I’m making a pretty standard Pale Ale and would like to have a mild oak flavor in it. Just a bit. Never used oak chips or cubes etc. thoughts on how much to use in fermenter? When to add? I definitely don’t want it to overpower. What methods would you suggest? Thanks for the help.
Oak flavor to APA
- Thread starter JaymzMF
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One avenue is to soak the cubes in vodka, and dose your keg/bottles with that at packaging time. You could take a measured amount of finished beer and add a measured amount of oak tincture to dial in the ratio. You should be able to avoid over-oaking that way.
Otherwise, it's typical to see 2-3 oz cubes per 5 gal in the fermenter after fermentation is complete. Let sit a couple weeks to taste. Go a little over what you think it good, as the oak flavor will die down over time.
Otherwise, it's typical to see 2-3 oz cubes per 5 gal in the fermenter after fermentation is complete. Let sit a couple weeks to taste. Go a little over what you think it good, as the oak flavor will die down over time.
Oak I've done in an American IPA was one of the best IPAs I've done! I haven't done an APA...
Would recommend slightly lower carb at serving...2.2-2.4 volumes or so will allow the vanilla oak character to shine thru more...
I boiled my oak in the microwave then added it (didn't dump in the boiling water, just used sanitized tongs).
Would recommend slightly lower carb at serving...2.2-2.4 volumes or so will allow the vanilla oak character to shine thru more...
I boiled my oak in the microwave then added it (didn't dump in the boiling water, just used sanitized tongs).
I hadn't heard of boiling it. I was thinking of soaking in bourbon or vodka. Your way seems nice and easy. Thank you.
Any reason to not use chips instead of cubes? I read somewhere it's quicker but harsher? Any knowledge on that? Thank you.
Correct - cubes are mellower and take a bit longer. It's all got to do with surface area in contact with oak: with chips there's much more. When not using a barrel, I opt for cubes soaked in whatever liquor i want to impart. If none, then a soak in vodka works, too. I don't boil, as I'm concerned with stripping the oak of flavors quicker than just using them does.
LittleRiver
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My experience is that boiling, in addition to sanitizing the oak, removes the harsh initial taste than can be a bit over powering (the taste that people report you need to age out). Boiling does not completely strip the oak of its characteristic flavor, don't be afraid to boil.
What I do is cut up some white oak 1/2" cubes (or a little bigger), put them in the toaster oven (no specific temp or time, just until they start to give a nice roasted smell, without burning), boil them, discard the water, then add them to the fermenter for a week or so.
Just buy oak chips that come pre sanitized and soaked . All you have to do is add them for a 4-5 days . I used 4 oz of cognac chips I think for 4 days or so. It definitely had that aged in a barrel taste.
bobeer
Fermentation Specalist
I take 2-3 Oz's of oak chips and soak them in whatever booze I think will do well with the beer. If I'm just using oak without the booze I put them in a sanitized muslin bag and toss it into the fermentor for 5-7 days. I like to age it just stronger than to taste so once the beer mellows the oak flavor won't fade out too much. Depending on the beer it can take more than 7 days. For an apa I'd say 7 would work well.
White oak is a good flavor in hoppy beers too. Check it out!
White oak is a good flavor in hoppy beers too. Check it out!
bobeer
Fermentation Specalist
forgot to add... be sure to use a muslin bag with the oak chips. It will help you when racking the beer over into a keg or bottling bucket. The first time I oaked I just tossed the loose chips in and it was a huge pia to rack the beer over. Oak spirals work well and don't need a bag. I have been braking a bit off of a white oak spiral I bought several years ago and it always works well.
Johst12
Well-Known Member
https://www.johnihaas.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/BH_2018023_Provoak_Flyer_PRINT.pdf
Maybe this could be exactly what you need. I just made a test with it in a comemrcial pils and it came out really nice. Good wood, barrell-aged-like aroma in the background.
Maybe this could be exactly what you need. I just made a test with it in a comemrcial pils and it came out really nice. Good wood, barrell-aged-like aroma in the background.
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That's interesting. Thanks for the link. I have my hops all ready to go. I'd be messing with the desired recipe bringing something like this into it I think. Though, I'm not sure. It's an interesting concept though.
I dont know if you guys have used the pre packaged ones but one cool thing is they almost melt away to nothing. Some fall to the bottom but a lot of it just disappears.
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