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

> 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.

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

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

> 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?

Yes, they should.

Ben

On 28 Feb 2005 07:45:51 -0800, "Monte" >
wrote:

> Two Questions:
>
> 1) Should the chips be toasted first before the boiling or after?

What is the boiling for?

> 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.

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.

> Thanks,
> Greg

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"Monte" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>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
>
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

"Monte" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>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
>
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

"Ray Calvert" > wrote in message
. com...
> 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 suspect that oak is not a good thing in most country wines, with the
possible exception of blackberry.

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:
> "Ray Calvert" > wrote in message
> . com...
> > 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 suspect that oak is not a good thing in most country wines, with
the
> possible exception of blackberry.
>
> 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:
> "Ray Calvert" > wrote in message
> . com...
> > 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 suspect that oak is not a good thing in most country wines, with
the
> possible exception of blackberry.
>
> Tom S

Tom S wrote:
> "Ray Calvert" > wrote in message
> . com...
>
>>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 suspect that oak is not a good thing in most country wines, with the
> possible exception of blackberry.
>
> Tom S
>
>
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)

> 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

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

> 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

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

>
> 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
>
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