Yeah I know, its like "how long is a piece of string?" but I'm after a rough guide to start with.
I'm currently experimenting with the following oaking options for straight corn UJSM (mix of up to 6 gens) @ 65% X 5litre demijohns:
1- 2 toasted american oak sticks (raw offcuts from cooper, cut roughly with axe into stick size bits to fit into neck of bottle, toasted in little pizza oven at 220 degrees for around 3 hours)
2- 2 toasted recycled french oak wine staves cut into sticks (retoasted as above)
3- 3 toasted american oak
4- Combo 2 ao, 1 french oak
5 - 2 toasted plus charred on bbq grille american oak
6 - 2 toasted plus charred recyled french oak stave sticks...
I'm up to around 21 days on oak for bottles 1-4 and around 14 days for 5,6.
The colour varies from light straw(bottle 1) to light amber/slight reddish (bottle 5/6).
Ive tasted bottle one watered down to around 40% with cola and its got a nice nose and taste, as has bottle 5.
Now there is colour and definite oaky / vanillas from the oak do I remove it, or do I wait some more?
I have heard if you wait too long you can over oak and its crap, hence why I didn't overload the sticks inititally.
comments or opinions anyone?