Bulk Aging Flanders Red to blend later

[rwing7486]

Hey Everyone, I am coming up on almost a year for my first flanders red that has been sitting in the secondary on 0.5 oz french oak cubes holding at 75F. The gravity has been holding steady at 1.002 for the past 1.5 to 2 months and I am looking to bottle soon. My plan is to buy a 3 gallon glass carboy and rack over from my current secondary filling it up the the neck (to limit oxidation) and then bottle whatever remains. My question is for the 3 gallons that I am saving to blend with later versions, should I add more french oak cubes? Or just rack it over without any more oak?


Thanks

 

[chrilr]

You can add more oak if you want more oak flavor

 

[radwizard]

I'd probably just rack it as is, and determine what you want to do when you can taste the blend. You might end up to Oaky on your next one, and want to blend it out. You can always Re-Oak the new blend.

Have you tasted it yet? How did it turn out?

 

[Biergarden]

I wouldn't rack on to fresh oak, but I'd keep using the cubes you have as you transfer. The brettanomyces will continue to eat away at the cellulose in that wood for as long as it's in contact with it and the flavor profile will continue to change. I've gone so far as to leave mine in the primary for months without any autolysis problems. But plenty of oak character and I step up the yeast on a stir plate. I know Wyeast says not to step up your yeast at risk of altering the ratios. But for my setup, it works great. Even to the point that I like mine over Rodenbach itself, since now to me, it tastes too much like vinegar. Even though its supposed to.
I've been doing my own idea of Rodenbach for years and really love the stuff. Take a look if you want https://beersmithrecipes.com/viewrecipe/299722/roden-al-boch

 

[radwizard]

That Beer looks absolutely stunning

 

[Biergarden]

Thanks. It comes out very well every time I make it

 

[radwizard]

Thanks. It comes out very well every time I make it

Are you just pitching the Roselare as is, or is this on a previous slurry?

 

[Biergarden]

I'm stepping it up in a 2l flask on a stir plate.

 

[suprchunk]

Thanks. It comes out very well every time I make it

I hope you didn't just jinx yourself...

Hope my 4 year old on cherries looks that good. When I finally package it...

 

[Biergarden]

Oh damn. Let's see some pictures once you put it in a glass!