Oak ing a stout

[Pyg]

I am i the process of making a double coffee, double chocolate, oatmeal stout (founders clone).
I was considering not bottling gallon and racking to a small jug. I was then going to age the left over gallon on some whiskey and Hungarian oak cubes.
My question is:

How much oak & whiskey for 1 gallon?
How long do you age it for?
Does it hurt if you store it cold?


Not sure if that would be overkill for a Founders breakfast stout clone . Or should make a stout strictly with the intent to age on oak and whiskey? Since Hungarian Oak Cubes have vanilla with chocolate, roast coffee flavor.


but my main concern is when I did make a stout and age on oak, is how much and how long?

 

[mrgrimm101]

Founder's KBS is their breakfast stout aged in Bourbon Barrels, so it is most definitely not overkill. I don't have answers to your questions, but you should be able to do some quick searching on this forum or on Google to get your answer..I can't imagine that it hasn't been asked and answered thousands of times.

I googled "oak chips for 1 gallon stout" and got loads of results. I hope this helps!

http://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/first-time-oaking.21416/

http://www.themadfermentationist.com/2007/03/treatise-on-oaking-homebrew.html

http://beersmith.com/blog/2012/02/20/oak-in-your-beer-oak-chips-and-barrel-aging/

 

[lump42]

I typically use 3-4 oz cubes (that I cut from used barrel staves) for a 6 gallon batch of mild ale. I age it for at least a month, longer if I don't need the space. I've done some 1 gallon oaked batches but my notes are at home. I think I used 1 to 1.5 oz and aged for a month or two. With that strong of a flavor, it may not be bad to go on the heavy side depending on how much you like oak flavor and what you're looking to achieve.

 

[menerdari]

The thing about oak is it is a oak to taste thing.
Different people like different amounts of oak flavor and it is purely personnel preference
I do just over 1/2 oz. in a gallon myself for two weeks. I use medium+ toast French oak though.
My suggestion is to add as much as you like and give it a taste every week or two until you get the flavor you want.

 

[Pyg]

Founder's KBS is their breakfast stout aged in Bourbon Barrels, so it is most definitely not overkill. I don't have answers to your questions, but you should be able to do some quick searching on this forum or on Google to get your answer..I can't imagine that it hasn't been asked and answered thousands of times.

I googled "oak chips for 1 gallon stout" and got loads of results. I hope this helps!

http://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/first-time-oaking.21416/

http://www.themadfermentationist.com/2007/03/treatise-on-oaking-homebrew.html

http://beersmith.com/blog/2012/02/20/oak-in-your-beer-oak-chips-and-barrel-aging/

Thanks for info.
Full disclosure - my work computer, where I spend most my time has blocked any web page that deals with alcohol and brewing.
So I have o search HBT using my Phone and that is a tedious pain.

 

[rlonardo]

Founder's KBS is their breakfast stout aged in Bourbon Barrels....

Not actually true - they say that it's an entirely different beer.

I brewed an imperial stout awhile ago where I did this. I bottled 4 gallons and let the other gallon sit on oak and bourbon. I used 1 oz. of American oak chips and ~6 oz. of bourbon. Left for 2 weeks I think.

For oak cubes, I would still probably use 1 oz. but let sit a bit longer (less surface area than chips) - maybe taste every week or so after the first 2-3 and then bottle when it is where you want it. I'd also use less bourbon - 2 oz. is probably good. I was going for a strong bourbon character, and boy did I get it.

 

[mrgrimm101]

I stand corrected. I always thought it was Breakfast Stout minus the oats

 

[Pyg]

Oak ing this weekend.
For 1 gallon I am going to start with:
2 oz makers mark
1/2 oz Hungarian oak cubes!

 

[Pyg]

Mentioned to the guy at My LHBS that I was adding oak and whiskey.
He seemed a little shocked that I would whiskey.
Is not a normal thing?

 

[A2HB]

Bourbon is whiskey so not sure why he was acting like adding some is some kind of new invention?

People have been bourbon barrel aging their beers for decades, how long has he been running that store?

 

[Pyg]

Bourbon is whiskey so not sure why he was acting like adding some is some kind of new invention?

People have been bourbon barrel aging their beers for decades, how long has he been running that store?

I think he was confused because he sells "whiskey oak chips", but I told him I have been soaking my oak in whiskey and will be addin it all in.
He did not understand that I was adding the whiskey to the beer.

 

[A2HB]

Ahhh I see. Well go ahead and do it, that's the technique most people will tell you, just dump it all in. I oaked a stout last year and it was pretty harsh at first but six months later it was sublime. If you over oak by accident don't panic just let the beer age for longer, it will taste good eventually, that's what I learned from that.

I'm actually bottling a new batch of that same recipe tomorrow, but on this batch I used bourbon soaked cubes instead of the chips so I'll see which one I like better in a few months. I aged on the chips for three weeks and the cubes for four and a half.

I bet yours is going to taste really good too if you follow similar procedures. RDWHAHB all the way bro

 

[Pyg]

Racked, not sure if the foam is from racking,
Not sure what would restart fermentation.
But added 1 oz oak cubes
1 oz whiskey.
Smells good after 1 day!
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1447609102.549100.jpg

 

[Bellybuster]

wish I could smell;l thru the screen. the air bubbles come from the oak, it's full of air

 

[Pyg]

Tried 1/4 of an oz.
It is smokey, needs a touch more whiskey.
Might add 1 more oz of whiskey for a total of 2 oz.
Let sit for a weeks and bottle

 

[Pyg]

Tried a sip, tasted like more whiskey than oak.
Could be that I did not stir it, tasted off the top, after topping up with 1 oz of whiskey!

Maybe another week, rack and bottle

Edit-update: I added a 1/4 oz of oak chips. This will take up some headspace, but hopefully combat the overwhelming whiskey flavor