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Strong woody notes in a Russian Imperial Stout

pcaradonna

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I brewed a Russian Imperial Stout and it's has fully fermented out with an FG 1.026. I am pleased with the final product with one exception. I added 2 oz. of French Oak Chips during secondary fermentation and have noted a strong woody aftertaste as the beer finishes. I thought of maybe adding some vanilla beans to counter act the flavor but would like to hear if anyone else has come across this same situation and how they worked to mellow the strong bitter wood notes that finish out the beer. I will be aging the beer through the summer in a cool cellar and plan on bottling it sometime in early fall for drinking this winter.
 
How long did you have the chips in secondary?  What did you soak them in before adding the fermenter?

My only experience with adding oak to secondary is with French Oak Cubes I soaked in Bourbon.  I left it in secondary for two weeks.  Initially I wood flavor was a bit harsh, but after 4 months it's has really smoothed out and now has a slight smoky aroma and flavor that wasn't there originally.

With Oak chips (.vs. cubes) you likely imparted a much stronger flavor.  I don't know what the best approach would be, but I perhaps would brew a second RIS and then blend them.  I'm not a fan of Vanilla.

Good Luck...
 
I might suggest cocoa instead of vanilla. Cocoa is a bit bitter, but has the taste that will compliment, whereas vanilla has a sweeter flavor which might accent the woddy flavor even more.
I will tell you from experience, that wood flavors tend to recede just as yeast notes do, over time.
Maybe this should be a long haul brew?
 
Thanks for  your advice. I brew an RIS once a year during the summer and allow it to sit through the winter. I think I'll split the batch and do a blend with this years RIS and add cocoa to the other half letting it age longer in my cellar. Seems like a good plan.
 
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