Oaking in Tertiary - options

Winemaking
1

I have six gallons split to two 3 gallon carboys for final aging. Both had oak cubes in the six gallon secondary, but only for a few weeks (none in the primary). I added new cubes to one tertiary. I’m going to add half of the oak chips that came with the kit to the other 3 gallon carboy for comparison.
I have both muslin and nylon hop bags to choose from. Is one a better choice than the other?
Also wondering about making an oak tea instead, by oaking like wine (or a portion of this carboy) in a 1 gallon jug, and blending it in at bottling time for the second carboy. Thoughts?

  • Dave
2

If you go the oak tea route, be sure to add it in small increments (being careful about oxidation and sanitation) and taste the result after each addition…it’s very easy to overdo the oak… Many otherwise excellent beers have been ruined by a cloying oak character. As for me, I would just use the cubes and carefully monitor the contact time.

3

I would just add the cubes.