Aging double IPA of bourbon barrel pieces

[dirtymike1]

I brewed a batch of double IPA 2 weeks ago and split up the batch last night. I bottled half and put the other half over pieces of bourbon barrel to give it an oak aged/barrel flavor. I've tried to find out via searching, but how long should I leave it over the wood? Since it's about 2.5 gallons I figure I'd leave it for about a week, I don't want it to be too strong of a flavor profile. Any recommendations?

 

[elpenoso]

A week should work. Just taste it and bottle when you think its done.

 

[unionrdr]

Taste a small shooter sample at least once a week till you get the level you want.

 

[dirtymike1]

Cool. I'll try it in a week but I figured 7-10 days would be plenty anyway.

Thanks!

 

[Tiber_Brew]

+1 on tasting it

I've gotten varying flavors and intensities from the same amount of oak and same length of time. Tasting it is really the only way to make sure it is at the level you want.

One thing to note is that the intensity will fade a bit with age, so you may want to rack the beer off of the oak after it is just slightly more intense than you want. With more time and more experience you'll get the hang of it.

TB

 

[unionrdr]

From what I've been studying of liquor soaked oak chips,the flavors don't fade like hops,spices,etc. But rather,change over time to the more mellow aspects of the flavors they already contain. If that makes any sense. I'm going to use 4oz of medium toast French oak chips that've almost completely soaked up 5 jiggers of 8 year old Kentucky bourbon in an airtight container in the fridge.
I figured it'd only take a week at that amount,rather than several when only 2oz or so are used,& the liquid drained off. In my estimation,The liquid soaks flavor out of the oak as much as soaking bourbon flavor into the oak.
Have you ever soaked would chunks or shell bark hickory bark in water too long? You'll see the water turn brown. That's the wood flavors soaking out.

 

[Tiber_Brew]

From what I've been studying of liquor soaked oak chips,the flavors don't fade like hops,spices,etc. But rather,change over time to the more mellow aspects of the flavors they already contain. If that makes any sense. I'm going to use 4oz of medium toast French oak chips that've almost completely soaked up 5 jiggers of 8 year old Kentucky bourbon in an airtight container in the fridge.
I figured it'd only take a week at that amount,rather than several when only 2oz or so are used,& the liquid drained off. In my estimation,The liquid soaks flavor out of the oak as much as soaking bourbon flavor into the oak.
Have you ever soaked would chunks or shell bark hickory bark in water too long? You'll see the water turn brown. That's the wood flavors soaking out.

Fade, mellow.... po-tay-toe, po-tah-toe....


I've done oaking a couple different ways. When I threw the oak in the secondary, the flavors seemed to change differently with age than when I pre-soaked the oak in liquor and added the liquor to the keg. Or it could just be me.

I would advise experimenting, perhaps splitting a batch and only change the oaking method. Take a sample every month or so and see if you can taste a difference.

 

[dirtymike1]

Well I broke the single stave up (it was about 3ft long by 4in wide by 1/4in thick) and steamed it for 20 minutes to clean it. I pour the left over brown water into the batch as well, for added flavor. If nothing else, this is an experiment to learn how to make this process work

 

[dirtymike1]

I would advise experimenting, perhaps splitting a batch and only change the oaking method. Take a sample every month or so and see if you can taste a difference.

I'll try this out next time. Since I added the brown water fromt eh steamer, I won't do that next time and see what happens

Thanks again all!

 

[Tiber_Brew]

Well I broke the single stave up (it was about 3ft long by 4in wide by 1/4in thick) and steamed it for 20 minutes to clean it. I pour the left over brown water into the batch as well, for added flavor. If nothing else, this is an experiment to learn how to make this process work

...and that's just part of what homebrewing is about!

Hope it turns out, bud!

TB

 

[unionrdr]

I'm just saying that "fading" implies that it's going away to where it's less noticeable. It seems more like the harsh edge "mellows out" to me. That was what I intended to imply. It'll age for a while in the bottles anyway. I'm thinking till September,anyway?...

 

[Tiber_Brew]

I'm just saying that "fading" implies that it's going away to where it's less noticeable. It seems more like the harsh edge "mellows out" to me. That was what I intended to imply. It'll age for a while in the bottles anyway. I'm thinking till September,anyway?...

Sorry, I knew what you meant, and didn't mean to undermine your point!

I probably should've used the word "mellow" instead of "fade" since that's what I meant.

Cheers,
TB

 

[dirtymike1]

Well this batch is going to a friend, a Vet that just got back from overseas, and his birthday is at the end of July. I know it won't be 100% by then, but I'll tell him to throw a bunch in the back of the closet and forget it till Christmas time.

 

[unionrdr]

Ah...gotcha. Since we both did the same thing,does that me we're cancelled out? AAAARRRRGH!lolz.

 

[Tiber_Brew]

Oaked beers can be good young, too. Most prefer a bit of aging, but I really love the strong oak flavor, so I usually set aside some for drinking both young and old.

That's nice of you to brew a good oak beer for a homecoming vet. What a way to welcome him back to the USA!

 

[dirtymike1]

:rockin:

He's been back for a coupe of months now, but his wife said he's been trying new and different beers. I figure while this isn't a Kentucky summer beer, it'll age great and he'll have it for the winter

 

[Tiber_Brew]

Ah...gotcha. Since we both did the same thing,does that me we're cancelled out? AAAARRRRGH!lolz.

I think we're in agreeance here.