Oak chips in vodka

[Razorback_Jack]

Hello all,

I am adding oak chips to my secondary, first time for everything! I was told by my LHBS to let them soak in vodka or bourbon for a week (until they sink). Wondering, is this going to cause any strange ethyl-like flavors in the brew? I am looking for a little oakiness, 4 oz of light oak chips for 3-4 weeks. I just don't want the soaked-in vodka to affect flavors too much.

Thanks for help!

 

[kcmobrewer]

If you're just looking for an oak flavor and not a bourbon barrel or something similar then you could just boil them.


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[giraffe]

There is too little vodka to matter in 5 gallons of beer. And there is plenty of ethanol (hopefully) in your beer already. And the other trace materials in the vodka will be too low in concentration, like 50 ml of vodka to 20,000 ml of beer is a large dilution.