Other Oak cubes

[Broge5]

Some of the kits, at least celler craft, say to leave the cubes in for about 10 days during the secondary portion of fermentation. The consensus seems to be that they need about 6 to 8 weeks to get full benefit. I guess of course that's if you wants an oakier flavor.

Due to carboy space, it works out for me if I bulk age for about 90 days with one racking done at about the 45 day point. Since I'm doing this, would it be any problem to add the cubes during the beginning of bulk aging? I can rack them out at my typical 45 day points and then let it go another 45 days without them. Generally I clear before the 90 day aging, but if I were doing the cubes this way would it be better to do clearing agents after the cubes came out or does it really matter?


Sent from my iPhone using Wine Making

 

[Pumpkinman]

I'd taste the wine and leave the oak in as long as it takes to reach the point where you feel the wine has been oaked to you taste, then leave them in an additional week, during the aging process, the oak will dissipate a bit and the wine will be perfectly oaked for your taste.
I'd taste every week and work from there.

 

[tonyt]

Borge5, the goal of the manufacturer is for you to make wine as quickly as possible. Your goal may differ. You may in fact may be like the vast majority of us on this forum who's goal is to make as delicious wine as possible. That my friend takes time. Yes add the oak cubes in your aging process, better yet get more oak and add the supplied oak in secondary and add your additional oak in aging. This gives you the opportunity to use different types/toasts of oak. And yes as Tom Pumpkinman suggests taste often.

There is a wealth of good information and advice in the Barrel & Oaking section of this forum, enjoy the read. http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f74/

 

[Broge5]

Thanks guys


Sent from my iPhone using Wine Making

 

[bigeasy]

I learned a lot from seth8530's thread and some links in that thread in Barrel and Oaking.

 

[topcellar]

With CC Kits, the instructions say to rack the wine and then add the sulphite and sorbate. At this stage, when I clean the carboy that the wine had been in, I always pour the sediment into a clean pitcher and rinse the cubes off (well), and put them back in with the wine to bulk age, and always have had good results with that.

I have seen oak rods that can be purchased... I'd like to experiment with those some time... I just can't seem to find them anymore in my area.

 

[tonyt]

With CC Kits, the instructions say to rack the wine and then add the sulphite and sorbate. At this stage, when I clean the carboy that the wine had been in, I always pour the sediment into a clean pitcher and rinse the cubes off (well), and put them back in with the wine to bulk age, and always have had good results with that.

I have seen oak rods that can be purchased... I'd like to experiment with those some time... I just can't seem to find them anymore in my area.

I sometimes hold back any provided oak cubes and use in bulk aging rather than secondary. Dust and shavings go in primary. If I do use the cubes in secondary I usually rinse and add back to the three weeks of clearing. My secondary is usually two weeks so that gives 5 weeks of cubes which I believe is all they can give. You can get oak spirals and staves via mail order.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Wine Making mobile app