Adding wood chips

[Leon103]

I have some barrels from the Penderyn distillery.

Penderyn use bourbon and Madeira barrels to age their whiskey so the flavours it will add to my beers will be amazing.

Before I start putting some recipes together does anyone have advice - when to use, amounts etc.

Any material for me to read?
Thanks.

 

[dan125]

Never used them myself but keen to give them a try so watching with interest...

 

[Hoddy]

I would be interested in this. I’ve thought maybe. BIPA or a dark lager or a dark Saison would benefit from some kind of oak ageing.

Interested to see what other ideas people may have.

 

[dan125]

Love the idea of using wood in a BIPA - I noticed in Randy Mosher's Mastering Homebrew he recommends;
'to add the wood chunks or cubes as early in the fermentation process as possible, as yeast activity seems to speed up the lignin-to-vanillin transformation and soften the harsh oaky flavours'
He doesn't give any info on how much to use other than suggesting they should be used with a 'light touch'.

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

I only brew kits but by far the best one I’ve done to date is the Mangrove Jacks Bourbon Barrel Strong Ale. The kit came with a small pouch of Bourbon Barrel wood chips that went in the primary just before the yeast. I’ll definately be doing that again before the last bottle goes.

 

[Leon103]

So planning brewing with these next week. Any ideal on sanitising them?

 

[dan125]

So planning brewing with these next week. Any ideal on sanitising them?

Never done it, but maybe bring up to pasteurisation temps in a bit of water????

 

[marshbrewer]

I might be wrong, but isn't soaking them in Vodka another way of sanitising them?

 

[Braindead]

So planning brewing with these next week. Any ideal on sanitising them?

I usually soak them in the liquid same as the barrel to sanitise them and launch the whisky in the keg too.
Penderyn is a bloody expensive whisky though.
Im going to soak mine for a week in Aldi Speyside whisky, £18 a bottle and its stunning.
Probably go with about 60-100g depening on how you've cut them.
Then taste weekly till I'm happy.

 

[Leon103]

I usually soak them in the liquid same as the barrel to sanitise them and launch the whisky in the keg too.
Penderyn is a bloody expensive whisky though.
Im going to soak mine for a week in Aldi Speyside whisky, £18 a bottle and its stunning.
Probably go with about 60-100g depening on how you've cut them.
Then taste weekly till I'm happy.

Not a whiskey drinker so have none at home. Saying that, apart from the wife's gin, I have no spirits at home.

How much whiskey would I need?

 

[Braindead]

I just add enough to cover the chips cubes.
Or vac seal it then u need less

 

[BeerCat]

Some People steam them in a little water and add it all to the FV.

 

[stz]

You have barrels but want to use chips?

 

[Leon103]

You have barrels but want to use chips?

I have access to the barrels. But I have removed some staves, prepared them etc and cut into chips.

 

[big yogi]

I can get oak shavings from a joinery workshop.
Would they do the same job?
How much grams would I need to give me the oak flavour in my brew?.
I also like the idea of steeping in whisky

 

[Alside101]

I'm currently aging some white whisky i bought on heavy toasted white oak and when there done il be putting it straight into a imperial stout. Id sanitize in some sort of spirit just note vodka will extract flavour from the oak but a whisky or rum might introduce more flavour.

 

[Ajhutch]

I think you could sanitise by heating the wood in the oven. I don’t know what advantages and disadvantages this may have over boiling or alcohol soaking but worth considering. BIPA is a really interesting style to use the wood for, good luck with it.

 

[big yogi]

I'm currently aging some white whisky i bought on heavy toasted white oak and when there done il be putting it straight into a imperial stout. Id sanitize in some sort of spirit just note vodka will extract flavour from the oak but a whisky or rum might introduce more flavour.

Keep me updated how your imperial stout tastes.

 

[Alside101]

Keep me updated how your imperial stout tastes.

Got about 5 month before i start it

 

[Leon103]

I think you could sanitise by heating the wood in the oven. I don’t know what advantages and disadvantages this may have over boiling or alcohol soaking but worth considering. BIPA is a really interesting style to use the wood for, good luck with it.

Yeah thought I would go bold. I am thinking of just steaming them