Oak Chips

Oak Chips

Grape and Granary provides oak chips to home winemakers which allows them control the flavors of oak in their red and white wine fermentations without the need for a Wine Barrel. Our oak chips are toasted in the same traditional way that wine barrels are toasted. Unlike Oak cubes, chips offer faster flavor extraction (often full flavor extraction can be obtained within a few weeks).

Oak chips can be added directly to Carboys or Small Barrels. At first they will float. After a week they will sink to the bottom of the bulk aging vessel. We recommend 3-4 ounces of oak chips per 5 gallons of red wine or 2 oz per 5 gallons of white wine. Wine should be tasted on a regular basis and racked off the oak when the desired flavors and aromas are extracted. Oak chips may be put directly inside the bulk aging vessel or can be put inside a Infusion Tube to help with quick removal. It is not necessary to sanitize oak chips.

Using Oak Chips also aids in the stabilization of color in the finished wine and helps cross-link Tannins which builds structure in the wine. Grape and Granary stocks French and American oak chips in a variety of sizes convenient for home wineamakers.

Contact Us if you have questions about any of our oak chips.