Oak Chips in Secondary

I brewed a stout yesterday, and I plan on using oak chips in the secondary. It will be my first time to use them.
It's a 5.5 gallon batch.
About how many should I use?
Also should I keep them in for the whole two week time period?

Thanks,
Kevin

I switched from oak chips to cubes. I find that I can control the oakiness easier. Also, I bought a stainless steel tea ball that will hold 2 oz of oak cubes. If I oak in the secondary, I use a plastic bucket and hang the tea ball from the bottom of the air lock. I can then check the beer after a couple of weeks and pull the oak out when it's to the level I want it. I also oak in the keg for higher gravity beers and just drilled a small hole in my gas in tube and hang the tea ball from that. I've got a scotch ale on tap right now that I soaked 2 oz. of American Oak Cubes in the Macallan Forties Single Malt Scotch and hung it in the keg. it's been on the oak for 3 months and it tastes amazing. My spiced Cherry Dubbel has 2 oz. of French Oak cubes in the keg and it's been in contact with the wood for a little over 4 months and the oak is not over powering. I'd just experiment, start light and check the beer periodically until you find the right amount and time frame that works for you.

While cubes do have more depth to the flavor, I've found that it takes a lot longer to get the flavor out of them, which is why they're perfect for high gravity brews. But it only planning on leaving your stout in the secondary for a few weeks, chips are probably the way to go.

I just finished up a stout with some, I soaked 1 oz. of medium & heavy toast chips in some bourbon for a week (to get a little flavor and to sterilize) and put them in towards the end of secondary phase for about 6 days

Chips can give an overpowering flavor really quick though, so after 3 days of being in there you want to taste it on a daily basis until its where you want it.

Brewtopia, your scotch ale sounds delicious, care to share recipe? I've been thinking of doing one of those next.

I did the exact same thing (adding oak chips to a stout) and wound up with way more oakiness and oaky tannins than I really wanted. I think I used 3.5oz of oak cubes (because that's how big the package was)...I think starting with an ounce as has been suggested here is the way to go.

Also note that it's not really the weight of the oak chips/cubes you add, it's really the surface area. So small little oak cubes will add more oakiness ounce for ounce than some larger chips. This makes it a little difficult to compare with other people, but I think an ounce is a good start.

Brewtopia, your scotch ale sounds delicious, care to share recipe? I've been thinking of doing one of those next.

Click to expand...

Here you go. This was brewed in celebration of my wife's 40th Birthday. (thus the addition of The Macallan Forties).

1 lb 60L Crystal Malt
3 oz Peat Smoked Malt
2 oz Roasted Barley
2 oz Belgian Aromatic Malt
9 lbs Light DME
1/2 lb Malto-Dextrin

2 oz. E. Kent Goldings (60 min.)
1 oz. Fuggles (15 min.)
1 oz. E. Kent Goldings (2 min.)
1/2 oz. Fuggles (Dry Hop)

White Labs WLP028 Edinburgh Scottish Ale Yeast

2 oz. Stavin Medium Toast French Oak Cubes soaked in The Macallan Forties Single Malt Scotch in the keg.

Just to add...
I've been experimenting a lot lately with oak cubes soaked in various libations. I currently have

2 oz. Med. Toast American Oak in Lagavulin 16
2 oz. Med. Toast french Oak in The Macallan Forties
2 oz. Med. Toast French Oak in Knob Creek Single Batch Bourbon
2 oz. Med. Toast French Oak in Chateau St. Michelle 2004 Chardonnay
2 oz. Med. Toast American Oak in Stonestreet 2002 Merlot

So u dont steam the chips...the soak in whiskey sanatizes?

The Whisky will sanitize. No need to steam if soaking in alcohol.

I've got my oak cubes "marinating" in some cognac right now for my barleywine. It's a half batch, but I will be adding the equivilant of two ounces of oak cubes. And yes, it is real cognac from the cognac region, not just brandy. I added a couple drops of the oaked cognac to a sample of the beer, which is about to go into the seconday, tasted good and I think it will turn out well.

My next experiment is going to be with oak in madeira, I just need to find the right beer to add them to....

I actually have 2 oz. of American Oak chips marinating in in some courvoisier, which will be in there for about a week before adding it to the beer. I know some people have mentioned using a tea ball, but I don't have one, nor think that 2 oz. of chips will fit into one. Does anyone have any other recommendations for storing them? I was originally thinking about just throwing them in there, but that could be a pain if I use a carboy as my secondary. Bad idea? Should I just stick with the primary and throw them in?