Oak cubes

[BobMcLaughlin]

Added oak cubes for a week in the secondary, came out perfect.
Do you think that I can reuse them

 

[davidabcd]

Good question. You could soak them in whiskey again or for the first time or whatever, leave them in X amount longer. I don't see them losing all of their value. Just speculation but there's only so much permeability that the wood allows. They are expensive so I would like to hear further from the forum.

 

[Golddiggie]

To me, they're not 'expensive'. I use once and toss out. Of course, I typically use cubes in something that will have them in there for longer than a week. I had cubes in some mead for about 13-14 months before the batches were bottled. For beers, I'm using spirals now. Since you get full extraction in 6 weeks, not 6 months.

Northern Brewer carries the spirals (as well as other forms of oak).
https://www.northernbrewer.com/pages/search-results-page?q=oak+spirals
I'll be using some spirals in an imperial stout that's the next recipe I'm brewing. Plan is to have the oak in the batch for 6-10 weeks, then package. Adding once fermentation is complete, of course.

 

[AzOr]

I try to soak them for at least a couple of months. If I soak for a short period I pick up a cardboard-ish flavor.
I suppose if you only kept them in for a week you might be able to reuse, after dipping them in boiling water for a bit.

 

[Golddiggie]

IF you do rinse or do something to clean them, you might want to put them in the oven to 'toast' them some.

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

IF you do rinse or do something to clean them, you might want to put them in the oven to 'toast' them some.

How long would you re-toast them for, what temp? I was wondering after some use if this would refresh them to almost new condition. Has anyone tried toasting their own chucks of oak, like from a recently cut/dried oak tree?

 

[Golddiggie]

How long would you re-toast them for, what temp? I was wondering after some use if this would refresh them to almost new condition. Has anyone tried toasting their own chucks of oak, like from a recently cut/dried oak tree?

No idea... Maybe start at the lowest your oven will go (no more than 250F) for 10 minutes. I don't look at it as 'refreshing' the wood, but sanitizing the cubes to make them safe for another round. Probably better than soaking them in a sanitizer long enough to render safe.

As I mentioned, I'm not so hard up that I need to do this with any oak I use in a fermentation. IMO, these things are cheap enough to use once and toss. Besides, I typically use them for long enough to get a good extraction level. I wouldn't use cubes for only a week. More like months. Spirals can do more in a week, since they have a 'time to maximum extraction' of six weeks.

 

[JAReeves]

If my cubes/spirals are going right into another beer, I just think to leave them in a little bit longer than the previous batch. If I am not going to immediately use them, I sometimes throw them into vodka to sterilize or some other alcohol for flavor and sterilization (baking also works). I have had them go moldy while waiting for another batch to use them, so trash. Also, keep in mind that whatever yeast/bacteria you ferment them with will permeate the wood and go into the next batch. It's one of the ways I inoculate my sour/wild/mixed-fermentations; I have a stick of power.

 

[BobMcLaughlin]

No idea... Maybe start at the lowest your oven will go (no more than 250F) for 10 minutes. I don't look at it as 'refreshing' the wood, but sanitizing the cubes to make them safe for another round. Probably better than soaking them in a sanitizer long enough to render safe.

As I mentioned, I'm not so hard up that I need to do this with any oak I use in a fermentation. IMO, these things are cheap enough to use once and toss. Besides, I typically use them for long enough to get a good extraction level. I wouldn't use cubes for only a week. More like months. Spirals can do more in a week, since they have a 'time to maximum extraction' of six weeks.

I was afraid of over oaking. How long do you usually keep them in the secondary for a nice rounded flavor?

 

[Golddiggie]

One. I don't do secondary unless I'm aging something for an extended period.
Two. I've done oak cubes for anywhere from 2-8 weeks in a beer. I had cubes in some mead batches for about 13-14 months and they came out great.

For beers that you don't want to age for more than 6 weeks, get oak spirals. Those have maximum extraction in six weeks. I've had solid contributions in three weeks. I have an imperial stout I'll be brewing next that I plan to have the spirals in for the full six (to eight) weeks. It's going to be in the 10-11% range, so it will benefit from that (both the time and the oak).

