Innis and gunn

[Wolverine]

Can I throw some oak chips in my fermenter to give it an oak taste like Innis and gunn ( my favourite beer at the moment) if so would I steralise them or what any one had any experience with oak chips?

 

[cornyandy]

I've done the oak chip bit, but I added to the Keg rather than the fermenter. It was a Theakston's clone and I only put a small amout in. I sterilised briefly in a weakish Sulphite solution then matured for three weeks and drunk from the barrel. This beer never lasted long enough for the oak to become overpowering. In the Innis and Gunn case the oak is quite strong so maybe a month or two in the keg then bottle and mature for a bit longer.

Hope this helps

Andrew

 

[richc]

I've usually soaked them in something alcoholic, cheap vodka if I don't want to add any additional flavour, or brandy, bourbon etc. if you want that additional taste.

 

[graysalchemy]

Innis and Gun is matured in Bourbon casks so there will be an element of bourbon in the flavour process. Their web site gives some indication to maturation times. Also I think I am right in saying that bourbon casks are chard which I think I read this week has the effect of purifying the bourbon (activated charcoal).

I think someone on here, it may have been Muddy Disco, last year was going to try aging beer on oak chips and I think he may have soaked them in whisky first. :hmm: :hmm:

Simply adding oak chips may not necessarily provide the right flavour profile that you are trying to emulate. However it will add something to it and worth a try. :

 

[Wolverine]

I think that sounds like an excelent idea I'm gonna soak them burbon first.
I did think though that the innis and gunn was used to prime the oak barrels befor the addition of any borbon and thus flavouring the bourbon with ale rather than the ale with borbon?
How many different ways of spelling bourbon ?

 

[richc]

IIRC the barrels used for bourbon are new and are only used once, this means there are a lot of old barrels around to use for beer (in the US).

 

[graysalchemy]

No they were used for scotch whisky and traditionally bourbon barrels are used as there is a ready supply of them (because bourbon has to go into a freshly charred barrel each time). But they wanted a deferent flavor profile so they originally filled bourbon barrels with beer especially brewed and then chucked it away.

Soaking the oak in bourbon will certainly help. The hardknot brewery Aether Blaec is a stout aged in Scotch whisky barrels.