Oak Spirals

[clawrence111]

Maybe this has already been addressed and I've just missed it, if so please excuse the repeat.


I've recently acquired some oak spirals and want to know what I need to do to prepare them for use. Everything that comes in contact with the wine should be cleaned and sanitized. Does this apply to oak spirals too?


When is the preferred time to use these. I have some wine that I have been bulk aging for about 4 months. Is it too late to add a little extra oak. there were oak chips in the kit during primary fermentation but I think I might actually like a little more infusion but don't want to mess something up.


any hints, advice, experience?


Thanks,
Craig

 

[Wade E]

Ive never done anything as far as sanitizing with oak myself. I just make sure my S02 levels are proper.

 

[clawrence111]

Thanks Wade.


So do you think adding oak at this stage would be ok? I plan on keeping the wine in the carboy until early June before bottling.


I might add the oak earlier on my next kit but since every kit I've done so far is different, I am never sure if experimentation is a good thing or not. Maybe need to do two identical kits where I do one strictly by instructions and experiment on the other.


All the kits say bulk aging is optional but they never give advice on how it should be done for the particular kits.

 

[ibglowin]

Not too late and no need to sanitize like Wade has said, just taste along the way. Spirals are a big dose of oak for 6 gallons so taste every few weeks on these!

 

[clawrence111]

thanks guys = great help

 

[Wade E]

Actually using a product like cubes, staves, or spirals I prefer to use while bulk aging. With dust or chips you really want to do that in primary as they have a greater surface area and give off their oak very fast and tend to make a mess so racking off and leaving this behind is preferred. Oak flavor is better pulled out when alcohol is there also so doing so after fermentation is done works best.

 

[vcasey]

I don't do anything more then drop the spiral in the carboy. Before you do taste the wine, if you want more oak add 1 spiral, then taste each week and remove the oak when you're happy with the results. I only suggest this if you used the oak in the kit because it's really easy to add things like oak or other spices but really hard to take it out if you over do and end up with too much.

 

[tonyt]

Wife and I are both Oak Monsters so I almost always add additional oak. You don't say what kind of wine you are making, some handle more oak than others. If yours is a big red, Cab or Syrah or such with only chips in primary I can see adding both spirals now, tasting every week. Sometimes I add one spiral if the kit comes with substantial oak (cubes or staves). And other times I add two spirals. You will find that the American and French spirals taste quite differently. I have actually played with mixing them.

Be sure to tie some fishing line or dental floss to them for easy retrieval.
Welcome to the forum, lots of fine folks here.

 

[clawrence111]

This kit is a Mosti Mondiale Cabernet/Shiraz. I am expecting a great wine and it doesn't taste bad, but not as oaky as I might like. I will follow advice and taste it as the spiral sits there until I think I have what I am looking for.
Are these spirals reusable? I so, how should they be processed between uses?

 

[Wade E]

If you use them in for a few weeks they will have very little use after that.

 

[tonyt]

The wrapper on mine says "extraction is complete in 6 weeks" And I hate throwing them away but I can't think of a thing to do with the used spirals.

 

[ibglowin]

Um ever heard of BBQ!

The wrapper on mine says "extraction is complete in 6 weeks"  And I hate throwing them away but I can't think of a thing to do with the used spirals.  

 

[tonyt]

Um ever heard of BBQ!

Darn . . . why didn't you tell me that about 20 spirals ago. Spent all day Saturday smoking Ribs, and beer can Chicken.

 

[clawrence111]

bbq sound like a great idea. a little oak and wine flavoring from the smoke. Thanks

 

[Waldo]

They also make very nice suet sticks for the birds in the winter.

 

[ibglowin]

Soak em in water and add to a hot fire just before you put the steaks or whatever on the grill.

I let mine dry out for a few days then put them in a zip lock with the top open for a while. Otherwise you risk mold growing on them unless they are completely dried out. Pull out a baggie as you need em.

 

[Scott B]

Mike - What a great Idea!!


What about instead of drying them out, justwashing them off andpop them in a zip lock bag and putting them in a freezer. When you need them, no presoaking needed. Just out of the freezer and on to the fire.

 

[tonyt]

Mike - What a great Idea!!


What about instead of drying them out, justwashing them off andpop them in a zip lock bag and putting them in a freezer. When you need them, no presoaking needed. Just out of the freezer and on to the fire.

+1 Scott, knows his Texas Q.

 

[ibglowin]

Should work, I rinse mine a bit just to get the fines that have settled on them, they are sort of a a gooey mess if you don't!

Mike - What a great Idea!! 
 
What about instead of drying them out, just washing them off and pop them in a zip lock bag and putting them in a freezer. When you need them, no presoaking needed. Just out of the freezer and on to the fire.