Red Oak?

[MartinH]

Ok, I have a "cooler style" mash tun and I want to use red oak as an false bottom. Is thier any toxicity in red oak and will it mess with my AG mash?

"Oak is full of tannic acid and mixes with the iron in our water it creates a chemical blue dye. This is why red oak stains black when water is allowed to penetrate the surface."

 

[jppostKW]

? please explain how this will work?

 

[MartinH]

? please explain how this will work?

My cooler curbs in about 1/2 inch, I'm going to sand it down to filt into the bottom with about an 1" off the bottom for an fasle bottom. Then drill several small holes into the wood to allow the wort to flow.

 

[MartinH]

"Red oak (Quercus rubra) is a native tree found in eastern Canada. This plant contains toxic tannins that have caused poisoning and death in cattle and horses. Sheep may have also been poisoned by this oak. Poisoning can lead to depression, anorexia, loss of condition, and kidney damage. Kidney failure usually results in death (Duncan 1961, Cockerill and Beasley 1979).

Cockrill, J. M., Beasley, J. N. 1979. Renal damage to cattle during acorn poisoning. Vet. Med. Small Anim. Clin., 74: 82, 84-85.

Duncan, C. S. 1961. Oak leaf poisoning in two horses. Cornell Vet., 51: 159-162."





One of the only things I can find on the subject..

 

[jppostKW]

Um sounds like i would stick with a SS braid copper manfold etc.
It would probably be a PITA to make, and clean...... besides the other minor details of posioning

 

[mordantly]

planning an 'Angel of Death Ale' are we?

 

[MartinH]

planning an 'Angel of Death Ale' are we?

'Red oak (Quercus rubra) is a native tree found in eastern Canada. This plant contains toxic tannins that have caused poisoning and death in cattle and horses."

Red Oak- Acorns and Leaves of oak are high in tannic acid, and cause severe vomiting.

I have not found anything about the wood.

 

[MartinH]

I have found cutting boards and even kids toys in red oak. They put whisky and wine in red oak.
I'm going to try!

 

[AnOldUR]

This plant contains toxic tannins that have caused poisoning and death in cattle and horses

I'm going to try!

Mental note: no swaps with MartinH. :cross:

 

[lyacovett]

I have found cutting boards and even kids toys in red oak. They put whisky and wine in red oak.
I'm going to try!

Usually white oak is used in aging. Red oak will be pretty bitter, and could affect the overall flavor pretty poorly. If you could get your hands on some white oak, that would probably lend a better flavor. Just think about the smeel of red oak when you are cutting it, it stinks .... kinda like vomit.

 

[brewmonk]

red oak is not going to be your best choice.

maple has a MUCH tighter grain, and is naturally lower in not only tannins but also the other poisons used by the plant as natural insecticides (cedar being higher, e.g.).

Maple is going to be easier to clean, and less vulnerable to harbouring infections and general mung-ness. Maple also glues up better - lower oil content.

(And as for the cutting boards, um, I'll pass.)

If you still want to use the red, make a Stinkfoot Ale!

good luck with your mlt project!

 

[joety]

I have found cutting boards and even kids toys in red oak. They put whisky and wine in red oak.
I'm going to try!

Red oak is an open grained wood compared to white oak. I'm surprised it's used for casks and barrels. White oak is also naturally resistant to rot, which is why it's often used in situations where there is contact with water, such as ship building and outdoor furniture. I don't believe red oak those same qualities.

 

[Barc]

Red oak also has a much more open cellular structure (i.e. larger cells) when compared with white oak (or maple). In woodworking, it is a little more difficult to work with because of the "cellular crushing" that causes the surface to not be as "smooth" as is a standard piece of white oak or maple. That being said, this structure also causes it to absorb more water than does a piece of white oak or maple of the same size making constant all other variables (temperature, surface area, water hardness, etc).

The above aside, I'd say you could use it for your purposes. The tannins will be, in all likelihood, a by-product of your method, at least until they are mostly removed from the surface, and you could lose some of your hot liquor to absorption. You're not going to consume much, if any, of the actual plant material (and none of the leaves) and are probably going to be consuming much less than someone who would be working with the wood in furniture manufacturing or the like(such as sawing, planing, sanding, etc.) where dust is produced...

My small nuggets of info...

 

[twoodward15]

Dude, don't use it. I have a piece of perforated stainless steel. How big a piece do you need? You pay shipping and it's yours.

 

[brrman]

Red oak has very wide pores and will retain dirt and debris, even after you wash it. Not the best wood selection for food application. Applying heat in that process during a mash would amplify that effect. I would not suggest using red oak - it will form some serious bacterial colonies over time, not to mention the tannins and slight toxins that will leech into the wort.

 

[MartinH]

Dude, don't use it. I have a piece of perforated stainless steel. How big a piece do you need? You pay shipping and it's yours.

LOL, an 11 half by 19 inchs...

 

[MartinH]

Thank you, I will look for an maple or white oak. I may keep the red oak.

 

[jaginger]

would red oak be a problem for a mash paddle? I know, same issues as above, but it's in contact for a heck of a lot shorter time.

 

[brewmonk]

sure, go a head. have fun.

 

[bendc]

wouldn't it float anyway?

 

[MartinH]

I got Maple! It looks good. When I'm done I'll put a pic up..

 

[MartinH]

wouldn't it float anyway?

LOL, I think it will!! LOL crap!

 

[joety]

LOL, I think it will!! LOL crap!

White Oak just barely floats. Attach it to any amount of metal and it should sink. Other woods not so much.

 

[MartinH]

White Oak just barely floats. Attach it to any amount of metal and it should sink. Other woods not so much.

I have Maple.. But I was going to build a copper or a cpvc bottom and use copper fittings to hold the maple down..