

how would you describe the difference in the two?

 

[chachi44089]

I bought some grape tannin because a few of the recipes I used called for it. I also had no idea what it added to the wine at first. So I got brave one day and decided to taste it. I put a tiny bit of the powder on the tip of my finger and gave it a taste. Now I know exactly what it tastes like. lol. And can taste it in my wine. A little goes a long way. But go ahead and give it a tiny taste. You will then understand what it adds to the wine, and be able to detect the flavor of it in your wine much better. I will warn you first though, be prepared to PUCKER!!

 

[okwine39]

thanks sounds like tannin is the taste you get when you bite into an unripe persimmon