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luke_d · 11-02-2012, 07:24 PM

So I'm getting ready to brew a Bourbon Dubbel and the recipe tells me to soak oak chips in bourbon overnight, then throw them in the boil, along with the bourbon. It's supposed to help provide that taste you'd normally get from fermenting/aging in an oak barrel.

So my question is wouldn't it make more sense to add the oak chips and bourbon into the actual fermentor instead of the boil? It seems to me that that method is most similar to actually fermenting in a barrel.

Let me know your thoughts ad opinions! Thanks!

zaireeka · 11-02-2012, 11:05 PM

Never brewed with oak but I'd say add it to the fermentor. Boiling the chips could give you a pretty nasty wood flavor. The bourdon I would add with your priming sugar before bottling. That way you will be sealing in the flavor.

sweed · 11-02-2012, 11:39 PM

I would add that to the secondary for a week to 2 weeks, check it every few days to see when you like the oakyness, then bottles it.
Chips don't take long to get flavor as I find out with my RIS.
Soak the chips in the bourbon, a week before adding to the secondary.

luke_d · 11-03-2012, 04:33 AM

Okay so should I put in the chips and bourbon in the fermentor? Or just the chips, then the bourbon at bottling? I want to get optimum flavor from both.

It sounds like I should treat the oak chip/bourbon elixir like dry hops. Just throw them in after a week in the fermentor.

Now that's another thing...is it completely necessary to use a secondary? Couldn't I just put the chips in the primary?

**unionrdr** · 11-03-2012, 10:23 AM

I soak the chips in bourbon in an airtight container in the fridge for th whole of primary fermentation. Then pour through a hop sock into secondary,tie it off,& drop it in. Rack the beer onto them,liquid & all. In about 7-8 days,the flavor will be strong. I add the liquid too,since oak flavor is being soaked out just as bourbon flavor soaks into the chips.

luke_d · 11-03-2012, 12:46 PM

Awesome, so I let it go through fermentation first, then add the oak and bourbon. Got it, thanks!!

**unionrdr** · 11-03-2012, 04:04 PM

I should've proof read my post. I do it in secondary,not primary! oopsy...

luke_d · 11-03-2012, 04:10 PM

Oh okay!! So I don't currently have another carboy to do a secondary fermentation. Would it be any different I'd I just put the oak and bourbon in the primary once I'm a couple weeks along in fermentation?

Calder · 11-03-2012, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luke_d

Oh okay!! So I don't currently have another carboy to do a secondary fermentation. Would it be any different I'd I just put the oak and bourbon in the primary once I'm a couple weeks along in fermentation?

That will work out just fine.

**unionrdr** · 11-03-2012, 04:46 PM

Just make sure it's at FG & cleared nicely first.