This last weekend I set up a semi-sweet and a dry mead based on 14.5lbs and 12lbs of Orange Blossom honey (not hard to find in Florida). I've had mead given to me (love still meads -and they seem to age rather well) and decided to take some of my beer fermenters (after thorough sanitation regimens that I always follow anyway) and give 'em a go.
Fermentation is proceeding nicely, no complaints and even the aromas coming from the airlocks are nice.
I figured that it would be a nice christmas gift for family and friends to have a bottle of this stuff (most of the family are wine drinkers, but they enjoy my beers -the mead is a surprise as they don't know I'm making it.)
My question is this: Once my gravity stabilizes and I rack to a secondary for clearing, I'd like to put some oak blocks into the carboys to give it an 'oak aged' effect. I have plenty of oak wood thats been seasoned (older than 6 months -I use it for smoking meats, grains, and to turn on the wood lathe when bored) -should I sanitize the oak blocks? Should I autoclave them instead?
Also, these are 5gallon batches, how much wood surface area should I put in? How long? They will be in the secondary for a couple of months (per instructions -this is based on the NorthernBrewer Artisanal meads) I figure on putting some finings (isinglass) in at the last couple of weeks before racking into bottles (unless, of course, it clears to my desire on its own)
If I can use my own Oak, that would be cool, but if I'm better off using homebrew shop purchased oak cubes -I'm not about to quibble. OR do y'all advise skipping the oak, and just letting the bottle do its' conditioning alone?
Many thanks for any advice!!
Fermentation is proceeding nicely, no complaints and even the aromas coming from the airlocks are nice.
I figured that it would be a nice christmas gift for family and friends to have a bottle of this stuff (most of the family are wine drinkers, but they enjoy my beers -the mead is a surprise as they don't know I'm making it.)
My question is this: Once my gravity stabilizes and I rack to a secondary for clearing, I'd like to put some oak blocks into the carboys to give it an 'oak aged' effect. I have plenty of oak wood thats been seasoned (older than 6 months -I use it for smoking meats, grains, and to turn on the wood lathe when bored) -should I sanitize the oak blocks? Should I autoclave them instead?
Also, these are 5gallon batches, how much wood surface area should I put in? How long? They will be in the secondary for a couple of months (per instructions -this is based on the NorthernBrewer Artisanal meads) I figure on putting some finings (isinglass) in at the last couple of weeks before racking into bottles (unless, of course, it clears to my desire on its own)
If I can use my own Oak, that would be cool, but if I'm better off using homebrew shop purchased oak cubes -I'm not about to quibble. OR do y'all advise skipping the oak, and just letting the bottle do its' conditioning alone?
Many thanks for any advice!!