Anyone Use Oak in the Primary

[Blender]

I am considering making a brew similar to Firestone Double Barrel Ale. I found a recipe from Morebeer and it says to add 2 ounces to primary fermentation and then an ounce with the dry hops. Anyone have experience with this. Double Barrel Ale is a very good beer that is brewed in oak barrels using a modern method of the Burton Union system. Burton Union explained.> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burton_Union

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

I've done it in the secondary, but never in the primary. I would say that 3oz of oak (depending on the size of the chips) would give a pretty hefty oak flavor. I put 3.5oz in a stout and found it beyond my liking.

 

[Blender]

I actually was thinking of only doing it in the primary. I don't really want a lot of oak. I have one ounce from a prior kit that I did not use so that may be a good place to start.

 

[Zymurgrafi]

I made an IPA with oak in the primary. It worked very well. It was subtle and I do not remember how much I used. Can be tricky stuffing them in a carboy depending on the chip size. Mine where pretty small, ran a board through the planer and caught a bag of chips.

Was not a problem siphoning the beer off of them either once they had settled.

 

[Sir Humpsalot]

I've done it in the secondary, but never in the primary. I would say that 3oz of oak (depending on the size of the chips) would give a pretty hefty oak flavor. I put 3.5oz in a stout and found it beyond my liking.

But that depends greatly of the surface area of the chips- to a much greater degree than the mass.


And the amount of time they soak, of course.



Edit to add: I am disagreeing with the Baron! Right or wrong, I feel this is a monumental moment in my development as a beer brewer!!!!!

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

Edit to add: I am disagreeing with the Baron! Right or wrong, I feel this is a monumental moment in my development as a beer brewer!!!!!

Are you, based on my parenthetical comment in post #2? I think we're in complete agreement!

 

[knipknup]

I used 1 oz of hickory chips that I steamed for 10 minutes first. Put it in the secondary with hops for dry hopping. The hickory is definitely detectable, I'm not sure I'd enjoy 3 oz. Of course, hickory may not be as savvy as oak.

 

[Sir Humpsalot]

Are you, based on my parenthetical comment in post #2? I think we're in complete agreement!

No I am disagreeing, sir... because it has to do with the surface area of the chip, not the "size". Shavings will be different from cubes or spheres. Size is a little... vague.


Or maybe I just overlooked that parenthetical and am now attempting to distinguish my position in light of this new information.

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

In any case, I agree that the surface area is the critical statistic :cross: