ozzie oak??

[lawnman 2]

i was reading a bunnings catologe (bunnings is a huge hardware store chains in aust)
and i noticed oz oak got me thinking if i could cut this up into my own sticks via a bandsaw or simmula
waht my query is would i get the same oak flavour like american oak?
would this have been treated with any chemicals....dosnt say treated as we can buy treated pine so white ants dont eat it.
and would it be safe to use as an oaking process?
any feed back would be great cheers aaron

regarding the treated question i dont want to ask them at bunnings and tell them what im using it for as its illegal and dont want
to incriminate my self so i thought the best and safe way would to put it up on here.
i asked my local brew shop owner and she couldnt realy advise me.

[HookLine]

If ya talking about Tassie oak, it ain't that kind of oak, not even actually an oak. There are no native oaks in Australia, though some introduced oaks.

Tassie 'oak' it is a great building and furniture wood, makes excellent window and door frames and trim.

I'd be careful of using native Aussie woods, a lot of our species contain toxic oils, etc.

It is a good question if there are any native Aussie woods that can be used for ageing and flavouring. There are a number of fruits and seeds that could work, such as native citrus and peppers, various fruits/berries/plums etc, and lightly roasted Acacia fimbriata seeds (if you can get them).

One native fruit I would love to get my hands on is Pouteria sericea, which is only found in tropical northern Australia and is said by all who have tried it to be one of the tastiest fruits going. But I have only seen 4-5 trees and have yet to see even one actually in fruit, let alone taste the fruit, and I have been looking for them for nearly 15 years.

[theholymackerel]

Most woods that an experienced meat smoker would use to smoke meat will work for agin' spirits.

Not all though... if ya don't believe me try agin' some booze on mesquite. It'll curl yer hair.

Try fruit woods first as they usually work well.

[lawnman 2]

thanks for the feed back i think ill stick to american oak and use what the brew shop has to sell i guess.

[HookLine]

American or French oak are the industry standards.

[blanikdog]

Yairss, what hook said. Tassie oak is just another name for marketing Mountain Ash.

[muckanic]

regarding the treated question i dont want to ask them at bunnings and tell them what im using it for as its illegal and dont want
to incriminate my self so i thought the best and safe way would to put it up on here.

Oaking a home-made chardonnay is hardly illegal. The main question to resolve is whether you really need virgin wood, eg, in order to make an authentic bourbon. Otherwise, cut up a wine barrel. You might even find that the stave interiors haven't been leached too much.

[blanikdog]

thanks for the feed back i think ill stick to american oak and use what the brew shop has to sell i guess.

Why not go to one of the WA wineries and see if you can grab a few old barrel staves. It works for me.

blanik

[tracker0945]

Coopers usually have off-cuts available.

Cheers.

[blanikdog]

Coopers usually have off-cuts available.

Cheers.

An even better idea, tracker. 10/10

blanik

[lawnman 2]

thanks for the feed back i think ill stick to american oak and use what the brew shop has to sell i guess.

Why not go to one of the WA wineries and see if you can grab a few old barrel staves. It works for me.

blanik

yes was thinking about that we surely have a few over here thats for sure.
i might go and see if i can buy a half a barell.

[bronzdragon]

I've had good luck with American White Oak and Sugar Maple. I know that French Oak is used for wine barrels so that should be ok also. I have a friend that has had good luck with Water Oak or Live Oak.

I agree that you should always ask if wood is treated before you purchase it for this purpose. It is just a technical question, no explanation involved...just ask if the wood is treated with anything. If they say anything other then, "nope, it's just kiln dried wood." Then it's probably best to go elsewhere.

I've had great luck on ebay. There are mills that sell all types of wood pieces, small enough to stick into a jug, at great prices. The trick is finding one in your general area so you don't pay too much in shipping cost.

Another idea is if there is a mill in your area that makes furniture or wood flooring. Scraps would be easy to come by.

~bd~

[sciezyna]

If you are looking for a proper oak to experiment (toasting ect) see if Bunnings still sells old wine barrels cut in half. (In the garden section). They sell them for large pot plants. If the barrels are not treated somehow (I would not know what for?) you will see inside dark purple colour and if you look closely there will be tiny crystals on the walls. These crystals are tartaric acid from the wine.

If the barrels are used for wine they must be made of French oak or American oak. I am sure they actually use here French oak here in Oz.

See how it comes out pricewise.

J

[muckanic]

See how it comes out pricewise.

IMHO, Bunnings and "price-consciousness" don't belong in the same sentence.

[Oaty]

The eucalyptus was brought over to the states as a good source for railroad ties. Won't rot. Now, they grow wild at least in California. It's being marketed as California or Brazilian Oak as flooring. Probably, doing something similiar in Ozland. I don't think I'd recommend it for aging. Makes a good cough drop though.

[CoopsOz]

The good ol' eucalypt is all through Jordan as well, apparantly the light horse took it over as a gift to the king during WW1.

[SuperDavid]

anyone ever tried Jarrah?

[decus]

I'll have to keep an eye out for Pouteria sericea, according to the EPA there should be some just north of me around Ingham on "beach ridges and sand plains of beach origin".

[HookLine]

I'll have to keep an eye out for Pouteria sericea, according to the EPA there should be some just north of me around Ingham on "beach ridges and sand plains of beach origin".

If you ever find some, I would be eternally grateful if you could supply me with some fresh seeds.