On Feb 18, 2:04*pm, wrote:
On Feb 18, 10:08*am, Wayne Harris wrote:

...
I know its good practice to boil corks prior to using, *so, *before i
add the cubes, should i boil them to kill off any bad critters?

You may inadvertently start a religious debate with those questions
and assumptions.

First, many don't boil corks, myself included. I almost always soak
them in a sulfite solution just prior to using, but that's a personal
preference of mine. Many wine makers don't take any extra steps at all
and simply insert them dry.

Regarding the oak cubes... I used to soak mine in a sulfite solution
but recently I stopped doing that. I do make sure, however, to add
sulfites when I add the oak cubes. Some home wine makers do boil their
oak cubes and chips, but this is all just a matter of habit and
preference. If you've maintained adequate sulfite levels, no extra
steps should be necessary. Keep in mind that if you do decide to boil
them it will greatly reduce the oak flavor imparted on the wine; some
flavor will be lost to the water.

Greg

I seem to have a knack for finding verbal landmines and stepping right
on them.

Thanks for the response.