How to add rum soaked oak?

[onipar]

Hey all. I'm planning to brew Northern Brewers Hope and King Scotch Ale tomorrow: http://www.northernbrewer.com/documentation/allgrain/AG-HopeandKing_Pro_TH.pdf

Coincidentally, my girlfriend bought a case of her favorite beer, which is Innis and Gunn Rum cask aged scotch ale. We were drinking it, and I mentioned what I was brewing, and she asked if I could add rum and oak to it.

I've not done this before. I searched around online and found some info, but was hoping for maybe a clearer sense of what I should do.

1. Can I buy oak chips that would be used for smoking meat?
2. Should I toast the chips first?
3. How long should I soak it in rum.
4. Do I have to transfer to a secondary to do the "age" and how long should I let the oak chips age in the beer?
5. Do I pour all the rum that it was soaking in as well?
6. How much rum and oak should I use?

I know...a lot of questions. I appreciate the help, thanks!:rockin:

EDIT: 7. Also, I was wondering, could I use hickory wood in place of oak? Because I have hickory wood on hand, and I would have to buy oak.

 

[Flyinghutch]

Hey Onipar

I was wondering the same thing just a little while back and stumbled upon this thread.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/tips-wood-aging-119445/

The first post sheds quite a bit of light on the subject, and I went and listened to the Brew Strong podcast episode he mentioned as well.

I ended up giving some medium toasted American oak spirals soaked in makers mark a try in a gallon of Stout that I stole from a full batch just before bottling. I plan on bottling the experiment next week and letting it bottle condition for a month or so to let the flavors slow dance with each other for a while.

We'll see how it goes.

-hutch

 

[onipar]

Thanks for the reply! I did start listening to that recording last night, but didn't have time to get through the whole thing. I might end up just pulling a gallon or two to do a "test age" too, just to be safe.

 

[unionrdr]

Get some medium toast oak chips from your lhbs,or online brewing supply. Soak about 3oz of oak in 2-3oz's of rum in a airtight container in the fridge during primary fermentation of the beer. When it's at FG & clearing nicely,pour the oak & rum through a hop sock into secondary. Tie off the sock,& drop it in. Rack beer in primary onto that. Let it sit for 7 days,& take a shot glass size sample to taste how much oaky rum flavor is in there,& whether it's where you want it or not. When it gets to the level you like,bottle it up. It can take longer to mellow than a month,but it'll be good if you don't overdue it sooner.
This amount of oak & liquor is for 5-6 gallons of beer btw.

 

[onipar]

Awesome! Thanks for the step by step. I'll do it this way. Cheers!

Get some medium toast oak chips from your lhbs,or online brewing supply. Soak about 3oz of oak in 2-3oz's of rum in a airtight container in the fridge during primary fermentation of the beer. When it's at FG & clearing nicely,pour the oak & rum through a hop sock into secondary. Tie off the sock,& drop it in. Rack beer in primary onto that. Let it sit for 7 days,& take a shot glass size sample to taste how much oaky rum flavor is in there,& whether it's where you want it or not. When it gets to the level you like,bottle it up. It can take longer to mellow than a month,but it'll be good if you don't overdue it sooner.
This amount of oak & liquor is for 5-6 gallons of beer btw.

 

[STEVESKI]

Get some medium toast oak chips from your lhbs,or online brewing supply. Soak about 3oz of oak in 2-3oz's of rum in a airtight container in the fridge during primary fermentation of the beer. When it's at FG & clearing nicely,pour the oak & rum through a hop sock into secondary. Tie off the sock,& drop it in. Rack beer in primary onto that. Let it sit for 7 days,& take a shot glass size sample to taste how much oaky rum flavor is in there,& whether it's where you want it or not. When it gets to the level you like,bottle it up. It can take longer to mellow than a month,but it'll be good if you don't overdue it sooner.
This amount of oak & liquor is for 5-6 gallons of beer btw.

Just curious since I'm about to do a bourbon barrel ale this weekend. I plan on soaking 2oz of oak in 10oz of bourbon and throwing it all in there. I've read a lot of people that did this kit have been adding over 1 cup of bourbon as well. I'm surprised you recommend so little rum. Any particular reason?

 

[unionrdr]

Whether rum,bourbon,JD,whatever...using huge amounts of liquor totally overpowers the beers complexities. We're not looking for fizzy whiskey...although some like it that way. I prefer to creat balance. You want the liquor soaked oak to add to the beers flavor/aromas. Not overpower them. I used 4oz of medium toast oak with 5 jiggers of Beam's Black in my first try,my Whiskely Ale. Was a bit strong from secondary at 8 days. It's a name for it that comes from colonial times when they'd age a stout or porter in used bourbon barrels. It was popular up to prohibition. So I used the name for mine,since my family has been here since 1734! The Apache side,some 12,000 years. Still gotta brew up some Tizwin in the chief's honor.
Anyway,I had to age the bottles of Whiskely ale for 10 weeks to smooth it out. I'm going to try it with a milk stout in a couple months. And I'll cut the oak/whiskey to 2-3oz of medium toast oak chips to maybe 2oz of bourbon. Should get better flavor mix that way between the ale & the oak & bourbon.
I'm prety sure I have some 4oz of medium toast french oak stashed...

 

[onipar]

Yeah, I've heard both extremes (very little rum to a lot), but I'm probably going to go on the light side. There were a ton of specialty grains in the beer that I do want to come through.

