JP Savage method

[Curt]

I'm doing a Welches white grape do-up in a chardonnay style and I needed some toasted oak to add to the primary so I thin sliced some. Then I had to toast it...hmmm...oven?...nah, too much bother. The lightbulb came on and this is what I came up with. The top one is the toasting and the one on thebottom is with some turned over as they cooled so you can see the level of toast. Gotta love those sunflower heaters.

And then,

The Jack Pine Savage method of oak toasting.Edited by: Curt

 

[Waldo]

What was the source of your oak Curt? Dont know a thing about how oak is toasted comercially but looks like you may have a doable home wine makers method if the oak is of a good grade, has not been treated and was dried properly.

 

[bilbo-in-maine]

Very clever Curt! The scale of the photos is hard to guess, are the cubes
about the same size as the commercial ones? You're going to use them in
your primary pail? Why not toast yourself some oak dust for that?

Maybe I should know, but my ignorance is showing - who is JP Savage?

Bill

 

[Curt]

Waldo,


The oak is locally sawn and air dried. Never been treated.


Bilbo,


The slices are about 1/8" thick and vary from 1 1/2" square to 3/4" x 1" rectangles. I could toast up some sawdust but the slices are actually easier to control the toast level on. JP Savage is just a name I derived from a term for us northern brush babies, jack pine savages.

 

[PolishWineP]

Aren't sunflower heaters great!

You never know what use you'll find for them next! Nice job, Curt!

 

[NorthernWinos]

Jack Pine Savage is like a Northern Brush Ape....just the local good old boys.

Looks like you should have a side of fish on that griddle too.Edited by: Northern Winos

 

[Curt]

Northern,


I did that inside today. It was still quivering when it hit the pan. MAN that's good fish!

 

[NorthernWinos]

I agree, nothing as good as really fresh fish. Been spearing or angling????Edited by: Northern Winos

 

[Curt]

I'm a harpooner. The northerns are acting weird this year sliding through on the bottom and ignoring the decoy.

 

[pkcook]

Is there any particular breed/variety of oak that should be used for wine? Are there any that you shouldn't use? Never used oak in wine before, but have access to cords of dry white and red oak at my dad's house (firewood from our property).


PatEdited by: pkcook

 

[NorthernWinos]

I'm a harpooner. The northerns are acting weird this year sliding through on the bottom and ignoring the decoy.

We spear as well. We were out today, only small ones, they decoy okay, but just too small, and not as many as usual...maybe with this change of weather things will pick up.
My hubby gave me my own spear for Christmas this year and a spearing licence.....ONLY IN MINNESOTA would a woman be happy about that and use it!

 

[NorthernWinos]

I'm doing a Welches white grape do-up in a chardonnay style and I needed some toasted oak to add to the primary so I thin sliced some. Then I had to toast it...hmmm...oven?...nah, too much bother.

Question?????
You mentioned you are doing a Welch's white Grape Wine [do-up] Chardonnay style with oak.Do you think the oak will give it some more flavor????

I just mixed up a 6 gallon batch of a Medley of White Grape Juices. Blanc de Blanc so to speak. I had bought some Old Orchard White grape juice in 64 oz bottles, also some frozen Welch's Niagara Grape Juice and I also put in some WineExpert White Wine-Grape Concentrate. Didn't use much water or sugar, maybe 3 quarts of water and only needed 1 3/4# of sugar, the O.G. is about 1.100...the mixture doesn't seem to have much flavor. Do you think adding some oak to the primary will give it a better/some flavor?????

We are use to fruit wines with lots of intense fruity flavors. We did a batch of Welch's Purple Concord Grape Wine, I tweaked the recipe a bit and added a couple bottles of WineExpert Red Wine-Grape Concentrate...the wine was great and we will be doing another real batch soon.
Just wondering about the oak in this batch???? What do you think????? I don't have any toasted oak, but have some oak chips we used in some Cokecherry wine...should I put a bit of that in the primary when I add the yeast???

BTW..we live probably 65 or so miles from the PWine Princess, and about 75 miles from you...got to have our own 'gathering' someday....?Edited by: Northern Winos

 

[fasteddy999]

Joined: 21 November 2005
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 45
Posted: 16 January 2006 at 3:04pm | IP Logged
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Is there any particular breed/variety of oak that
should be used for wine?  Are there any that you
shouldn't use?  Never used oak in wine before, but
have access to cords of dry white and red oak at my
dad's house (firewood from our property).

Pat
Edited by pkcook on 16 January 2006 at 3:05pm

Yes Pat use only white oak that has been sawed to
3/4 inch thick and allowed to air dry for at least 2
years. I am fortunate enough to live near a major oak
barrel manufacturer. My brother inlaw just brought
me about 100 pounds of rejected staves from them.
That should be enought to last me a life time.

 

[pkcook]

I will have to look thru my dads wood shed and see what I can find. I would like to have a quarter for every piece of white oak my dad has put thru his stove and fire place

.


Have you tried oak with a concord wine before? I'm going to start 6 gal next week and I'm thinking I'll add some during the primary fermentation. I'm curious how this breed of grape would be with oak added.

 

[fasteddy999]

I will have to look thru my dads wood shed and see
what I can find.  I would like to have a quarter for
every piece of white oak my dad has put thru his
stove and fire place .

Have you tried oak with a concord wine before?  I'm
going to start 6 gal next week and I'm thinking I'll add
some during the primary fermentation.  I'm curious
how this breed of grape would be with oak added.

I have never oaked Concord before, I am going to
add oak to my Norton wine from last year today.
Since I have all those staves. I will allow it to bulk
age another month and then bottle it. I think it
depends on your tastes as to the use of oak. If you
like the flavour then go for it.

 

[Curt]

fasteddy is correct about the oak of choice being white oak(quercus alba) and also about the air drying being prefered over kiln drying. I just took a batch of concord out of a small barrel that I made (7 gal.)and it's scrumptous! I'm going to oak every batch of it from now on.

 

[pkcook]

Curt,


Seeing as how I don't have any oak on hand, what toast and amountwould you recommend for a 6 gallon batch?

 

[Curt]

pkcook,


I'd use a couple of oz. per gallon of a nice medium toast american in the primary and then wash them off and put them in the secondary until the first racking. This will lay down a good background for a later oaking as this one will deeply integrate into the flavor. At 1st racking I'd taste it and see if that's enough oak for you and if it isn't I'd go with an oz. or two per gallon (depending on your tastes) of a nice soft medium toast French oak for another month. At second racking taste again and if it isn't oaked enough wash them off and re-add them to the new carboy. It takes about 3 months to get the best goodies out of the cubes.