wood addition to beer

[derekcw83]

I added some spanish cedar wood cubes to my fermenter and noticed a lot of small bubbling rising from the ones that got fully submerged. Should I be worried that this could be oxygen entering the beer? Possibly causing oxidation later?

I boiled them in water for a few minutes to sanitize, and around 10 days into primary fermentation, hoping to allow another 10 days of flavoring to occur.

 

[MarshmallowBlue]

I'd imagine it's CO2 in suspension attaching to wood.

 

[brewerdoc]

I added some spanish cedar wood cubes to my fermenter and noticed a lot of small bubbling rising from the ones that got fully submerged. Should I be worried that this could be oxygen entering the beer? Possibly causing oxidation later?

I boiled them in water for a few minutes to sanitize, and around 10 days into primary fermentation, hoping to allow another 10 days of flavoring to occur.

Even if it was oxygen, the amount of oxygen that would be entered into your fermenter would be not significant.

I am curious about how this will turn out. Cedar produces phenols that repel things like fruit flies. It also has an antibacterial and fungicide effect which in theory would kill certain fungi possibly including the one that is supposed to be fermenting your beer! Of course, the concentration of cedar oil in your fermenter is most likely not high enough but nevertheless let us know how it turns out in regards to taste profile, OG and FG.

 

[tjosborne]

Where did you find those cubes?

 

[derekcw83]

I've heard that spanish cedar isn't really a cedar. But as far as profile, just go pickup a jai alai lol, you'll taste it immediately. This is a IIPA, og 1.075, hoping to finish at 1.015.

Got a local mill source that handles many types of wood.

 

[Rhetorik]

You won't get much flavour out of cubes over only 10 days. Chips - yes, definitely, but cubes are normally left to sit for weeks/months.

Also, they're normally added after fermentation has completed, not partway through.

 

[bobeer]

I wouldn't worry about oxidation from wood chips.
You might want to leave the chips in there for longer than 10 days. I have found the wood flavor fades a little once the beer conditions out so I over oak my beers and they come out how I want them to taste once the beer is ready to drink. I left some bourbon oak chips in a strong ale for 3 months on time and there's still a great oak flavor to the beer 3 years later.