On the other hand, I would like to kick the ABV up a bit because I didn't hit my target OG... But I read that adding a bit of liquor doesn't change the ABV much.

 

[onipar]

So, just to update here's the plan:

I ordered 2oz of medium toast american oak from Northern brewer. I added 4 oz of 12 year aged appleton's rum. I'm gonna just let that soak until I need it, which is gonna be something like 6 weeks.

I'm racking my Scotch Ale to secondary after 2 weeks in primary. I'm planning on aging the scotch ale for 2 months in secondary, so I'll rack it over, let is sit probably 6-7 weeks, then add the oak and rum.

I'll taste after 7 days, then go day by day if the flavor isn't where I want it.

Then to the bottle for 4-8 weeks.

How's that sound?

Is there I reason people suggest to put the oak in a hop sock? Seems like it'd be easier to get the cubes out if they are loose...no?

Thanks!

 

[unionrdr]

So, just to update here's the plan:

I ordered 2oz of medium toast american oak from Northern brewer. I added 4 oz of 12 year aged appleton's rum. I'm gonna just let that soak until I need it, which is gonna be something like 6 weeks.

I'm racking my Scotch Ale to secondary after 2 weeks in primary. I'm planning on aging the scotch ale for 2 months in secondary, so I'll rack it over, let is sit probably 6-7 weeks, then add the oak and rum.

I'll taste after 7 days, then go day by day if the flavor isn't where I want it.

Then to the bottle for 4-8 weeks.

How's that sound?

Is there I reason people suggest to put the oak in a hop sock? Seems like it'd be easier to get the cubes out if they are loose...no?

Thanks!

Since I use chips,I don't want splinters in the bottles. Put the oak & liquor in the secondary when you start aging it. You'll spend less time aging the flavor into it that way. Maybe preserve some hop flavor as well? When the flavor is where yo want it with the oaked liquor,remve them & continue aging if you like.

 

[onipar]

Okay, so rack right onto the rum and oak, then remove the hopsock and continue to age. How do you get the hopsock out of a carboy when you're leaving the beer in?

Thanks again!

 

[Juno_Malone]

Yeah, I've heard both extremes (very little rum to a lot), but I'm probably going to go on the light side. There were a ton of specialty grains in the beer that I do want to come through.

On the other hand, I would like to kick the ABV up a bit because I didn't hit my target OG... But I read that adding a bit of liquor doesn't change the ABV much.

You can use the ol' C1V2=C2V2 chemistry equation to calculate your new ABV after adding liquor. For example:

Let's say I've got 5 gallons (640 fl oz) of 5% ABV beer in the carboy. I add 2 cups (16 fl oz) of 40% ABV whiskey. (640 x 5) + (16 x 40) = 3,840. Divide that by your ending volume (656 fl oz) and you are now sitting at 5.85% ABV!

 

[unionrdr]

Okay, so rack right onto the rum and oak, then remove the hopsock and continue to age. How do you get the hopsock out of a carboy when you're leaving the beer in?

Thanks again!

Just tie a string to it that runs under the carboy cap so you can pull it out.

 

[onipar]

Great, thanks all!

 

[buddman]

Hey all. I'm planning to brew Northern Brewers Hope and King Scotch Ale tomorrow: http://www.northernbrewer.com/documentation/allgrain/AG-HopeandKing_Pro_TH.pdf

Coincidentally, my girlfriend bought a case of her favorite beer, which is Innis and Gunn Rum cask aged scotch ale. We were drinking it, and I mentioned what I was brewing, and she asked if I could add rum and oak to it.

I've not done this before. I searched around online and found some info, but was hoping for maybe a clearer sense of what I should do.

1. Can I buy oak chips that would be used for smoking meat?
2. Should I toast the chips first?
3. How long should I soak it in rum.
4. Do I have to transfer to a secondary to do the "age" and how long should I let the oak chips age in the beer?
5. Do I pour all the rum that it was soaking in as well?
6. How much rum and oak should I use?

I know...a lot of questions. I appreciate the help, thanks!:rockin:

EDIT: 7. Also, I was wondering, could I use hickory wood in place of oak? Because I have hickory wood on hand, and I would have to buy oak.

Like you, I had a bottle of the Innis and Gunn Rum cask aged scotch ale (pretty expensive stuff) on hand to use as a comparison to my clone that I was making. I first got turned on to Innis and Gunn at Deacon Brody's pub in Edinburgh, Scottland last summer. For my 11 gal. batches I used 4 oz. of oak chips purchased from my LHBS. Placed the oak chips in a strainer bag and into a quart Mason jar filled with near boiling water for about an hour, to get rid of the tannic acids. I then let the chips dry for a couple days and then placed them in the Mason jar filled with my favorite dark rum. I let the chips soak for five days. Again, removed them and let them dry. I then placed them in the secondary for 14 days. The color of my clone was spot-on to the Innis and Gunn that I had purchased. The taste was also very close, but I thought mine was a bit smoother. Saved some from my first batch to compare to my latest batch and can't wait to compare them. Everyone that I've given this clone to says that it's the best that I've ever brewed. I hope you enjoy yours as much as I have mine. This is definitely going to be a beer that I'll always have on hand. Cheers!

 

[onipar]

Wow, sounds great, buddman! Mine is more of an afterthought (definitely not a clone), but I hope it comes out tasting at least a little like the innis and gunn. Oh yeah, very expensive! Cheers!