Question about adding Oak chips to home brew!

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by BourbonBarrelBeerBelly, Mar 17, 2014.

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  1. BourbonBarrelBeerBelly

    BourbonBarrelBeerBelly Crusader (457) Feb 13, 2013 Washington

    Me and a friend are about to brew a 5 gallon batch of Stout. We are currently discussing the idea of adding Oak chips to it. My question is this, how much of these chips should I add, and have any of you had any experience with soaking the chips in red Wine before hand? If so, which red Wine's go best with Stout? The reason I ask about the oak chip to beer ratio, is because it seems that some people might advise to add a minimal amount of chips. I understand that this allows the beer to have significant contact with the wood, in a minimal amount of time, being that they're chips and all. But still, a handful of chips per 5 gallons of beer? Will this add relatively significant Oak character? As well, do I need to sanitize the chips? And if so, how, or with what?

    Thank you.
     
  2. jae

    jae Initiate (0) Feb 21, 2010 Washington

    I wouldn't use chips, as their high surface ratio would impart too much wood in a short amount of time. I'd use cubes: Hungarian or French are the softest, American is more aggressive. Boil them for 10 mins or so before you throw them in secondary; this sterilizes them and knocks down some of the rawer tannins.

    Amount is up to you. I've had the best luck with small amounts (0.5 oz) over a long period of time (months). Just taste as you go . . .

    Soaking the cubes in things has never made a huge flavor difference between unsoaked cubes. If you want, you could always soak the cubes in a spirit. Rye would be good in a RIS.
     
  3. FATC1TY

    FATC1TY Pooh-Bah (2,564) Feb 12, 2012 Georgia
    Pooh-Bah

    I second the, "don't use chips".

    Use some cubes, boil them shortly to sanitize it some and remove some of the harsh tannins. If ya want to soak in something, I'd suggest a spirit like bourbon, rum, tequila, scotch, anything..

    Wine in a stout doesn't sound good, especially with chips.

    But it's your beer. If you do use chips, I'd use 1oz, and taste it every couple of days.
     
  4. wspscott

    wspscott Pooh-Bah (1,958) May 25, 2006 Kentucky
    Pooh-Bah

    I used chips before I knew better. You can have success, but you have to be careful. Two years ago I did an RIS that I split across a couple different "treatments". One gallon got 2oz of oak chips and another got 2oz of oak chips that had been soaked in 2oz of bourbon. I got distracted with life and left the beer on the chips for 3 weeks. The bourbon oak version was undrinkable at 6 months, I think the bourbon extracted a lot of tannins. The regular oak was fine at the 6 month point (I even noted that it seemed pretty mellow). At 12 months, the bourbon oak was drinkable and ended up pretty good.

    My take away, go light on chips and don't go longer than a week or be prepared to let it sit for a while.

    I can't wrap my head around red wine and stout, but maybe it would work.

    How big of a stout are you talking about?
     
  5. BourbonBarrelBeerBelly

    BourbonBarrelBeerBelly Crusader (457) Feb 13, 2013 Washington

    The kit says around 8%. We'll probably add something else in the boil to bump it up a little. None of you think a red wine stout sounds good? They age stouts in Port barrels relatively often. A Port is a red, isn't it?
     
  6. Marshall_ofmcap

    Marshall_ofmcap Initiate (0) Jul 17, 2013 Colorado

    Port is brandy and red wine mixed. I used Jack Daniels chips in an imperial that at the moment tastes mostly of Jack, I don't mind too much but I would also not mind it fading. I don't remember a lot of tannins from them. to sterilize I scorched and star-saned, maybe don't do it this way
     
  7. HerbMeowing

    HerbMeowing Maven (1,295) Nov 10, 2010 Virginia
    Trader

    Why all the hatin' on oak chips?
    Guess haters just gonna hate.
    Like beer...chips deserve respect.

    Chips act fast.
    Why wait months when a week or three takes you to the same place?

    What matters most is periodic tasting and moderation.
    Nothing worse than too much oak b/c...unlike the Stones...it don't fade away.

    I've oaked using 2 oz / 5G for one week with good results.
    Maybe could go longer but haven't tried it.

    For sanitizing...some put the chips in water enough to cover and nuke for 60 secs.
    I sanitize my chips with enough Makers Mark to cover...rest a few days...then pitch it all.
     
  8. reverseapachemaster

    reverseapachemaster Zealot (722) Sep 21, 2012 Texas

    Because people don't think chips offer the same complexity as cubes.
     
  9. DeviousSpirits

    DeviousSpirits Initiate (0) Mar 23, 2009 Michigan

    http://www.blackswanbarrels.com/honey-comb-barrel-alternative/

    I just used the white oak and soft maple honeycombs in a split batch I just bottled - still too young to try the bottled version, though out of secondary, both had distinct wood notes to them, though more complementary than overpowering.

    I can't believe that in these years that I've been on BA, I haven't been involved in the Homebrew forum at all - especially since I've been brewing for 10+ years.
     
  10. dschaff

    dschaff Initiate (0) Apr 2, 2005 Wisconsin

    I've heard rumors, that if one toasts oak slats with a torch, and pours white alcohol over them, it makes a fairly good whiskey analog. I've never heard of using the process for beer, because there's not as much time.
     
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