Bourbon-barrel aged cider a la Crispin Bird on a Wire

[MTate37]

Does anyone have any experience with bourbon barrel aged ciders? My wife loved the Crispin Bird on a Wire last winter and we would like to attempt something like it. I'm considering making a five gallon batch of cider and splitting off a couple of gallons to age on bourbon soaked spirals, chips or cubes.

Has anyone used oak in a cider and do you have a preference for one of the methods?

 

[babski]

I do a lot of cider in 50 gallon oak bourbon barrels. Works great but you need to taste it along the way cuz it's easy to get too much oak flavor. If it goes too long the oak will overpower all of the other flavors. I like to go 1 year and blend with a cider that was fermented in a non oak vessel. I have a barrel going now that I have been tasting and will transfer to 2 food grade plastic barrels to clear when the taste is right. I've also done 5 gallon batches in glass carboys using toasted oak chips but again monitor the flavor because its possible to overdo the oak flavor.

 

[icanbenchurcat]

I was just considering something like this...

6 gallon batch, move 1 gal onto .5-.25 oz of French oak cubes soaked in bourbon. Boil the cubes prior to soaking.

Never tried anything with oak, but I think if checked on, bottled and aged properly it would be fantastic.

 

[CvilleKevin]

I have a friend who uses 50 gallon oak bourbon barrels with great results. +1 on not letting it stay too long in the barrel.

I've done a few oaked keg batches and have had best results with french oak chips, 1/4 oz, soaked in bourbon beforehand to sterilize and then 2 months in the secondary. IMHO the oak flavor works easier with a semi-sweet cider, because then the oak taste can be a little stronger without stomping on the apple taste. How strong to go depends on when you want to drink it, as once you remove the wood, the oak flavor will diminish a bit after the first month.

 

[Fossey]

I did 2 half gallon batches - one with an ounce of natural French oak chips and one with an ounce of toasted French oak chips - sat the brew on the chips for three weeks and then bottled. Came out great for me, the natural oak was the stronger flavour of the two and preferable for me.
I boiled the chips in apple juice and cooled before adding to carboy and racking on top.
The original brew was store bought juice dumped straight onto a perry yeast cake ( EC-1118 ) with nothing else added.