12 replies to this topic

[Jeff D]

We started one of these kits over the weekend and it has three bags of oak chips in it. I was wondering if any of you have done one of these and do they all have three bags of oak or did they put to many in the kit.

Thanks

Jeff

[Mikewine]

Hi Jeff
I recently made an International Selections Austlaralian Cab/Shiraz kit and it came with 4 pouches of oak 2 toasted and 2 non-toasted.why do you think there are too many?
Just my .02 cents
Mike

[Jeff D]

Mike

Well the other kits we have made had two bags at the most, they all seam to be the same kind of oak so it seamed a little mutch to me. Mike the Cab/shiraz you made did you use all of them or tosted or the other? I like oak but this one We were going to add the oak in the secondary and leave it for three months or so, tell me what you think.

Jeff

[John Hogg]

I did the 2002 BK Limited Edition Sangiovese/Cab ("Super Tuscan") just this past Dec. and it had 3 bags of toated oak.
So it's probably ok.

[P Cuthbert]

Hi all;

They company BK uses a generic instruction sheet for all the kits of a class. It is my understanding that "If they include it, You should use it".

When adding the oak, I will put the oak into boiling water for a few minutes before adding it to my must. This helps to release the flavours of the oak and it will permeate the wine better.

Hope this helps;

Pat

[Hippie]

3 months is the correct amount of time to leave 3oz. of oak beans in 6 gallons red wine, but I don't know about oak chips as I only use them in primary. I also boil them first and add the water with. I think chips impart flavor quicker because of the greater surface area.

[Mikewine]

Hi Jeff
I would put all three bags into the boiling water like pat and and Glenvall recommend and after the water cools down would add this all to the primary fermenter and rack to your secondary as the instructions detail. Also in response to your question I added all 4 bags "I likes me oak"
hope this helps, Mike

good luck and let us know how it turns out

[Seb]

Most of the flavours obtained from oak chips is get in less than 5 days. After that you will only get few more flavors and a bit of tannin. This is due to the greater surface area as tell by Glenvall. Oak Bean ( www.stavin.com ) is far more better but need a minimum of 2 month to extract their fines and complex flavours, 3 month is what i use and get very good results. Everytime i found oak chips bag in a kit i swith them with the stavin, it gives a real "barrel alternative". You can read an article about that in the current issue of "Winemaker Magazine".

Séb

[Hippie]

Seb, I am going to leave the beans in for 4 months in my next red that I will be starting soon. I use 25 beans per gallon wine.

[Jeff D]

Well I added all the oak last night had to make a decesion the SG is droping fast. Boiled it in some water for quite a while and cooled it down the kitchen smels like a winery, I love it.

Jeff

[Seb]

Hey Glenvall, do you know how many oz per 5 gal. carboy 25 beans could give ? I personnaly use 2 oz per 5 Gal. carboy wich is the Stavin recommendation. I will try them in my Brew King Port wine for the next 4 months but at half the regular dozage.

I really like the result compare to oak barrel wine.

Séb

[Hippie]

I am right there with you, SEB. I like alot of oak in ports myself. I think 25 beans is right at 3oz. I am a big fan of oak. I have only been using the American oak beans because they are cheaper and come form Missouri oak which is close to me. When I run out of them, I will try the French, and after that, the Hungarian. I buy them in bulk. Alot of wineries here and in France and Italy are using the beans in their oak barrels that no longer impart flavor. Go figure, how ironic is that?

[Seb]

Hungarian is quite similar in taste than the french but the french has more complex aromas. The Hungarian is cheaper than the french. Sometimes i use a mix of american and french with very good results. I prefer to buy the 8 Oz bag as it comes in a sealed bag that keeps all the freshness of the oak beans. My wife and I really like the oak in any wine. That's really fun to be able to make all that experiments. I hope that i could add a micro-oxygenation system to a SS tank to see if it's even closer to a barrel! Maybe in late 2004 with a blend i will made. I will buy my first SS tank in april, I found a really good place in Canada to buy it...

Bye, Séb