Oak cubes

[peresian]

Hi
May we use more oak cubes for faster effect & reuse it for other batches ?

 

[DoctorCAD]

Yes, more oak cubes will give faster oak flavor, but sitting for a while on less cubes is always better. Time is your friend...

They can be reused, but lose most of their flavor in with the first use.

 

[roger80465]

I believe oak has multiple layers of flavor, especially from cubes and spirals and the like. The "high notes" like vanilla and coconut flavors come out from the toasted layers while the "medium and low notes" come from the center. To get those low notes from the oak, contact time with the oak is needed. I have panicked in the past and worried I was getting too much oak flavor into the wine and pulled the cubes early. I was left with a one dimensional flavor that was a bit boring. When I left the oak longer, those flavors evened out and I had a much more interesting wine. I agree with DoctorCAD - give it time and you will be rewarded.

 

[brottman]

My LHBS only had oak chips. Is there any ratio to compare a recipe that calls for cubes to the chips? Also - do you need to sanitize the cubes/chips at all before adding to wine?

 

[Mikeymu]

I've tried sanitising oak chips and also adding them straight, including the dusty bits, and prefer the latter method. I find it easier to avoid over-oaking that way and have never had any problems of must infection.

 

[DoctorCAD]

I've tried sanitising oak chips and also adding them straight, including the dusty bits, and prefer the latter method. I find it easier to avoid over-oaking that way and have never had any problems of must infection.

I do rinse the chips if they are very dirty, but normally they are fairly clean right out of the bag. I did get some that were supposed to be medium toast, but the bag was coated on the inside with charcoal dust. I'd hate to see heavy toast, the bag would probably be filled with lava rocks!

 

[mblanks2]

Can oak cubes me made and toasted on your own and does anyone have any links or information on the process?

 

[FlyinDan1017]

Yes, you can make and toast your own oak chips but for the work vs cost of just buying its easiest to just buy. There's a few good articles if you just google, and I think there's a writeup for making them on jack kellers site. Good luck!!!

 

[RachmaelBenApplebaum]

I suppose if you have the time to air season white oak heartwood for 3+ years before chipping/cubing/whatever and toasting, go for it.

 

[peresian]

May I toast again oak cubes by oven after using ? (for improving result)

 

[mblanks2]

Yes, you can make and toast your own oak chips but for the work vs cost of just buying its easiest to just buy. There's a few good articles if you just google, and I think there's a writeup for making them on jack kellers site. Good luck!!!

Thanks for the response. I'm interested in putting as much of MY craftsmanship/artistry into my beer as possible.

I suppose if you have the time to air season white oak heartwood for 3+ years before chipping/cubing/whatever and toasting, go for it.

I have access to white oak from a local supplier and cabinet maker that is already dried and as stated above I want to have as much to do with putting myself into this beer as possible. It's my hobby/passion/obsession therefor it is where I get my enjoyment, so it's not about the time I spend doing it, it's about the satisfaction I get from putting it all together and knowing the final result was as much me as it could be.

 

[RachmaelBenApplebaum]

Didn't mean to malign your ideas, I said go for it. Anyways, make sure that the oak you're sourcing is the heartwood of the tree, just white oak planks from a carpenter won't suffice. I'm sure being a woodworker they'll know the difference. As for the rest, there's some good info about the various aspects of barrels here, albeit a bit hokey. [ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LBGPKgQ2ac[/ame]

 

[mblanks2]

Didn't mean to malign your ideas, I said go for it. Anyways, make sure that the oak you're sourcing is the heartwood of the tree, just white oak planks from a carpenter won't suffice. I'm sure being a woodworker they'll know the difference. As for the rest, there's some good info about the various aspects of barrels here, albeit a bit hokey. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LBGPKgQ2ac

Very interesting in how a cooper builds the barrels, but why the necessity of heartwood in the cubes? As the planks cut for the barrels didn't appear to be heart wood.

 

[RachmaelBenApplebaum]

Actually I guess it doesn't matter for cubes. The heartwood is capable of making a water-tight vessel but it's grain is also appropriate for the right extraction. The sapwood is softer and much more permeable.

 

[solbes]

Just as with an oak barrel, you get diminishing flavor with each usage. If on a small barrel you age for 3 weekson your first usage, you may have to go 3x that on the second usage to get the same flavor. And not much at all after that.

With oak cubes, I use them once for regular beers or wines. And then store them in my freezer labeled with what they were used with. They work really well for sour batches where you don't want as much oak flavor, don't care as much about sanitation, and where you might want to split a batch to pick up some subtelties of a spicy red wine, malty barleywine, RIS, etc.

 

[Pyg]

I let my wine sit on my cubes (or chips) for about 3 months (racking schedule).
When I am done I throw them on my grill.

 

[solbes]

Using them on the grill is an awesome idea, I might use that one. Thanks!

 

[mblanks2]

I am planning a Bourbon Oaked Imperial Stout beer. Getting ready to soak for 60 days. My plan is to let the beer rest in secondary for 6 months on oak. The beer should be 11% to 13% depending on efficiency. I will bottle age for an additional 3 to 6 months. Hopefully going to be GREAT winter warmer for winter 2015.