Oak: Chips vs. Cubes
- Thread starter Neal
- Start date
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I don't use chips they suck. They are one dimensional.
Go here to learn. http://gotmead.com/blog/gotmead-live/8-29-17-ryan-carlson-oaking-mead/
Go here to learn. http://gotmead.com/blog/gotmead-live/8-29-17-ryan-carlson-oaking-mead/
I don't use chips they suck. They are one dimensional.
Go here to learn. http://gotmead.com/blog/gotmead-live/8-29-17-ryan-carlson-oaking-mead/
http://www.gotmead.com/forum/showthread.php/26346-Wood-management?highlight=Wood+management
Go here to learn. http://gotmead.com/blog/gotmead-live/8-29-17-ryan-carlson-oaking-mead/
http://www.gotmead.com/forum/showthread.php/26346-Wood-management?highlight=Wood+management
If you bought some chips and you really must use them you should stick to the lowest amount possible. In my experience you're not looking to actually taste the oak but just adding some complexity and mouthfeel which you can't really pinpoint. Unfortunately, if you check the link by darigoni you will read that chips could be made from leftover pieces of oak from anywhere. This oak might not have been matured the proper way for wine making like staves for a barrel. I have a bag of chips which I think came from such a source and it's MUCH worse than other chips I tried before. These chips are nigh unusable.
You might get to use some chips by combining a very small amount of chips with cubes, for example. If you're looking for 1 gram per litre of oak maybe you can get better results by using 0.8 grams of cubes and 0.2 grams of chips. The theory is that the chips will simply add some complexity over going full cubes. The link by darigoni also suggests blending oak varieties (American, Hungarian, French) and toast levels to what best suits you. Using two types of cubes will most likely be better so this advice is only if you really must use those oak chips
You might get to use some chips by combining a very small amount of chips with cubes, for example. If you're looking for 1 gram per litre of oak maybe you can get better results by using 0.8 grams of cubes and 0.2 grams of chips. The theory is that the chips will simply add some complexity over going full cubes. The link by darigoni also suggests blending oak varieties (American, Hungarian, French) and toast levels to what best suits you. Using two types of cubes will most likely be better so this advice is only if you really must use those oak chips
