New to using Oak cubes. Could use some tips.

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stormeagle

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Hey guys,
I'm new to using Oak Cubes and I could really use some tips about how to go about using them.

I brewed a 5 gallon batch of Barley Wine(11.8% Abv) back at the beginning of March, and I'd like to add some oak flavor to it. But not just the oak flavor, I wanted to add a port wine touch to it as well. Would you guys recommend boiling the cubes in distilled water, then soaking in vodka for a few days, then letting them soak in the port for 2-3 months before adding to the beer? I'm just kind of brainstorming how to do this since I can't get my hands on a port barrel. If you guys could help that would be awesome.
 
I've not used cubes or wine, but instead chips soaked in bourbon. I'd think the wine would sanitize the cubes, so I'd skip the vodka and/or boil. But maybe somebody else can chime in on the wine just to be sure. Sounds like a great recipe by the way. Let us know how it turns out.
 
I'll definitely keep everyone posted. The port I'm planning on using is 18.5% so there is a good chance that the alcohol is high enough to sanitize the cubes. I was planning to boil because I've read that boiling the cubes will take out any harsh tannins that could end up in your beer, but those harsh tannins might be washed out by the flavor of the port. I just don't want to end up ruining this already well rounded barley wine, I just feel like a port/oak flavor would help it a lot. The port is a reserve and it was aged in bourbon barrels so if I can get this to come out right, I think it will be my best beer yet.
 
I've only used cubes one time, but when I did I let them soak in rum for about a week, then pour it in my beer (without the cubes). The beer called for a rum, so that was the reason why I used it.


I don't know if I would boil them and, as mentioned, you may not even need the vodka if the wine you're soaking it in is that high in abv. At the least, maybe soak the cubes in the wine for a specified time, then pour the wine (without the cubes) into the beer.

If you're feeling overly cautious, maybe split the batch. I don't know if you keg, but one can go as is and the other keg is the one with the oak/porter wine. In case, worst case I imagine, the oaked batch gets infected, you'll just be out half a batch. 18.5% ABV tells me this might not be the case.
 
Oak beans/cubes don't tend to lend the tannic overload that chips can; they tend to have a more rounded oak quality to them that is closer to barrel. I have not worried about tannins myself when I've used them in either beer or wine. I suspect the port will act as a sanitizer at that ABV but there is no harm in ensuring you don't introduce a contaminant by sanitizing in some form or another. Boiling them is probably not the best method though. Steaming them would be sufficient (several minutes in the steam path of boiling water), or a quick soak in a spirit like vodka would work too (a day is probably plenty) before soaking in port. Steaming might actually help to open the grain/pores so the port can soak in a little easier. I would suggest soaking more than you intend to use in your port and reserve some when you add your initial amount to the beer. If, months down the road, you're not getting the amount of oak you desire then you have some nice port-soaked cubes you can add. If you find you don't need them for this barleywine, I'm sure you'll find a different beer where they could be used.
 
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