Oak chips ?

[pvt_ak]

So - having followed a Roddy recipe using oak chips I've become a little fascinated as I do think they add depth.


French oak chips to be precise - so a couple of questions :

1- Who else has experimented with oak chips.
2- What other oak chips are out there and what's the difference ?

Yours truly [emoji106]


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[dad_of_jon]

So - having followed a Roddy recipe using oak chips I've become a little fascinated as I do think they add depth.


French oak chips to be precise - so a couple of questions :

1- Who else has experimented with oak chips.
2- What other oak chips are out there and what's the difference ?

Yours truly [emoji106]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

did a muntons kit - aged oak ale - with chips, not too shabby

I did find them a bit fiddly to filter out, but that was when I was just starting out, it's worth revisiting them.

 

[JFB]

I've just pitched some into a flanders red ale for the first time, sadly its going to be about twelve months before trying so cant comment to much!
I did read however not to use American chips(for beer) as there to over powering.
I brought mine up to the boil for sterilizing before and a lot of colour and smell came out. Not sure if this was necessary and hope I've not ruined them.

 

[pvt_ak]

I've just pitched some into a flanders red ale for the first time, sadly its going to be about twelve months before trying so cant comment to much!
I did read however not to use American chips(for beer) as there to over powering.
I brought mine up to the boil for sterilizing before and a lot of colour and smell came out. Not sure if this was necessary and hope I've not ruined them.

I used my French oak in wine - pitched in at start per instructions so don't think need a pre boil. [emoji15]


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[JFB]

I used my French oak in wine - pitched in at start per instructions so don't think need a pre boil. [emoji15]


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I'm sure your wright, never herd of wine barrels being boiled I just read it somewhere and followed suit like a blind sheep:lol:

 

[Tau]

I used my French oak in wine - pitched in at start per instructions so don't think need a pre boil. [emoji15]


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Oak chps are good and add great depth to reds and even add to some whites. In a few weeks when the young oak leaves come out , pick two litres boiling water over strain, add sugar and white grape juice or concentrate, leave after ferment for 6 months an excellent white wine. Old oak leaves have much more tannin and need longer before drinking.

French medium is prefered for white, dark roast for reds. Not tried american oak, if you have tree in the garden suggest make use of it.

P.s. also good for roof beams and building ships lol

 

[Rincewind]

I tried adding Oak chips to a red wine (made from red grape juice) Earlier last year (I used sawdust from an oak tree in my garden) I'm still waiting for it to clear......

 

[engineer]

Tried French and American could not detect any difference, in fact some kits seem to come with Oak powder (saw dust) rather than chips - very odd.

 

[pvt_ak]

Think I'll whack on a white wine and try oak chipping [emoji106]


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[Chippy_Tea]

I know members use French and American oak chips and i am sure i have read that you shouldn't use English oak chips but i cannot remember why.

 

[VillageBrew]

Not tried in wine. Just dropped an Innis & Gunn clone into cask, after adding oak chips to secondary fermenter for 2 weeks. Has the exact same vanilla edge to it - just what I was after
I used Jim Bean bbq oak chips, dropped in a jar and topped up with cheap bourbon for a few days before adding to the beer. I poured the bourbon in and then dropped the chips inside a hip sock into the fermenter.
Now waiting impatiently for it to condition...

 

[tonyhibbett]

English (common) oak is considered too harsh for wine. French and American oaks are specific varieties, not simply common oaks that grow in those countries. I have used both and didn't notice any difference. Oak chips come in various forms, from virtual sawdust to small cubes. Ideally, red wine should be matured in oak casks. Due to the porous nature of wood, the wine slowly breathes oxygen as water evaporates and air is sucked in to replace it. The wine in contact with the oak slowly becomes smoother as a result of changes in the tannin content and the flavour changes. After initial racking, the wine is transferred to casks without fining. A fairly small deposit of yeast slowly reacts with the cleared wine and improves the flavour. Finally the wine is bottled, where further improvements take place. Simply adding a handful of oak chips per gallon during fermentation has little or no effect. However adding about 15 g per gallon of red wine and allowing it to clear naturally does make a positive difference if no cask is available, but the slow breathing will not occur. This can be simulated by periodically racking, rinsing the yeast out of the chips and putting them back. After bottling, the wine should be left undisturbed for the final maturation process to complete. Wine matures better in bulk, so 5 gallons will give a better result than 1. A new 20 litre oak cask, complete with bung, stand and tap will set you back about £100, little more than the cost of a 5 litre cask, which I do not recommend due to the faster rate of evaporation.