"The first Jester King beer to be fermented entirely in oak." Don't get me wrong i love this beer but I did not get any oak from this. Maybe the sourness kills the oak notes.
IIRC, the oak is used moreso as a souring vessel than for an oak taste. All their sours are in oak barrels... they just usually undertake primary fermentation in stainless steel before secondary fermentation with wild yeast in barrels in most cases. I believe Ron told me once they choose their sour barrels specifically so that they give a neutral taste unless they're doing something that requires it (ie: whiskey & wine barrels for Boxer's revenge)
Stainless steel before oak? Not wort directly to oak barrels? If the oak barrels aren't imparting flavors, then why the wood? New oak barrels, not used? Fascinating.
As lutter said, the oak is mainly a vessel for the "bugs" used to sour. I keep a couple of inocculated oak spirals for souring my homebrews.