IME, a single week for cubes isn't going to do much. You'll get maybe a hint of what the oak could have done IF you had left them in for longer. Unless you added a LOT of cubes per gallon at least. As in at least an ounce of cubes per gallon. I typically add about 1/2oz of cubes per gallon of beer. It's not exact since it also depends on how much I have on hand at the time. Right now I have a half pound of cubes waiting for something to go into. Most likely, they'll be used in a batch of mead. Especially since I can get great results with the spirals (in less time).

To be clear, I don't use chips due to how fast they infuse and how monotonal the contribution is. Cubes, and spirals, are far better for what they provide something.

 

[JAReeves]

i will often put cubes and spirals in the primary when I pitch. That way I get some oak into a fast ferment. For some of the bigger or wild beers, they might sit for a year with the oak.

I experiment a lot, as I am moving to using barrels instead of small bits. Some of the timing also includes pulling the oak from one batch and directly putting it into another, like we would do with barrels. So some of my brewing calendar includes when I pull oak from one and what beer it goes into next and when.

 

[PCABrewing]

Good question. You could soak them in whiskey again or for the first time or whatever, leave them in X amount longer. I don't see them losing all of their value. Just speculation but there's only so much permeability that the wood allows. They are expensive so I would like to hear further from the forum.

I say throw them in the grill next time you use it and start soaking a set for the next batch.

 

[PCABrewing]

I have a set of spirals to use up but I think I may resort to naturally obtained wood for the next batch that I oak.
Toast it in the oven, soak in some rum or bourbon and give it a try

 

[JAReeves]

I have a set of spirals to use up but I think I may resort to naturally obtained wood for the next batch that I oak.
Toast it in the oven, soak in some rum or bourbon and give it a try

You may already have covered this in acquiring the wood, but make sure it’s from a tree that is edible. Some species are great, but then there is that one that is poisonous. For example, a lot of sages are medicinal or food herbs, the Mexican Sage varietal is toxic. And for those looking to repurpose wood, make sure it hasn't been pressure treated or infused with chemicals.

Not trying to be a nag, just making sure that we only poison ourselves with ethanol, the good old-fashioned way.

 

[MaxStout]

You may already have covered this in acquiring the wood, but make sure it’s from a tree that is edible. Some species are great, but then there is that one that is poisonous. For example, a lot of sages are medicinal or food herbs, the Mexican Sage varietal is toxic. And for those looking to repurpose wood, make sure it hasn't been pressure treated or infused with chemicals.

Not trying to be a nag, just making sure that we only poison ourselves with ethanol, the good old-fashioned way.

I'll add yew and oleander to the list of wood species you really don't want in your beer.

 

[davidabcd]

I say throw them in the grill next time you use it and start soaking a set for the next batch.

That suggestion I like, feels properly intuitive. Most info here is useful but we get our glitches in value. Not complaining.
I'm now thinking under the broiler (indoor version considering the weather).
Good, good call. Appreciate it.

 

[davidabcd]

I'll add yew and oleander to the list of wood species you really don't want in your beer.

The wife had some tea made of lavender. It proved that loving the experience in the backyard of the qualities of lavender didn't translate, period.

 

[davidabcd]

Yeah, set me down in an actual forest, desert, place without civilization or a Taco Bell, and I'll be dead in four days.

Some species are great, but then there is that one that is poisonous.

 

[PCABrewing]

You may already have covered this in acquiring the wood, but make sure it’s from a tree that is edible. Some species are great, but then there is that one that is poisonous. For example, a lot of sages are medicinal or food herbs, the Mexican Sage varietal is toxic. And for those looking to repurpose wood, make sure it hasn't been pressure treated or infused with chemicals.

Not trying to be a nag, just making sure that we only poison ourselves with ethanol, the good old-fashioned way.

Yes, as a woodworker and amateur Bowyer I am well aware of there being some toxic woods that we like to use.
I was talking more along the lines of White Oak.