Oak cubes in Keg - To float... or to sink...

[canofworms]

Getting ready to throw 2oz of medium plus american oak cubes, well soak in Makers, into a keg of American Brown. Putting them in a sanitized hop bag. Have read some people say toss some marbles in to sink the bag. Any opinions on letting it float or adding some weight to get it to the bottom?

 

[Mashaca]

Getting ready to throw 2oz of medium plus american oak cubes, well soak in Makers, into a keg of American Brown. Putting them in a sanitized hop bag. Have read some people say toss some marbles in to sink the bag. Any opinions on letting it float or adding some weight to get it to the bottom?

Hi, I'm looking for the answer to that question as well.

I wonder if it sits in wine for 3 months, will it ever sink?

 

[kh54s10]

I have done a couple of wines and a beer with oak chips. One wine had the chips loose. I stirred them gently until soaked. I would say the majority was still floating at the end. The other wine had the chips in a pack. I held it under with a sanitized spoon until it was thoroughly soaked. I did the same with the beer. The beer turned out a bit too oaked.

 

[shoengine]

Here is one perspective:

https://www.morebeer.com/content/using_oak_in_beer

 

[Mashaca]

I have done a couple of wines and a beer with oak chips. One wine had the chips loose. I stirred them gently until soaked. I would say the majority was still floating at the end. The other wine had the chips in a pack. I held it under with a sanitized spoon until it was thoroughly soaked. I did the same with the beer. The beer turned out a bit too oaked.

Thank you so much for the reply. I'm finding that oak powder and oak chips are not strong enough to my liking of oak level taste in my wine. I'll now be experimenting with cubes for bulk-aging.

 

[Mashaca]

Shoengine,

Thank you so much for the link to the article! This is precisely what I was looking for. I've ordered qty-7 3.5oz packs of French and American oak cubes of different toast levels. Looking forward to finding out how these will enhance the wine over a few months in the carboy. The article gives many tips on how to use them and what to expect from them. Very interesting.

The answer to my original question is then that:

Most (if not all) cubes will sink to the bottom over time. This works for me since I don't want all the cubes to be gathered at the neck of the carboy for 3 months.

 

[shoengine]

Make sure to report back as to your experience. That could help corroborate the info in the article. I don't make wine currently, but as my wife is gluten intolerant, it is going to happen.

 

[Bullshivit-brew]

I just let them float