Making your own oak chips?

Any info on how to do this to oak in a carboy? I have access to a lot of white oak.

I'm kinda curious too. Sure it would be easy to take some oak and char it and call it good. But barrel makers age the oak for a season outside for a reason, so I figure if oak chips (or better yet, cubes) are made properly, they would be made from wood that was outdoor seasoned for a year, then cut up and charred.

I had this idea a few months ago so I picked up a split log that had been sitting outside for about two years I'm going to split it then toast it. The log is short enough that I can just put the split pieces into the carboy. Use this chart to reference what temperature to toast at.

Do people advise oak chips or cubes more? I assume that cubes would be easier.

thrstyunderwater said:

Do people advise oak chips or cubes more? I assume that cubes would be easier.

Click to expand...

The configuration will determine how long you will leave it in the carboy. The more surface area the faster you should be able to extract the flavors. I think it comes down to personal preference.

I've heard that cubes give a more intricate flavor due to the fact that the toast gets lighter the deeper it goes. I'm not sure if there will be a noticable difference though.

Cubes for me, I haven't used oak enough to have side by side tests; but, cubes are slower to add their character so it is easier to control.

BryanThompson said:

I had this idea a few months ago so I picked up a split log that had been sitting outside for about two years I'm going to split it then toast it. The log is short enough that I can just put the split pieces into the carboy. Use this chart to reference what temperature to toast at.

Click to expand...

This is a useful chart but how long do I toast for?

Toasting Oak Cubes - DIY

The above is my original post on another forum, below is the copied text. i am unable to post pics on this forum so follow the link, or use the previously posted chart.

Toasting Oak Cubes:

Use the above chart to determine what temperature you want to toast your oak cubes

Toast the oak cubes in the oven at the desired temperature for about 3 hours

Additional toasted oak information:
Toasting of the oak creates melanoidins:

• Heat breaks down carbohydrates into sugars in the wood

• Heavier toasts create maliards and charring, also confectionary compounds (custard/caramel/butterscotch flavors)

Does wood character remain stable or deteriorate over time?

• It does lessen to some extent, it is slow though

• Tannins (good body and mouthfeel) can come from wood

• Oak chips last about 2 weeks before tannins start to leach into the beer (body/complexity tannins) too long and it can become astringent (bad tannins (sour puckering)- can add to dryness of finish)

• “Doing it right” requires slow dosing of your beer over the course of months

• Higher alcohol beers possibly draw out more compounds form the wood.

Preparing your wood for the beer:

• Usually just throw the wood in (no sanitary steps)

• Some put wood in water in microwave (steam)

• Some boil water, throw chips in, shake a little, let cool, throw juice and wood in
  fermenter. (Jamil sometimes pressure cooks his wood)

• Usually only sanitize for long aging beers (never any chem. (starsan, idophore)

• Brett (and other sour critters) can live in wood (takes a long time to become problematic)

• You can pasteurize the wood at 170 F for 5 min.

How much oak to use for a 5 gal batch?
Cubes: (impart flavor much slower) for aging after primary (in keg) use about 1-2 oz for 5 gal 5
months-1 year

• The more the beer sits on the cube it penetrates deeper causing a variety of flavors

• The more oak you apply the shorter amount to time it takes to show itself

• The flavor is different depending on amount placed and time left

• The flavors that come out first from the oak only become more defined with age

• It takes 3-4 weeks to notice flavors are melding (especially with cubes)

• Vanilla and caramel are first, then spices and cloves later on

• Toasted coconut for lighter toast oak

• Oak cubes will dissolve to “little nubs” after 1½-2 years of keeping them in a keg (Jamil did this with an English Barleywine, which became an award winning beer)

• Too little oak for too long creates bad tannins

• Too much oak does not create complexity of flavors before it becomes overwhelming (varies between different styles of beer)

This information was compilied from several resources.

I have been doing this as well for about the past two years. Especially on the wine and I love the earth tones it adds. Quick tip, keep those chips handy for the next BBQ. They smoke something pretty and we try to do transfer day right before the grill fires up so we really get the southern grill rollin

You guys just answered the question that I posted on another thread. Thanks!