Got wood?

My fermentation chamber smells wonderful.

Ipa with applewood in the secondary. If the smell is any indication, should be a winner

Wow why is the pic turned? Silly tablet, pics are for pc's

DId you prep the wood anyway before putting it in there?

No, not this time. I have lightly sprayed star san in the past.

This is a thrown together ipa called "hop dump". Not a big loss if i lose it due to the wood. I have some saved wort i may boil and add after a few days.

Gonna let is sit on the wood a month or so.

interesting, seems like a lot of wood chips. I have never tried applewood chips, but a month sounds pretty long. I did a barley wine with about 1 oz per gallon french oak and it tasted a bit like eating a board after 2 weeks secondary for many months after bottling. Might want to sample a small amount weekly.

Ramitt said:

interesting, seems like a lot of wood chips. I have never tried applewood chips, but a month sounds pretty long. I did a barley wine with about 1 oz per gallon french oak and it tasted a bit like eating a board after 2 weeks secondary for many months after bottling. Might want to sample a small amount weekly.

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I also recommend frequent sampling. I have had poor results with wood because the flavor became over-powering. It dissipates eventually but that can take a long time.

Yeah I will sample. Check my recipes, I have another wood aged IPA posted.

As for the amount, I filled my funnel with chips, and then "shook" them into the carboy.

Considering it took 3 months to sail form Britain to India, I am not overly concerned.

If you don't take chances........youll never fail, nor exceed expectations.

Ok, so 2 weeks down, half the chips are on the bottom, half on the top.

I am now, just below my target F.G. (1.012 target 1.014)When I racked to the the secondary, I was at 1.022. So the secondary dropped it a bit more. I would like to age it some more, but I think after sampling, and my low IBU's I am going to keg it.

Anyway, tasting is good, rather a mellow IPA, bitterness is there although I am wondering if the wood mellowed it some. Target was 50 IBUs so its on the low side to begin with.

Once its carbed I'll post the final results and recipe.

I'll bet that after a quick rinse of the wood chips they will work wonders on a pork butt in a smoker.

Sounds like a good combination, apple & IPA!

Ramitt said:

interesting, seems like a lot of wood chips. I have never tried applewood chips, but a month sounds pretty long. I did a barley wine with about 1 oz per gallon french oak and it tasted a bit like eating a board after 2 weeks secondary for many months after bottling. Might want to sample a small amount weekly.

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Ramitt, I'm a newb and this is off topic: did the over-oaked taste subside after a few months with your barleywine? I'm going to throw 2oz bourbon-soaked French oak cubes into a batch of imperial stout and I'm nervous about it tasting like "eating a board"... soaked in bourbon. Thoughts?

nice glass! you going this year? less than two weeks!

motobrewer said:

nice glass! you going this year? less than two weeks!

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Not sure. Friend of mine parents run the great taste, and we usually go with her. Usually we donate items, or labor on clean up for our tix. Works out to be a good deal for both. Unfortunately she isnt well this year. So, I'd have a hard time going, even if I bought my tix..

Never know, we shall see what takes place.

ChuckO said:

I'll bet that after a quick rinse of the wood chips they will work wonders on a pork butt in a smoker.

Sounds like a good combination, apple & IPA!

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WEll, ok, not pork butt, pork shoulder. We shall see. Bagged them and put them in the freezer. Going to smoke it this weekend

I have had great beer come from wood aging. Congrats on your. If your hop is low hit it with a little dry hop little Citra or Sarrachi Ace might be just the ticket to get the hop nose and blend the wood. My last barrel aged IPA was in a 3gal barrel and I blended back with 1.5g of unaged. I let the notes frome barrel get sharp then pulled it and blended, 4.5g lasted 2.5weeks. Good thing I have more going.
Try a lit dry hop might brighten that thing up a bit.

Darkness said:

I have had great beer come from wood aging. Congrats on your. If your hop is low hit it with a little dry hop little Citra or Sarrachi Ace might be just the ticket to get the hop nose and blend the wood. My last barrel aged IPA was in a 3gal barrel and I blended back with 1.5g of unaged. I let the notes frome barrel get sharp then pulled it and blended, 4.5g lasted 2.5weeks. Good thing I have more going.
Try a lit dry hop might brighten that thing up a bit.

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Thats actually not a bad idea.....I assume your 3 gal barrell was wood?

I already kegged, so we will let this one ride.

Is there a place to get wood barrels reasonably?

Not a bad looking brew. I can't quite describe the taste. I pick up the hops, sweet from the apple wood an malt, dryness of wood (in finish) and apple tartness.

Couple more days on the gas and a bit of aging and we shall see.

I have a guava tree which died this year. I know it is good for BBQ/smoking. Anyone ever try it in beer?

I may be a month late but the new issue of Zymurgy has a nice article on Wood Aging. Specific to this is the passage about not raking the beer too soon due to the perceived woody flavor after a few weeks. After that harsher flavor comes sweetness from the wood near the 4 week mark. Patience comes in handy when wood aging! I've got a huge very old cherry tree I may use a branch for an experiment as well as a wealth of exotic woods I've been itching to do something with.