merrydown > wrote:
>2) I have read a few past entries in this group saying that it is hard
>to tell much difference between some oak styles and methods. DO y ou
>need a very advanced nose to tell much difference between the French/
>Hungarian/US oaks and size of oak pieces (chips/beans/etc)? If not,
>maybe I should stop mithering and just use oak chips or try liquid
>oak.

I personally haven't been able to tell the difference
between French oak in various forms (cube, chips) and
Hungarian in chip form. Both added a pleasant round/smooth
vanilla character to mead. The US oak was a different matter
althogther, though I don't know what form the meadster used.
based on that one experience, and having tasted beer aged on
American oak, I wouldn't use it myself.
--

Joel Plutchak "They're not people, they're HIPPIES!"
$LASTNAME at VERYWARMmail.com - Eric Cartman