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**ladodger34** · 02-03-2013, 06:29 PM

As part of my xmas gift, my lovely wife got me a Blind Pig IPA recipe from More Beer. The kit came with oak chips to put in a secondary. Can I just add the chips in the primary once the wort cools down? Should I add them to the primary after the active fermentation has settle down? And should I sanitize the before adding them?

dlprice45 · 02-03-2013, 06:36 PM

My first batch was a similar IPA kit that came with wood chips, I followed the instructions and put them in the primary after sanitizing (steamed them for about 5 mins), just before I pitched yeast. I cracked the first bottle of that batch yesterday and it came out great, very dry and I think I can taste the oak, hard to say really. You should be fine if you do it like this, good luck.

**unionrdr** · 02-03-2013, 06:37 PM

The flavor will be better in secondary. You can boil them in a small amount of water to sanitize in a couple minutes. Or soak them with a couple jiggers of vodka if you don't want any liquor flavor. Put them in an airtight container with the vodka in the fridge when you pitch the yeast on the beer. That'll give it plenty of time to soak in. But the liquor qill also soak out some wood resins. so when you're ready to rack to secondary,pour chips & all through a sanitized hop sock,tie it off,& drop it in. Rack the beer onto this & let it sit for a week. Then use a shot glass to taste the oaking level. Leave it for a stronger flavor if you so desire. Time is the flavor adjuster in this case.

**ladodger34** · 02-03-2013, 07:27 PM

I could presumably use other liquors I suppose (just not sure if whiskey or bourbon really matches an IPA)

freisste · 02-03-2013, 07:36 PM

You can use anything that sanitizes and is safe to drink (don't use rubbing alcohol or bleach

).

**unionrdr** · 02-03-2013, 09:40 PM

It just depends on how much flavor you want besides the oak,if any. A single malt scotch would be good as well.