Oak in the Primary

[Lodovico]

Hello,

I'm planning on brewing an IPA using oak. A friend had heard of adding the oak to the fermenter at the same time you pitch the yeast and let it go through primary fermentation.

Has anyone here done this? He said it can give a more subtle oak flavor to the beer. I'm going for subtle oak. I've oaked beers in the past but always in secondary. If I used a lot of oak (like 4 oz.) and let it sit in primary for 3 weeks, do you think I would get enough oak? I would also just end up dry hopping in primary too after the first 10 days or so and then just package the whole brew after 3 weeks total.

How much oak do you think I would get using this amount and this length of time? I would probably use American Medium Toast oak.

 

[Hoppocrates]

Per Matt Brynildson of Firestone Walker, oak in the primary does give more subtle, complex oak notes as the yeast also metabolize the sugars in the oak. Most home brewers recommend chips for brief contact time such as primary fermentation. However, Shea Comfort (wine expert and home brewer) recommends 1 oz of oak cubes for 1-2 weeks in beer (never one-dimensional chips). You can put the oak cubes in a coffee cup, cover with water and then microwave in 30 second increments until you get a good steam/boil then dump the entire contents into your fermenter. I have been oaking almost all of my beers using 1 oz of cubes for 1 or 2 weeks in the secondary and loving the results. For extensive information on oaking beer, check out the following segment with Shea Comfort:

http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/The-Sunday-Session/The-Sunday-Session-11-23-08-Shea-Comfort

 

[Lodovico]

Per Matt Brynildson of Firestone Walker, oak in the primary does give more subtle, complex oak notes as the yeast also metabolize the sugars in the oak. Most home brewers recommend chips for brief contact time such as primary fermentation. However, Shea Comfort (wine expert and home brewer) recommends 1 oz of oak cubes for 1-2 weeks in beer (never one-dimensional chips). You can put the oak cubes in a coffee cup, cover with water and then microwave in 30 second increments until you get a good steam/boil then dump the entire contents into your fermenter. I have been oaking almost all of my beers using 1 oz of cubes for 1 or 2 weeks in the secondary and loving the results. For extensive information on oaking beer, check out the following segment with Shea Comfort:

http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/The-Sunday-Session/The-Sunday-Session-11-23-08-Shea-Comfort

Great information here. Thanks man. I'm going to listen to the podcast as well. So based on what you've said here, 1 oz. of oak for 2-3 weeks in primary would give me the result I'm looking for. Thanks a lot!

 

[Hoppocrates]

oak cubes not chips...

 

[Lodovico]

So if I go with 2 oz. of French oak cubes at the same time I pitch my yeast and let it sit a total of about 16-18 days, will the oak be present you think?

 

[Hoppocrates]

I would only do 1 oz per the extensive info that Shea Comfort gives on the link I provided. If after 2 weeks 1 oz is not providing a strong enough presence you can simply extend the contact time for another week or longer. Taste, taste, taste it and then bottle/keg it when it is where you want it...

 

[Lodovico]

I would only do 1 oz per the extensive info that Shea Comfort gives on the link I provided. If after 2 weeks 1 oz is not providing a strong enough presence you can simply extend the contact time for another week or longer. Taste, taste, taste it and then bottle/keg it when it is where you want it...

After listening to the podcast, I think you are correct sir. Thanks again!

 

[MilwaukeeBrewGuy]

Good info here. I am oaking some bourbon barrel porter. I added 2 oz of amerian medium plus toast that I threw in with some US-05 to take it down a few more points. Did not boil or steam the oak.
I plan on 2 weeks. Going to listen to that podcast though. Thanks.