Some interesting info about using Oak, especially in meads but also other wines etc......

Oskaars Gotmead thread here. Medsen Fey's link in the original Gotmead thread, to the "Oak influence on Making and Maturing Wine" from Wine business monthly mag - it seems you have to be a registered member, but that seems to be a free registration - I'm just off to do that while I'm posting these links....... A barrel supplier in the US, that Medsen has posted a link to..... Another of Medsens links to the "Art of Oak" in "wines and vines" - it's a 2 part article, and the second part is found here..... Iowa State University site link about oak ageing red wine, but the info is also relevant to meads when it comes to some of the detail on oak/wood extraction. Again, linked originally in the Gotmead thread by Medsen. This one is about making barrels for Jim Beam - it's a youtube vid posted in the GM thread by afdoty. It's an overview of barrel making. Another article posted by Medsen about oak etc..... Another "supplier" type liink taken from the GM thread. This one is from "New World Wine Maker and deals with using oak chips etc, again, originally posted by Medsen...... This one is one that Medsen attached at Gotmead. It's in the original thread linked above, but I'm trying to get as many of the links here, as it's amazing that the benefits oak can bring to meads etc danr posted this, it seems it's from morewine, their oak information sheet. Ok, so that's about it for links from that thread (the first one linked at the top). I have viewed them all, and hopefully remembered to credit everyone necessary. I want to post the info as it's a good reminder for me to read up (again) about this. I'm not sure if it's ok to just cut and paste the info into a new page/document here, even with full credits etc. I've tried where possible to point the links toward the original locations etc. Either way, it's all pretty interesting stuff (it is to me anyway) and hopefully explains enough info so if you're thinking of using oak for a batch, you'll be able to decide what and how you want to use it, and in what form (dust, shavings, chips, cubes, staves, spirals, etc etc etc).

a link that was posted over at gotmead.....

a good link originally posted by Doug (I think), about paring meads with food.

Useful drums/containers......

Last week, I was looking around ebay as I needed something for water storage. The intention is to recycle rain water. I have a reverse osmosis filter, to be self sufficient in the "softest" water I can manage. I say soft water, in the sense that it will be low in calcium/magnesium salts as I can manage (our local water is medium/high in calcium as the area sits on a thick strata of chalk). The RO filter isn't strictly necessary but should keep other elements picked up in the rain i.e. the stuff that is atmospheric and makes "acid" rain, out of the supply - will not entirely but to low enough levels not to be an issue. We have a water meter on the mains supply into the house, so presuming that with the RO filter, only about 20 to 25% of water in, makes it through the membrane in the filter, it would be prohibitively expensive to use mains water, hence recycling rain. I don't need huge amounts, so the 30 gallons a day capacity of the filter should be fine. I want it for home brewing and "erindoors" will benefit as it's good for her orchids too - no residual chlorine build up in the plants, which is known to be an issue with utility water.

These drums are what I found. A very good price at £9 each, though the chap who was selling only does them as "collect in person". So yesterday was a 2 hour round trip to get them. They still work out cheaper than other options like that. They are food grade and were used for Olives in brine originally. The labels list olives, water, salt and tartaric acid as an acidifier, so should be easily washed out. about 220 to 225 litre capacity. Very good quality. All I've to do now is to get one of them set up to a down pipe from the shed guttering. I've bought a few pumps so that I can run the RO filter and then move the water round without the hassle of trying to move them when they're full (they'd be about a quarter tonne full). Ha! I could even likely use them as fermenters if I wanted too, but I don't routinely make batches that size as they'd be costly, and given that I don't have a commercial license, I'll give that a miss for now........

Aaaaarrrrrggggghhhhhh !

What is it with "some" new makers, who seem to think that just reading instructions, posts, or other guidance, that that is all they have to do to answer questions etc ? I'm thinking of one particular, new contributor - at an unnamed forum. The forum is peopled with users who're brilliant. Some of them have encyclopaedic knowledge about making meads. Not only do they have mega-extensive knowledge of the making, they are some of the most helpful fountains of knowledge I've experienced. Yet this particular n00b, arrives, makes one batch and starts giving it the "know it all" shit. When all it confirms is that this particular prick knows how to read and how to use search ! You've been making meads for 10 fucking minutes ! WTF do you know, other than what you've gleaned from reading other peoples advice, guidance and/or suggestions ? Not a fucking lemon! When you've been making an average of 30 gallons per annum (that means "a year" you naive, whining prick), for 9 or 10 years, with all the added shit that goes with that i.e. sourcing certain ingredients, testing, tasting, measuring etc, then maybe I'll lay off, making corrections - to both your dumb comments, your shitty attitude and your lack of manners/netiquette, in respect of others....... Until then, shut the fuck up. Make some batches. Respect is earned and not yours by right - that's the kind of attitude of a naive, whining kid.......... If you do, per chance, have some hidden expertise, then that's great. Don't make such fatuous comments as is currently the case.... You know who you are..... you complete fuckwit.......