Oak leaf wine?

[Goslin]

I saw a recipe over at Jack Kellers place for it and decided what the hey, I'll give it a try. Friday I gathered the fresh leaves from the tree in the back yard, it's a white oak some call it a water oak. It's the one with the pear shaped leaves. Any way I washed the leaves while still on the limbs and let them dry in the sun, then stripped off the leaves. Saturday I added about seven pints of leaves to a fermentation bucket and poured boiling water over them to steep. I also added a campden tablet just to be safe

.


Last night I drained off the juice and boiled it again so I could bottle it to saveit untilI'm ready to make the wine (I still need other ingredients) I tasted it today not too long ago and have to admit it seems like it would be pretty good once finished, it has a spicy smell to it and the only way I know how to describe the flavor is a light unsweetened fruit juice. The color is very light, clear green.


I've read over at Jacks place that he uses about ten young oak leaves to add tannin to a wine. So I'm wondering if making a wine from the leaves is really even safe, too much tannin can kill you. It basically tans your liver. But the taste wasn't bitter so I'm assuming there is not that much tannin in it.


Any one ever tried this?Edited by: Goslin

 

[greenbean]

Goslin if it had a pear shaped leaf, it is a water oak. I white oak has bigger leaves and a rough sometimes flakey bark.While a water oak has a smaller leaf generaly darker green with 2 to 3 shallow lobes. It also has a tight bark.

The top is a water oak leaf the bottom is a whit oak leaf.


ChrisEdited by: greenbean

 

[Goslin]

Yeah it's a water oak I looked it up. Thanks though.

Well, I just put together a gallon and a half batch of oak leaf wine. I
would never have imagined you could do this but I have to admit after
mixing the ingredients together it's really pretty good. except for one
thing I added my own ingredient (the smallest pinch of cinnimon)and
wish I hadn't, because now it tastes just like apple pie

.



Once finished it should be interesting to say the least.



--Rick

 

[greenbean]

Let me know how it turns out. I had thought about doing it but couldn't get up the nerve.

Chris

 

[Goslin]

Will do Chris and so far it's off to a very slow start, I can't figure
out why because everything tested well and the nessesary adjustments
were made. I got a bad feeling about this one. I was thinking about
making a five gallon batch too because the juice before the cinnimon
was really good. I pitched a little more yeast to maybe help it along.
I should know by sunrise if it's going to take off or not.



--Rick

 

[greenbean]

What kind of yeast did you use?


Chris

 

[Goslin]

Lavlin 1118, I'm thinking it's the temperature it's been cool lately
and I've not been useing the heat. The temp of the must is 68 degrees,
I'm going to add some heat to bring it up to around 74. That should do
it. I hope it does anyway. Then again It could be working as it should,
my only experience is with raisin wine and it's very easy to see and
hear when it's working. I've got a very thin layer of foam and a barely
perceptable amount of CO2. Tonight will be twos day so if it going to
do any thing nows the time for it to take off.
Edited by: Goslin

 

[Goslin]

Ok it finally took off I can hear it bubbling now. Last night I stirred
in some calcium carbonate to lower the acid which has been a big
problem for me, this morning the yeasty boys are having a party.
So now I really don't know if it was the heat, the stirring(added
oxygen) or the calium carbonate.

When I can I'm going to make a five gallon batch for now I need more supplies.

The next batch should turn out good now that I'm getting the acid
testing tuned in. But then again a little extra acid will add to the
shelf life so it's not that bad a thing and it will precipitate out of
it while ageing, the crystals stuck to the sides of the bottle may not
look so good but the wine it self will be fine.

 

[Hippie]

I totally concur, although I cannot see myself making oak leaf wine anytime soon.

 

[RAMROD]

What did it taste like before the Cinnamon?

 

[Goslin]

Humm what did it taste like? I would have to say green apples only
without the tartness, it was kind of flat. It's a very light flavor not
over powering at all. Green would probably be a key word here. But the
flavor IS good and I think would make a very good light dry wine.

 

[Goslin]

Update.

The oak leaf wine never really took off. There was to much acid in it. It was a good flavor so I'll try it again some time.

Lightning hit my phone line here which is why I haven't posted lately,
actually it got hit twice in the last month. I've replaced two modems
here just recently.

 

[greenbean]

Sorry to hear that it sort of floped.


Chris