Oak cubes? I have oak firewood, why would I buy cubes?

[Chadwick]

Instead of buying oak cubes, why can't I simply take a slab of oak firewood and roast it in the stove at 250 for about 2 hours to sanitize it and use that? Besides, now I'll get to play with the difference between white oak and red oak.

Is this idea flawed somehow? Am I flirting with danger or am I thrifty?

 

[signpost]

I don't know anything about it, but it seems like a good idea to me.

Is that helpful?

 

[TheRussMeister]

I don't know too much either, but I think that is most of it. I think I remember reading something about the oak being used for the commercial cubes goes through an aging process before it is cut and toasted. Just be sure that you actually use oak that was from a tree directly (sounds like you have), rather than lumber purchased for building.

 

[SpottedDogBrewing]

Interested!!

 

[Weezy]

If its white oak, you can. don't use red oak

 

[Kblandfo]

let me know how it goes, sounds fun

 

[SpottedDogBrewing]

http://forum.northernbrewer.com/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=104116

 

[Chadwick]

If its white oak, you can. don't use red oak

I have both white and red oak. Why shouldn't I use red oak?

 

[Kblandfo]

awesome link above

 

[Chadwick]

http://forum.northernbrewer.com/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=104116

I love that chart. It makes me want to have several different oaks in there at once. Some cooked hotter than others. I may have to wait for a day where the kids and SWMBO are away to prepare all of these, I expect the house will get a bit smoked up.

 

[1977Brewer]

Not until you hit 350 or so. Dry wood won't smoke lower than that. It'll hurt toast.

Anyway, this is great info.

 

[Weezy]

Iirc...Red oak is much more porous and doesn't have the material that gives the characteristic vanilla character we associate with oaking. That's why they only use white for making barrels. the former reason probably not a big deal for cubes but the later is a deal breaker.

 

[elerten]

I had a buddy of mine do white oak cubes in his smoker to toast the cubes. It worked awesome. Then soaked them in some woodruff reserve. The cubes went into a dragon milk stout clone. The fiends drank 5 gallons of it up in a couple a weeks.

 

[Chadwick]

I'm convinced to use my white oak slabs for brewing at this point. I'm not so sure about the red oak or other woods. White oak seems like a safe choice regardless of how I use it.

I'm curious about other woods. I know there is a lot involved with this that may include more than esters and flavor contributions. Perhaps some woods have toxic properties? I don't want any of that. I have pretty much any American native wood available to me. Not from the lumber yard, but from the woods themselves. This includes unusual things like sassafras, iron wood, and even other rare woods unique from the Red River Gorge area.

While I have done some meat smoking with unusual woods, I'm pretty sure they will not translate the same when it comes to home brewing. Heck, I've considered smoking malts over coal. Coal has a very unique aroma that might translate nicely in some beers. I haven't done it yet because just about every by-product of coal smoke causes cancer. I don't want to make cancer in a bottle. But the woods seem to be more likely candidates for flavor contributors.

 

[SpottedDogBrewing]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1423401340.617146.jpg

 

[BBBF]

I'm convinced to use my white oak slabs for brewing at this point. I'm not so sure about the red oak or other woods. White oak seems like a safe choice regardless of how I use it.

I'm curious about other woods. I know there is a lot involved with this that may include more than esters and flavor contributions. Perhaps some woods have toxic properties? I don't want any of that. I have pretty much any American native wood available to me. Not from the lumber yard, but from the woods themselves. This includes unusual things like sassafras, iron wood, and even other rare woods unique from the Red River Gorge area.

While I have done some meat smoking with unusual woods, I'm pretty sure they will not translate the same when it comes to home brewing. Heck, I've considered smoking malts over coal. Coal has a very unique aroma that might translate nicely in some beers. I haven't done it yet because just about every by-product of coal smoke causes cancer. I don't want to make cancer in a bottle. But the woods seem to be more likely candidates for flavor contributors.

You can use other woods. Black Swan has some that you can buy or read the descriptions of what each wood imparts.



http://www.blackswanbarrels.com/honey-comb-barrel-alternative/

 

[Rootski]

I hear Budweiser is beechwood aged... you could always try that.

 

[Weezy]

I'm convinced to use my white oak slabs for brewing at this point. I'm not so sure about the red oak or other woods. White oak seems like a safe choice regardless of how I use it.

I'm curious about other woods. I know there is a lot involved with this that may include more than esters and flavor contributions. Perhaps some woods have toxic properties? I don't want any of that. I have pretty much any American native wood available to me. Not from the lumber yard, but from the woods themselves. This includes unusual things like sassafras, iron wood, and even other rare woods unique from the Red River Gorge area.

While I have done some meat smoking with unusual woods, I'm pretty sure they will not translate the same when it comes to home brewing. Heck, I've considered smoking malts over coal. Coal has a very unique aroma that might translate nicely in some beers. I haven't done it yet because just about every by-product of coal smoke causes cancer. I don't want to make cancer in a bottle. But the woods seem to be more likely candidates for flavor contributors.

I like where you're going. Let us know how you're experiments turn out. Thx.

 

[chemman14]

If its white oak, you can. don't use red oak

Use that red oak to smoke some meat. So good!

 

[vanishingpint]

Pretty sure from wine brewing that white oak is the way to go. Just toast it like you said .I it should be fine .I think red oak gives more bitterness That you would want.

 

[vanishingpint]

Oh man sorry .I've been brewing too much beer I guess .Or drinking too much .You don't brew wine!

 

[SleepyCreekBrews]

Pretty sure from wine brewing that white oak is the way to go. Just toast it like you said .I it should be fine .I think red oak gives more bitterness That you would want.

I think vanishing meant, "that you would not want"

This is true. Red oak has much more tannins that would lead to bitterness

 

[Chadwick]

My bitterness should come from the hops and nothing else. So, Ok. Red oak = added bitterness. White oak it is. I like the vanilla flavor anyhow.

I'll head over to the farm and grab a plank of white oak firewood tomorrow and stick it in the oven for about an hour or two at 350F. I brewed a nice Belgium triple tonight with raisins and plenty of dark candi sugar that could benefit from a bit of oak. Is that traditional? Possibly, possibly not. I don't care. My beers aren't ever clones of anything specific. Rather, they are jazz and experimental based on flavors I like.

This particular beer is more jazz than most. I didn't post the recipe here, like I often do. This one is simply a pure experiment. Too many different malts to make sense. Although I did only stick with a single hop. Other than that, it's jazz.

I've found that people are quick to tell me that "this and that" won't work and that I'll regret doing "this and that". I've discovered that isn't always true. I did a peated ale using 3 lbs. of peated malt. I was told it would be undrinkable. It was divine. I had to lie to friends and tell them it was all gone to keep some for myself.

You can't always follow conventional wisdom, if you do, sometimes you miss an opportunity to experience something special. I love brewing, and damnit, I might use red oak anyways. Heck, I don't know what I'll use. But I'll break standard convention no matter what I do.

 

[1977Brewer]

I like that you called your beer jazz. I get it. Take your recipe, do everything "right" that needs to be right. Them play the notes your way.

 

[Chadwick]

I like that you called your beer jazz. I get it. Take your recipe, do everything "right" that needs to be right. Them play the notes your way.

I use the term "jazz" because I'm a musician too. Well, retired musician. But the term "jazz" is appropriate. I'm improvising while understanding a set of loosely defined rules. The ultimate rule being, "it must be enjoyable". Brewing isn't a great deal different from musicians making Jazz. Creativity is always encouraged, being different is cool, the ultimate judgement is in what you produce.

Brewing is Jazz!