Oaking alternative

[tcavan01]

Has anyone ever oaked their wine with sassafras instead of oak?

 

[GreginND]

I'm not sure how you would oak a wine without oak. I would be curious how a sassafrassed wine would taste.

 

[Bartman]

Never heard of that one before. Other woods can be used to 'oak' wines, but none impart the same 'flavor' and other positive attributes that oak does. Traditional Greek wine (Retsina) uses pine resin to create a certain astringency (personally, I dislike it, but some appreciate it). Other locally-available woods have been used to make barrels over the centuries, but oak is widely accepted as the best - really, the only one to use. Where does one obtain sassafras in any quantity? I would expect it to impart a root beer-ish flavor which sounds not good.
To answer your question, I doubt anyone here has used sassafras root, but I suppose it's not impossible. Is there a reason you are trying to avoid oak, or do you just have some sassafras root on hand and have no other use for it?

 

[DoctorCAD]

Wouldn't that be sasafrasing your wine instead of oaking it?

 

[tcavan01]

sassafras

I have a bit of sassafras behind the house. Jack Keller has a receipe for sasszfras wine. He says it is very good. I just wondered what a little sassafras flavor would be like in a wine.

 

[robie]

I have a bit of sassafras behind the house. Jack Keller has a receipe for sasszfras wine. He says it is very good. I just wondered what a little sassafras flavor would be like in a wine.

There is only one way to find out! Try it and let us all know how it turns out.

 

[jswordy]

Ever had sassafras tea? I imagine it will be something like that. Keller also has a wine recipe using oak leaves - I'd like to try that someday.

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

I have a grove of sassafras on the edge of my vineyard, if you are not so lucky to have some growing near by, I stock it in the store: http://71.18.225.134/index.php?route=product/product&path=17_96&product_id=477

 

[GrandpasFootsteps]

I have a grove of sassafras on the edge of my vineyard, if you are not so lucky to have some growing near by, I stock it in the store: http://71.18.225.134/index.php?route=product/product&path=17_96&product_id=477

This link goes to a Sarsaparilla product, not Sassafras. Both are commonly used in the making of root beer. Sarsaparilla is used more commonly now because of the prohibitions against Sassafras. I would like to get some fresh Sassafras root someday. Maybe I could plant a tree.