Great Divide Rumble Oak Aged IPA: New Oak?

I'd don't know for sure but would bet it is aged on Oak Chips.

Two reasons.

First is that Great Diviide has done more than one beer aged on oak chips. Second is that it says "Oak Aged" rather than "Barrel Aged." But this is admittedly circumstantial.

Edit: Actually I realized there is a third reason for suspecting new oak chips. You have an experienced palate and I think your tasting new wood is a strong clue as well.

 

Used wood would be a great idea. This is a tannin bomb and it is not a good thing. One of the worst beers I have ever had. If I remember correctly they used oak chips. If anything they should boil up those wood chips before using or cut the time in contact by ALOT.

 

Seeing this beer reminded me of another thread - "Drain Pour". I thought this beer was simply AWFUL.

 

it's been awhile since i had rumble (which i too was pleasantly surprised by). i agree with above that it's new american oak chips.

probably best for what you're hoping for would be if they switched to french oak. either way, i don't think it's too abrasive/aggressive, but i can (conceptually at least) see the aversion to dry beer + tannic oak. honestly, i probably think a beer is *too* dry maybe once a year. over-oaked tannin bombs a little more common, but not much.

 

It tasted very similar to previous years, and always very pronounced. I can only have one of these before the flavor is just too much wood and vanilla. New oak? I personally don't think so.

 

It's definitely using oak chips. I'm not 100% sure if they're new oak chips but I know that the staff tends to use the chips like charcoal briquettes after they've been used.
Rumble is one of my favorite beers and while I still love it, IMO this year's is less oak'y than last years and the hops come out a bit more. I prefer the ones from last year, but I've still had tons of them this year.

 

I liked Rumble when I had it last year. All the hate confuses me. Why does everyone seem to dislike this one, but love oak aged Jai Alai? I think the contributions from the oak are fairly similar in both beer (though I think Jai Alai definitely has the better base beer.)

 

I thought this was actually pretty good. The only other beer I've had that was remotely similar (i.e., IPA-style beer that is oak-aged) was Doom, and I actually like Rumble better. That being said, they are still very different beers, with Doom being an Imperial IPA that is actually barrel aged and Rumble being aged on oak chips.

Speaking of which, I can't find it now, but I'm nearly certain that Rumble uses chips. First of all, the bottle and description says "aged on" which is a strange way to say barrel-aged. Given that I think a brewery would want to make it clear that they had *not* used oak chips, Great Divide's lack of specificity to mention the barrel suggests that they used chips. Also, the description says it's aged on French AND American oak, which seems easier to do using chips than aging the beer in separate barrels then blending.

Just my two cents. Rumble was good enough that I'd be interested in trying more oak-aged IPAs.

 

I loved it last year, haven't had this years yet though, Intrigued now.

 

I love this beer becuase it isn't barrel aged. Barrel aging takes away from what I love in IPA. Freshness. Oak chips allow for the oak character to work into the beer in a shorter amount of time. And I love Rumble. Must have drank two cases between me and my girlfriend this year. It's no Oak Aged Jai Alai, though

 

Just FYI, blending isn't necessary to achieve French and American oaking. Using the two woods in one barrel would be the way that is done.

 

I didn't think that was very common, given the difference in the properties of the wood between American and French oak. I guess they would have to use one kind of wood for the staves and one for heads.

 

It could be done that way if you were willing to pay the costs of having new barrels built just for aging your beer. But if you check into the price of owning a custom built barrel you'll get a sense of why it isn't done that way and chips are used.

 

Rumble clearly isn't aged in barrels, because it isn't infected and doesn't cost $25 a bottle.

 

Yes, the oak killed it for me.

 

I agree, that is why chips are used. The only time I know of anyone using mixed oak barrels is in wine, where they have the money. Just saying blending two beers from different barrels isn't the only way to achieve french and american oak influence outside of chips.