How to use wood chips?
  • jlwjlw
    Posts: 16,454
    My RIS is ready to oak after an eight month bulk age. The last step is to oak it and add one more layer of flavor and complexity. I've oaked a couple of beers in the past usually just for two weeks and then I rack the beer off the chips.

    How do you guys oak? Use a bag? Just throw them in? How much do you use? I used 4oz. How long do you leave the beer on the chips?

    Here is the recipe:

    Recipe Specifications
    --------------------------
    Boil Size: 7.54 gal
    Post Boil Volume: 5.72 gal
    Batch Size (fermenter): 5.00 gal
    Bottling Volume: 5.00 gal
    Estimated OG: 1.099 SG
    Estimated Color: 58.3 SRM
    Estimated IBU: 95.5 IBUs
    Brewhouse Efficiency: 71.00 %
    Est Mash Efficiency: 78.1 %
    Boil Time: 90 Minutes

    Ingredients:
    ------------
    Amt Name Type # %/IBU
    15 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 77.5 %
    2 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 2 10.0 %
    1 lbs 4.0 oz Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM) Grain 4 6.3 %
    1 lbs 4.0 oz Black (Patent) Malt (500.0 SRM) Grain 3 6.3 %
    1.70 oz Warrior [15.00 %] - Boil 90.0 min Hop 5 77.1 IBUs
    0.50 oz Chinook [13.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 6 18.4 IBUs


    Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
    Total Grain Weight: 20 lbs
    ----------------------------
    Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
    Mash In Add 27.00 qt of water at 164.3 F 150.0 F 60 min

    Sparge: Drain mash tun, Batch sparge with 1 steps (3.44gal) of 168.0 F water
    Notes:
    ------
    OG 1.090
    FG 1.014
  • JayrizzleJayrizzle
    Posts: 90,691
    I find a white oak, cut a branch and Shave it down to nothing. I take the shavings and toast them until blacked. Then just dump 'em in.
    image
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,786
    i use cubes. i like to soak them in bourbon for a week or two, then bag em with a sanitized spoon in the bag as a weight and toss it in the keg. i leave it in there until i like the oak flavor, then wait a couple days before removing it. that way, it's just slightly over-oaked so that the oak flavor sticks around while the beer matures.
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • ceanntceannt
    Posts: 53,828
    Dr_Jerryrigger said:

    I find a white oak, cut a branch and Shave it down to nothing. I take the shavings and toast them until blacked. Then just dump 'em in.



    Says the guy who makes beer out of chicken feed ...
    Never attribute to malice, that which can adequately be explained by stupidity.
  • JayrizzleJayrizzle
    Posts: 90,691
    ceannt said:

    Dr_Jerryrigger said:

    I find a white oak, cut a branch and Shave it down to nothing. I take the shavings and toast them until blacked. Then just dump 'em in.



    Says the guy who makes beer out of chicken feed ...

    True... But unrelated, I never feed my chickens oak shavings.
    image
  • ceanntceannt
    Posts: 53,828
    Dr_Jerryrigger said:

    ceannt said:

    Dr_Jerryrigger said:

    I find a white oak, cut a branch and Shave it down to nothing. I take the shavings and toast them until blacked. Then just dump 'em in.



    Says the guy who makes beer out of chicken feed ...

    True... But unrelated, I never feed my chickens oak shavings.


    Ha!
    Never attribute to malice, that which can adequately be explained by stupidity.
  • jlwjlw
    Posts: 16,454
    @fromzwolle how long do you typically leave the oak chips in? Two weeks seemed to short when I added them to my wee heavy.
  • ceanntceannt
    Posts: 53,828
    How much oak do you want? Something that big .... go for at least 3 weeks ... maybe even 4
    Never attribute to malice, that which can adequately be explained by stupidity.
  • jlwjlw
    Posts: 16,454
    I want enough that it won't dissipate but I don't want drink an oak tree. Think I'll shoot for 4 weeks.
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,786
    jlw said:

    @fromzwolle how long do you typically leave the oak chips in? Two weeks seemed to short when I added them to my wee heavy.



    2 weeks, but my cubes are stored in bourbon for a month or so before i use them, so a good deal of oak flavor is already in the bourbon. i oak in the keg so i can continually taste and pull them when it's right.
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,786
    jlw said:

    I want enough that it won't dissipate but I don't want drink an oak tree. Think I'll shoot for 4 weeks.



    sounds like a good plan. remember to sample at around three weeks, so you know where you're at.
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • jlwjlw
    Posts: 16,454
    When you oak in the keg I know you use a spoon to weigh it down do you tie it off with fishing line to retrieve or how do you get it out?
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,786
    jlw said:

    When you oak in the keg I know you use a spoon to weigh it down do you tie it off with fishing line to retrieve or how do you get it out?



    i use the flat type of floss. fishing line might not let you seal the keg properly.
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
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