Oak spiral plan - please review

[jswordy]

Hey, I'm a hooch maker but I am going to use these medium toast American oak spirals I bought as an experiment one way or another. So I have this rose in first secondary made out of - well, nevermind, they were cheapo grape ingredients - that I am gonna oak.

Plan is to wait until the second racking so the heavy fruit lees are off it, then place 1 spiral in the 5-gallon carboy hanging from fish line for 6 weeks.

The package says 1 spiral for every 3 gallons. Meh, this way I don't run the risk of over-oaking my first attempt, right?

Well... right?

I am going to keep the other 5 gallons unoaked and "pristine" for a tashte tesht. Hic.

 

[Wade E]

They work nice and slow so either you can add it now and just transfer it when needed or wait until you get to aging it. You can tie a little pce of fishing string onto it and hang the string outside your carboy for easy extraction.

 

[PAwinedude]

Monitor!!!

Have used these spirals on many occasions....Regardless of toast level and type, you need to monitor and taste the wine after the 2 week point. If you leave it for six weeks without tasting your wine will be overoaked....food for thought...

 

[jswordy]

Have used these spirals on many occasions....Regardless of toast level and type, you need to monitor and taste the wine after the 2 week point. If you leave it for six weeks without tasting your wine will be overoaked....food for thought...

OK, that would actually suit my production sked better at 2 weeks. Worth it for the peace of mind. Thanks.

BTW, I saw a TV commercial for The Naked Grape wine. Their slogan is something like "It takes courage to go unoaked." Gee, I must have tons of that, then!