Brewmeister Jeff

Recipes 

I am thinking of making a Scotch Ale or an Irish Ale and would like to soak some oak chips in some Irish Whiskey or some Scotch.

Does anyone have any experience in this?

What do I do? How long do I let the chips soak?

Thanks in advance!

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BrewMeister Jeff

wild

Recipes 

While the beer is in primary, let the chips soak. Toss chips and booze into a mason jar or similar and close it. When you transfer your beer to secondary, you have a choice, toss just the chips or both chips and booze. Let the chips soak 3 days or better. Mine soaked for two weeks and I secondaried for 7 months.

Good luck,
Wild

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On Tap -

1. 3 year old Oak Aged Bourbon Porter
2. Irish Red Rye
3. Robust Porter
4. Russian Imperial Stout
5. Mirror Pond Clone dry hopped with Citra
6. Mirror Pond Clone dry hopped with Centennial

Primary - Nada
Secondary -

From man's sweat and God's love, beer came into the world. -- Saint Arnoldus

Ryanh1801

Recipes 

Go with Cubes, not chips. You will have a lot more control with cubes.

TheCrane

Recipes 

http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/archive/Jamil07-30-07.mp3

Give this a listen.

DiscoFetus

Recipes 

So we got this idea to get some "ok" bourbon, or whiskey and soak some oak chips in it for a few months. The idea to create pseudo flavors that barrel aging might impart, had old whiskey barrels been used to age the beer. I know it wont be the same since barrels allow for a little more open air contact but we thought it might get some of the flavors.

What might be some of the possible problems with doing this? Anyone tried this method, results? Could this be done with cubes as well?

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The intermediate state between capitalism and socialism is alcoholism.

~Dylan Thomas

Barefoot Lion Brewing

D*Bo

Recipes 

I soaked dark toasted cubes in Knob Creek for several months.
Drained off the liquor and dropped them into the secondary before racking. I let it sit for a few weeks or more.
It came out really nice. Really nice nose from the bourban and good oak charector in the aftertaste. It mellowed out to barely preceviable after a year or so of storage.

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PrimaryBaltica 9
Secondary British all Amarillo IPA, Calypso
Conditioning Decoction maddness, FlyingJess Ale
Drinking Oatmeal Chocolate Stout, Oaked Bourbon Chocolate Stout, Dry Mead)
Up NextScottish ale and Dopple Bock

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susitna4

Recipes 

Is there a shelf life for oak chips? I have a bag I bought 5-6 years ago - can I still use them?

zachattack

Recipes 

I'd think they'd be fine since they're pretty dried out. Give them a steam to sanitize.

susitna4

Recipes 

Thanks, Zachattack. I'll give them a try.