Oak Chips in IPA

Brewing an American IPA and was wondering how much to use. Any experience would be much appreciated. Thanks.

If you've never used them, err on the side of caution. You can always add more. I would start with 4 oz, and keep them there for about 3 weeks.

I just oaked my Arrogant Bastard clone, and I threw in 2oz of medium toast chips, and plan on leaving them on the oak for two weeks. Hope this helps, this is my first oaked beer, but I did a bunch of research on it before attempting. It all depends on what flavor your going for. You can always leave it on a week or two, and take a taste sample, then leave it on more if you need it.

Don't forget to sterilize them first. I soak them in vodka.

Deuce said:

I just oaked my Arrogant Bastard clone, and I threw in 2oz of medium toast chips, and plan on leaving them on the oak for two weeks. Hope this helps, this is my first oaked beer, but I did a bunch of research on it before attempting. It all depends on what flavor your going for. You can always leave it on a week or two, and take a taste sample, then leave it on more if you need it.

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you might want to taste that after a couple of days. those chips have lots of surface area.. i oaked with 4oz of chips for 1 week in a Forbidden Fruit clone. it *still* tastes like wood after 8 months.

alternately, i did make an english IPA with 1 oz of (boiled 5 min) american oak cubes *in the primary* for 14 days. awesome flavor.

maxhavoc said:

you might want to taste that after a couple of days. those chips have lots of surface area.. i oaked with 4oz of chips for 1 week in a Forbidden Fruit clone. it *still* tastes like wood after 8 months.

alternately, i did make an english IPA with 1 oz of (boiled 5 min) american oak cubes *in the primary* for 14 days. awesome flavor.

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Yep- even 10 days might be too long with an ounce of oak. It'll taste like oak, and nothing else at all, for a very long time if you use too much.

I put light American oak chips in a double IPA a couple of years ago. I boiled the chips to sterilize. I think it was in the secondary for 14 days (poor notes). The oak flavor was not overpowering, but there was a ton of flavor in the IPA itself.

However, I just cracked the last bottle of it a few weeks ago. It was the oldest bottle in my basement. It was also the first homebrew I've ever dumped. It was like gnawing on a mossy oak stump. Earthy. Undrinkable.

So, the moral of my story is: oak it but drink it within a reasonable amount of time.