What's your favorite oak-aged recipe? Bourbon too.

Hey all.

I've been reading up on oak aging and I think I have a pretty good grip on the how to do it part but I'm yet to settle on what to brew. I'll be soaking the oak in bourbon first.

I was originally thinking that I would tweak an arrogant bastard clone recipe since the oaked AB is so good, but I thought I would ask the group....What's your favorite oak aged beer that you've brewed. What grains/hops paired well with the oak (and bourbon). Lastly, what bourbons have you used? I'm fairly new to bourbon but I thought Knob Creek or Maker's would do fine.

Thanks.

 

Knob Creek and Maker's are excellent choices. I always have a bottle of Maker's Mark on hand just for brewing. I don't actually put whiskey into my beers (it just ends up tasting like whiskey to me) so after I soak my oak chips in it for a few weeks, I put it back in the bottle. Over time, it's gotten a very nice oakey flavor to it.

As for recipes... check out my Coffee Bourbon Porter in my recipes section. I actually do three versions. The base is a great all around porter. Sometimes I add coffee and sometimes I add bourbon. Sometimes I add both. Either way, this is by far my favorite bourbon recipe. Just keep in mind...bourbon can be an easy flavor to cover up. If you're using coffee or vanilla, you probably won't taste it.

 

I use Jim Beam's Black Label with my oak and toss the whole mix into secondary to age for 8 months.

 

Jim Beam? Really? 8 months on oak? How long do you condition this before it's drinkable? 9-12 months I'm assuming?

I always stick to very good quality spirits when using them in food or beer. You will taste it in the end, so why not do something good. If you enjoy Jim Beam, that's great.

As far as the oak, I've always found that any more than 3 weeks on oak is WAY too much unless you start out with a very strong beer to begin with.

I've never used oak for that long though. How does it turn out in the end? Is it extremely oakey, or just a hint?

 

anyone ever use Chivas Regal soaked oak chips?

 

Im a fan of an oaked amber I made. Its milder than an old ale but oak is good in stronger beers as well. I just think it works well,at least it did for me,enough to be inspiring. I used saaz in an amber which probably is not common,very smooth hop.

 

I think most people will say stout, including me. Using bourbon will drop your fg, so make your stout extra-thick to compensate. Of course, bourbon is just vodka that's been stored in oak, so you could just put the oak in the beer and try to find some other use for the bourbon. Oak has a lot of tannins, which can help balance an overly sweet beer. Many people report superior results using a smaller amount for a longer time, although this may be my first time hearing about 8 months.

 

Being from Scotland, and once I've got the hang of the home brewing process, I want to try and clone the Innis & Gunn Oak Aged Beer. I only have it every now and then but I really like it.

 

I use toasted french oak when I can find it when I brew my Duseldorf Alt. I add them (2 oz) to end of the boil to sterilize them and pull some of the oak flavor out. I then let them sit in primary for about 2 weeks and then rack to secondary adding about 2 oz more there for 2 more weeks. they are more subtle than new oak and lend a slight smokey flavor the beer.

 

My best oaked recipe is an English IPA using the Black Grouse blended whisky. It's a more peaty version of the Famous Grouse, I wouldn't use an Islay single malt just on principle. definitely better than bourbon IMO

 

I love Innis & Gunn, the ones I've had where aged in Rum and Irish whiskey barrels but surely they have others. It's very easy to oak a beer, just soak some oak chips in whatever alcohol you want for a week or more and add the chips to primary or secondary. There are other ways, but that's the cheapest and easiest. Don't wait if that's what you like, go ahead and try it!

Alba gu brath