1. Home
  2. Winemaking Craft Forum
  3. Oak Chip Toasting

Oak Chip Toasting

I have been making fruit wine for some time but never added oak. So I bought some untoasted French oak chips to try it but I am a bit confused.

Jack Keller indicates on his web site (as opposed to his post last year about making oak essence with Everclear) that chips should be boiled for 10 minutes or so to remove harsh tannins before use.

Two Questions:

1) Should the chips be toasted first before the boiling or after?

2) I boiled some and then toasted them for 15 minutes at 350. They smelled nice while cooking but now they have no toast smell at all. Should chips retain the toast smell after they cool?

Would appreciate any advice that veterans could give.

Thanks, Greg

Reply to
Monte
Loading thread data ...

It's unusual to boil them at all - you're taking out of them a lot of what you *want*!

Yes, they should.

Ben

Reply to
benrotter

What is the boiling for?

Since I have never brewed anything, my advice is utterly worthless. However! I would not boil the oak chips, and I would toast the chips until they just started to burn on their sharp edges.

Reply to
Desertphile, American Patriot

I will let Jack comment on his recipe. I have always used chips directly rather than as essence. BUT, a word of caution. I like oaked red wines, red grape wines, and I use a lot of oak in them. But my experiments with fruit wines have not worked out well. I have found that I really do not care for oak in any of the country wines I have tried it in and I have made a lot. I am not suggesting you not do it but I would suggest you try some small batches, maybe 1 gal., first, to see if you like it. I really thought that cherry would be an ideal candidate for oak since I like oaked reds. Did not like it at all.

Ray

Reply to
Ray Calvert

I suspect that oak is not a good thing in most country wines, with the possible exception of blackberry.

Tom S

Reply to
Tom S

I never boil them either and would agree they just don't seem to work (for me) in country wines. I make more wine from grapes so am not an authority.

Joe

Tom S wrote:

country wines

Reply to
Joe Sallustio

I was thinking of adding a touch of oak to the next batch of elderflower I do. Any thoughts? (I make it dry with a bit of apple and lime)

Reply to
alien

Ray:

I have a batch of cherry wine that I also wanted to oak because I had read that cherry was the closest to real grape wine (Jack Keller had mentioned it in his recipe). I might just try a gallon of it oaked to see for myself - was going to do the whole 5 gallons.

Thanks, Greg

Reply to
Monte

Remember that we all have different tastes. I was voicing my opinion. But if you do oak some or all of you cherry and do not like it, all is not lost. It blends very nicely with a good red grape wine and then the oak is really appreciated.

I respect everything that Jack does and says but my own opinion is that dewberry or blackberry is closer to red wine than cherry. Once again, IMHO. I have never tried oaking it but it might work out ok.

Ray

Reply to
Ray Calvert

DrinksForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.