Best Beers for Oaked Flavor

[hatfieldenator]

My wife bought me an oak barrel for my birthday. Its not something I would have bought myself, but I'm kind of excited about using it for a few special batches. I don't have much experience with aging beer on wood so I'm looking for some advice regarding what sort of style beer to make? I was thinking something like Stone's Oaked Arogant Bastard Ale or a bigger beer like a porter or stout? Other beers that go well with Oak Flavors? Thanks!

 

[HBHoss]

You could do an IPA since they were originally transported from England to India in wood barrels.

 

[McGarnigle]

IPAs, English strong ales, Stouts. Has to be something with some heft to it, although I'd love to try an Oaked Corona Light.

 

[Thakog]

Sours work well too, only problem is, once you get those bugs in there, they won't come out.

 

[SkinnyShamrock]

I personally like drinking oaked stouts more than anything, but there's other styles as well. Barleywines can be good oaked, and so can Belgian beers, dubbels and quads in particular. The other suggestions that have been made are good, too.

 

[twigboy2000]

You could do an IPA since they were originally transported from England to India in wood barrels.

Whiles it's true that oaked IPA's can be tasty, historically these casks would have been coated with brewer's pitch on the inside which would have imparted no oak flavor to the beer.

What size barrel did you get?