Rum soaked oak chips.. Help

[chaindriven]

So I plan on racking my pumpkin beer onto a nice bed of oak chips that I am going to soak with some rum of my choice.. My question is 1, do I have to sanitize the oak chips first? Or with the alcohol in the rum take care of that..? And 2, how much rum should I add to 1/2-3/4 of an ounce of oak chips for 2 gallons of beer..? Thanks for any help!

 

[unionrdr]

The rum will take care of any sanitizing in my experience. And start soaking the chips in an air-tight container in the fridge when you pitch the yeast. It needs time to soak. Then pour the chips & all through a sanitized hop sock & drop'em into secondary for a week or so.

 

[TwistedHops]

Maybe it's unnecessary, but you could boil the oak chips to be safe.

Then, Use enough rum to cover the chips.

Good luck!

 

[unionrdr]

No need to boil, mine have been fine soaking in the liquor for the couple weeks of primary fermentation. Plus being in the fridge helps keep anything from trying to grow. Besides, boiling them would take the dried sap out of the wood that gives flavor.

 

[imasickboy]

As far as amount of rum, I typically use 16oz of whatever liquor I've chosen, per 5 gallon batch. So for you, 6-7oz should do it.

 

[chaindriven]

Awesome guys thanks so much for all the input!

 

[unionrdr]

With the amount of chips you're using, a couple jiggers of rum would do the trick.