Working with Oak Chips

[stephenbp]

I have been brewing a extract recipe from Northern Brewer called Mustache Envy Belgian Stout. I have been fermenting the wort for about 4 weeks and it is time to add the oak chips to the wort. Do the oak chips need to be sanitized prior to adding it to the wort or do I just add it? Also, the oak chips are French medium toast (3 oz.). What flavors will it add to the beer?
Thanks.

 

[Morrey]

Since your beer has an alcohol content at the time you add the wood chips, that helps prevent issues for the most part. If you'd feel better, you can do a "rinse" with vodka or neutral spirits to make sure you are sanitized.

I do a bourbon barrel porter where I soak the oak chips in bourbon, then strain out the chips add the bourbon. Your way is a direct pitch and you'll extract tannins and vanillins into your beer.

Some folks like more tannins, some less, so decide how you plan to monitor this. I put my chips in a muslin bag, put the bag in a secondary or keg. Monitor (taste) until you feel you have hit the note that pleases your palate. Most oak chips have totally done their "thing" meaning it offers no more extractions in 6 weeks or so. After that it is just sitting there. I typically pull mine before that as I don't want it super "Oaky".

 

[stephenbp]

This extract recipe states to add the oak chips 7 to 12 days prior to bottling. So I plan on following the recipe.

 

[dnslater]

Soak the chips in a bit of Bourbon and then dump it all in the fermenter. Simulates beer aged in oak Bourbon barrels. Doesn't hurt to err on the side of leaving the oak in longer. A cup or two of Bourbon will barely impact the abv of a 5 gallon batch.

If you have never had a Bourbon barrel stout, they are incredible.