• Welcome to the new forum! We upgraded our forum software with a host of new boards, capabilities and features. It is also more secure.
    Jump in and join the conversation! You can learn more about the upgrade and new features here.

Oak chips / Cube info needed

Jay7

Apprentice
Joined
Jul 21, 2013
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
I realize there has been much discussion on this topic, but I can't seem to find the exact info I'm looking for. Info or links would be appreciated. I'm looking for information on toasting oak, how much oak to use per 5 gallons, how much bourbon to use per ounce, do you add the bourbon  and chips together (sounds good to me), etc.
How should I adjust the hops if any?
I am planning to age for several months as needed, but I would also like to do a batch at a shorter period also. I am looking for a slight boubon flavor along with slight oak flavor.
What steps do you use? Primary, secondary addition? Oak in keg?
I'm still pretty new to all grain and I'm trying to expand and learn more. If you have a wonderful recipe to share that's great too. I am thinking of an old english ale or possibly scotch ale???? Thank you for your help.
 
I recently used dark toasted american oak chips soaked in bourbon in a cherry/chocolate Russian Imperial Stout.  It scored 42.3 at a recent brewing competition after only about 4 weeks in the bottles.  I soaked 2 ounces of oak chips in 2 pints of makers mark bourbon for 3 weeks.  I had put the oak in the bourbon about 10 days before brewing the beer, so that the oak would permeate the bourbon really well by the time I added it.  I added the bourbon and oak chips to the secondary and I let it age for 2 weeks in the secondary.  I racked out of the secondary into my bottling bucket and bottled.  By the way, each pint of 80 proof liquor ups your ABV by 1%.  I did the math.

When I make this stout again, in my notes I want to up the toasted oak to 3 ounces.

The recipe for that stout is in the Award Winning Recipes thread on this forum.  I just had a bottle of it on Sunday while brewing.  It's only gotten better.
 
By the way, if you go to the recipe and open it up in BeerSmith, all of the judges notes and my personal notes are in the notes section at the back.  The note to add more oak chips is on my brewing spreadsheet hanging in my little home brewery.
 
That sounds quite tasty! I will check out the recipe. Would that amount of bourbon be too much for a lighter beer? Would the bourbon be too pronounced?
 
I can't really answer that question.  I've only used bourbon in big Russian Imperial Stouts.  Has anyone else tried whiskey in a lighter beer both from a gravity and from a color perspective?

Another option is to throw in the oak and not the bourbon.  Then use the bourbon to chase a homebrew, congratulating yourself on your ingenuity!
 
Back
Top