What Happens if it's Oaked Too Long?

[Evan!]

Just curious. I brewed a rather high grav winter ale. During fermentation, I took 2 cups of bourbon and added a vanilla bean and 1.5 oz. of oak cubes to it, which soaked for a week in the fridge. Then I added the whole mixture to the beer in secondary. It's been in there for 2 weeks or so. I tasted it a few days ago, and I can't say that it's "too oaky" (I'm also a wine geek, so I know what "too much oak" is)...I'm just wondering, when it comes to beer, is it like wine...does it end up buttery? Cedary? Or what?

 

[magno]

When I brewed a batch of Imperial Hellfire last year I made the bonehead move of using three oz of oak instead of one (Im still not sure what I was thinking, dumb mistake). Then I got a little lazy and left it in secondary on the oak for about a month. Long story short, the beer tasted like a tree. I will probably make the recipe again this summer, paying closer attention to the recipe.

- magno

 

[Brewing Clamper]

mmm... spruce...

 

[david_42]

I have lots of dead Douglas Fir out back. Is there a beer equivalent of Retsina?

 

[Caplan]

Is there a beer equivalent of Retsina?

For me it's Innis & Gunn Oak Aged Ale from Edinburgh. Give me a bottle of Retsina anyday!

 

[fatboy570]

I did an Octoberfest last year and aged it on oak a bit too long, had an almost whiskey-like flavor. Not buttery or cedar, but didnt tast like any beer Id had either. Didnt bother me too much, but some others thought it was too strong.

 

[rcbrew]

I bourbon/oaked a batch, but let it set for 6 months (2 in secondary, 4 in bottles). It tasted real strong when I bottled, but was great at the end of bottle conditioning. It disappeared real quick at hunting camp.