Bourbon oak aged - will it mellow?

Ok. So I may have over aged an ale on bourbon soaked oak chips. I recently racked to a corny on Saturday after aging in the secondary with oak chips that previously soaked in bourbon for a week or two. Started the secondary on September 6 and racked off on October 12. ( it was a busy month). Force carbed it up and tasted the brew today. The bourbon is totally forward on initial taste but not in a bad way. Great mouthfeel to the beer. The initial aftertaste however as a bit too much bourbon followed by the blast of oak with some awesome hints of vanilla. I guess I am pretty pleased since this is my first attempt at this, but I envisioned the bourbon and oak to be more subtle. (I know I left too long int the secondary...). So my question is... If I am patient and just leave the keg in cold storage for awhile, will some of the oak and bourbon flavors mellow out? I know from making wine that flavors will mellow over time, but I do not have the same experience with beer. So patience or just drink it already?!?

Thanks

When I first started out, I made a bourbon oak porter with 4 oz of oak chips for 2 weeks. Needless to say it was way too much oak. I ended up drinking as much as possible but saved a few bottles. At about the one year mark it was still oakey as hell but the flavors had become a lot more pleasant.

If I were you, I would let it age for a month or two. With oak it almost always becomes better with age.

How much oak? What was the general recipe (old ale, imp stout)?

Johnd170 said:

So patience or just drink it already?!?

Thanks

Click to expand...

patience
patience
patience

Here is the recipe. I did a BIAB all grain.

OG: 1.065
Type: All Grain FG: 1.016
Rating: 0.0 ABV: 6.55 %
Calories: 248 IBU's: 19.16
Efficiency: 70 % Boil Size: 5.83 Gal
Color: 10.1 SRM Batch Size: 5.00 Gal
Preboil OG: 1.071 Boil Time: 60 minutes


Grains & Adjuncts
Amount Percentage Name Time Gravity
13.00 lbs 78.79 % Pale Malt (2 Row) US 60 mins 1.036
1.25 lbs 7.58 % Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L 60 mins 1.034
1.25 lbs 7.58 % Cara-Pils/Dextrine 60 mins 1.033
1.00 lbs 6.06 % White Wheat Malt 60 mins 1.040

Hops
Amount IBU's Name Time AA %
1.25 ozs 17.87 Goldings, East Kent 60 mins 5.00
0.50 ozs 1.28 Fuggles 5 mins 4.50

Yeasts
Amount Name Laboratory / ID
1.0 pkg English Ale White Labs 0002




Thanks,
John

Oh so it's is based on, but not quite a clone of the Kentucky Brewery Bourbon Barrel Ale

How much oak?

John, I make a oak aged stout with 3oz of roasted oak that I soak in Balvenie double wood scotch. I put the oak in a mason jar and the just cover it with the scotch and let it sit for two or three months before adding it to the beer in the secondary. The first time I did this I kegged it after a month and the oak and scotch was in your face right up front. But the second time and every time after I let it sit on the oak and scotch for 10 to 12 months. It comes out smooth and I get a little scotch and then vanilla and oak at the end. I think it yours will mellow with time and next time try letting it sit longer on the oak. Cheers !!

Thanks!

It was five ounces of oak. Med. toast. I put it in a small glass container (Pyrex maybe) and just enough bourbon to cover the chips. Saran Wrap and in the fridge.

Sounds like a bit of patience is all I need.