Can I put My Oak Cubes in a Muslin Bag,

[jguy898]

Or will the alcohol destroy the muslin material? With sanitized marbles as weights, what kind of bag can you, with out risk of tainting the mead, leave in a carboy full of high ABV mead?

Thanks,
Jonas

 

[Kershner_Ale]

I think you're fine using a muslin bag, never heard of alcohol leaking any bad tastes out of the fiber or destroying the bag.

 

[bob1852]

Why not just throw in the cubes? It's not like they are going to turn into mush...

 

[jguy898]

Why not just throw in the cubes? It's not like they are going to turn into mush...

Because they will just float. You need to submerse the cubes, in order to gain the full benefits of oak.

 

[bob1852]

Because they will just float. You need to submerse the cubes, in order to gain the full benefits of oak.

They will sink, right?

I haven't used cubes - but have used chips and spirals and they sink after they get meadlogged (that's code for water logged )

 

[jguy898]

They will sink, right?

I haven't used cubes - but have used chips and spirals and they sink after they get meadlogged (that's code for water logged )

They could, and I thought about it, but they float just long enough that they may allow any bacteria to manifest and colonize before sinking into the mead. Just being cautious!

Also, instead of racking off the cubes after only a week you can reach in with a long Sanitized hook and pull the bag out of the carboy with the cubes in it. So much easier than racking.

 

[bob1852]

They could, and I thought about it, but they float just long enough that they may allow any bacteria to manifest and colonize before sinking into the mead. Just being cautious!

Also, instead of racking off the cubes after only a week you can reach in with a long Sanitized hook and pull the bag out of the carboy with the cubes in it. So much easier than racking.

But what bacteria is going to be crazy enough to latch on to sanitized oak and try to multiply in ~15+% ABV mead?

I guess in my case (throw 'em in) - "the lazy man works twice as hard."

Since I either have to rack or fish them out....

 

[jguy898]

But what bacteria is going to be crazy enough to latch on to sanitized oak and try to multiply in ~15+% ABV mead?

I guess in my case (throw 'em in) - "the lazy man works twice as hard."

Since I either have to rack or fish them out....

Haha! well, to each his own, and I might just rack it off the oak, because I'll have to rack to finish clearing it anyway.

I know that any bacteria has it's work cut out for it in a 15% beverage, but as part of my job I use to pull out over 1,500 feet of ALGAE that grows inside of diesel fuel, and fuel oil, tanks. Life can grow anywhere

Did you know that there is a strain of bacteria that can infect Vodka, and still does? there is some crazy stuff out there.

Jonas

 

[bob1852]

"Life will find a way"

 

[jguy898]

"Life will find a way"

50 Points for the Jurassic Park reference!!

That's just awesome...:fro:

 

[Fathand]

I just oaked a mead with chips and here is what I did.

I dipped my muslin in sanitizer just to be safe but I agree with AZ_IPA that I feel the alcohol of the mead ought to prevent anything from taking hold.

Also I loaded the bag with 1 sanitized ball baring and it wasn't enough. It still floats so you might think about adding 2 or 3. Last I sanitized some fishing line and tied up the muslin bag and tied the end of the line to the neck of the carboy. My thinking is once I am happy with the oak flavor I can simply yank the oak out and not have to fiddle with trying to fish it out.