Use of oak chips in IRA for competition...

[Nick222]

How does the use of oak chips in an Irish red ale can affect in a competition? Does it make it fall out of style?

For a 5 gallon batch I use 2/3 of a cup of light toast oak chips, soaked in 1 cup of boiling water, they are soaked for about 60-90 minutes, then placed in secondary before racking the beer in and left there for 5 days, so the aroma and taste are noticeable.

I brew three styles very often and I've been offered to send 2 of them for a competition on March next year, I would really like to send this one, but I'm not sure on how the adjuncts use is judged...

 

[hungry4hops]

If the oak is subtle enter it as a Irish red ale.
If the oak is noticeable enter the beer into the oak category.
if your not sure you can always enter both categorys

 

[jekeane]

If the flavor or aroma is noticeable then I would enter it in the category below. I would judge a mild to overtly oaky Irish Red as being out of style even if it were a great beer. I would write in the comments that while great it needs to be entered into 33A.

From the 2015 bjcp guidelines

33A. Wood-Aged Beer
This style is intended for beer aged in wood without added
alcohol character from previous use of the barrel. Bourbonbarrel
or other similar beers should be entered as a Specialty
Wood-Aged Beer.
Overall Impression: A harmonious blend of the base beer
style with characteristics from aging in contact with wood. The
best examples will be smooth, flavorful, well-balanced and
well-aged.

 

[Nick222]

Thanks for your takes on this, and also for bringing up the guideline, I was still looking into the 2008 version!

 

[CJ-3]

I like a really good Irish Red, care to share your recipe?

 

[Nick222]

Well... I can share this:

Malts: 2 row brewers malt, crystal 60 and 120 for an SRM of 16.4 and 1.051 OG

Hops: Perle and Amarillo for 28 IBU

60 minute mash, 60 boil

Yeast: WLP001, 10 days ferment, FG 1.012

Adjunct addition and secondary are described in my first post

 

[CJ-3]

Sorry, I had no idea I asked you to divulge a secret recipe. Didn't intend to brew it and compete against you.

 

[Nick222]

Don't worry, no biggie.. just that I would feel more comfortable sharing it fully if I wasn't making money out of it ;-)

OTOH, I don't want to appear as a ****** when I have profited from all the knowledge shared in this site...