Hungarian Oak Cubes – Medium+ Toast

Deep Complexity & Smooth, Long-Term Oak Integration

These Hungarian Oak Cubes from Stavin are crafted for brewers and winemakers who want the slow, steady extraction of barrel aging—without the barrel. Made from tight-grain Hungarian oak and fire-toasted to a Medium+ level, these cubes build layered character over time, helping your mead, wine, beer, or cider develop a rounded, integrated oak profile instead of a quick “raw oak” hit.

We offer these oak cubes in both 2 oz packs and 1 lb sizes, making it easy to dial in the right dose for small experimental batches or longer aging projects.

Key Characteristics

• Size Options: 2 oz pack or 1 lb pack
• Oak Type: Hungarian oak (Quercus petraea)
• Toast Level: Medium Plus
• Form: Fire-toasted oak cubes
• Best For: Slow extraction and smooth integration over time
• Applications: Mead, wine, beer, cider, and spirits
• Manufacturer: Stavin (premium oak supplier to top commercial wineries)

Flavor Profile

• Primary Notes: Vanilla and toasted oak
• Supporting Notes: Warm spice, roasted nuts, light coffee, caramelized oak
• Overall Impression: Rich, rounded complexity that develops gradually

Why Choose Oak Cubes Over Chips?

Oak chips extract quickly and can peak in as little as 7–10 days, which may create sharp or one-dimensional oak character if timing isn’t perfect. Cubes extract more slowly and steadily, giving your beverage time to integrate oak compounds for a smoother, more barrel-like result—especially helpful for mead, where harsh tannin can stand out if overdone.

Usage Guidelines

• Typical Dose: 1–2 oz per 5 gallons (adjust to taste and style)
• How to Add: Add cubes directly to the fermenter or aging vessel
• Sanitizing Options: Optional—soak in sulfite solution, briefly rinse, then add; or use boiling water if preferred
• Recommended Contact Time: 2 weeks – 6 months depending on dose, beverage style, and desired intensity
• Tasting Schedule: Start tasting at 2 weeks, then every 5–7 days; remove cubes when the oak is slightly stronger than your target since it will continue to round out during aging

Mead Timing Tip

For most traditional and melomel meads, Medium+ cubes commonly land in a sweet spot around 3–6 weeks at moderate dosing. Higher ABV meads and fruit-forward meads can often handle longer contact times, while delicate traditionals usually benefit from shorter exposure and more frequent tastings.