We brewed our first Smoked Porter (extract w/grains) about a week ago. Currently there is a bag of whiskey soaked oak chips hanging out in there and we are thinking about what the next step should be to make this beer come out the way we want. We want the brew to come out tasting like a smoked porter with hints of the whiskey and oak back. What we don't want is overpowering whiskey all over the nose and tongue with the beer coming through as an afterthought. We will probably transfer it to a secondary this weekend and have a few concerns about temps and times and when to pull out the chips.
I am reading some information about conditioning the porter for 3 weeks at 45 degrees and I don't have a cooling system. Currently it is ferming at about 68-72 in my basement and I don't expect to get much cooler temperatures.
Is there any need to be conditioning at such cool temps?
Should we pull the oak chips to let the flavors mellow if so how long?
Any tips or advice will be appreciated... thx
I am reading some information about conditioning the porter for 3 weeks at 45 degrees and I don't have a cooling system. Currently it is ferming at about 68-72 in my basement and I don't expect to get much cooler temperatures.
Is there any need to be conditioning at such cool temps?
Should we pull the oak chips to let the flavors mellow if so how long?
Any tips or advice will be appreciated... thx
