Wood Chips & Barrel Aging Beer

[Murcluf]

I'd like to hear what experiences people have had with using wood chips and barrel aging beer?

I was listening to a basic brewing podcast where a bloke was talking about barrel aging beer and he used a chair leg stuck in the end of a carboy to do his, he also mentioned using wood chips. All this talk got me to thinking if I was going to go down this track and try to replicate barrel aging a beer what styles of beer could I do it with, besides oak what kinds of wood could I use?

Styles I thought of were Stouts, Porters and Barley Wines, the one wood I'd like to try is Red Gum for a unique Australian flavour but thought it might be too strong and over powering.

Let me hear you thought or suggestions....

 

[quadbox]

Have you listened to the Brew Strong podcast on wood aging? a wealth of information there, was a great show

 

[chappo1970]

Bump!

I have been thinking alot about having ago at this Oak barrel aging thing. And would really like to know how this has gone for other AHBers out there? I thinking a big Saison ATM.

MHB I know you cracked one over the ANZAC Day weekend, how did that go?

Any feedback would be appreciated.


Thanks HomiTB that podcast was awesome. Will need to listen again and take some notes this time.

Edit: Speelinkz

 

[reviled]

I oak aged my Port Stout on oak chips (read sawdust) for 31 days, when I went to bottle, I had lost 2 grav points, and it was utterly astringent and oaky - I steamed the oak chips going on advice from Newguy who said every oaked beer hes tried that utilised boiled chips ended up astringent right the way through...

One bit of advice - Make sure youve got ALOT of time on your hands, my beer didnt taste good untill 3 months in the bottle, then it was absolutely devine! But the beer is still going through flavour shifts even after 6 months + in the bottle, for example at 3 months I could taste alot of port, it had a subtle sour grape type characteristic which I really enjoyed.. Last bottle I had the oak is coming out in full force again, not astringent, just dry and oaky, if I cracked a bottle tonight it would probably taste different again :huh: lol

 

[warrenlw63]

Yeah it's quite assertive. I've got a flanders red that's been sitting on some French Oak staves for around 3 weeks now. I'm already getting that astringent oakiness coming through. Seems to me that a little goes a long way.

Edit: I treated mine by soaking in red wine and port for a month. Then I steamed them for 15 mins before adding to the conditioning cube.

Warren -

 

[reviled]

Yeah it's quite assertive. I've got a flanders red that's been sitting on some French Oak staves for around 3 weeks now. I'm already getting that astringent oakiness coming through. Seems to me that a little goes a long way.

Edit: I treated mine by soaking in red wine and port for a month. Then I steamed them for 15 mins before adding to the conditioning cube.

Warren -

Yeah I just steamed mine for 10 mins and put in 2ndary in a hop bag for 31 days.. It was 20gms from memory so not even a full packet of oak chips - but I also read that cos it was shavings (sawdust) the surface area is alot greater so its more effective...

 

[marlow_coates]

You could always experiment on smaller quantities, in a 5L port/whisky barrel for example.

My LHBS has a range of woodchips for spirits, so if you had the funds or access to several barrels, you could do a 20L brew, and split onto 4 different chip beds in the barrels and see the results.

I know they are expensive though. Alternatively, just split the brew into 4 x 5L demijohns with the chips thrown in, or 4x5L water containers etc...

Either way, I am sure it would be an interesting experience, and stem some more experimentation from others on here.

Good luck with it

 

[reviled]

I know they are expensive though.

The chips are, like the actual wood chunks esp cos alot of the time theyre 'branded' like Jack Daniels soaker chips.. But the sawdust shavings cost me $1.95 for 30 gms and I didnt even use the whole thing! B)

 

[chappo1970]

So no one stores it on the wood, as in barrels, for extended periods then? I was thinking along the lines of an extended wood aged beer.

Maybe I should give the staves a go first?

 

[warrenlw63]

Chappo I think you'll find the staves are a cheaper and far lower maintenance proposition than an actual barrel. I got one stave for about $5. I just broke it into bits and it was sufficient for 2 cubes.

I guess if you like your results with the staves then you could think along the lines of a barrel. I know they're big $$$ though.

Warren -

 

[petesbrew]

I just did one on the weekend, my medieval amber recipe in the DB, but was unsure of what to do with the chips.
I just threw them in the boil. We'll see how it turns out.

 

[reviled]

The barrels also dont really impart as much oak flavour cos theyre mega old and alot of the oak character has been leeched out allready..

But would be damn cool to have a proper oak barrell for ageing in :beerbang:

 

[chappo1970]

Chappo I think you'll find the staves are a cheaper and far lower maintenance proposition than an actual barrel. I got one stave for about $5. I just broke it into bits and it was sufficient for 2 cubes.

I guess if you like your results with the staves then you could think along the lines of a barrel. I know they're big $$$ though.

Warren -

I hear you about the $$$ bit.
BUT?
It just so happens a mate of ChapChaps (sometimes it pays to do indebted favours for mates) has access to a couple of 1st run limited edition Bundy rum barrels that were destined for the US of A but never made it because a promotion here in Brisbane was thought up but never got to run it's course. The rum has since been long gone, sadly, but said barrels are in pristine condition and are hanging at someone's place begging to be used. Only 19gals each but that's enough to store a tidy 60-70lt drop.

That said I think the staves are a great idea to formulate a recipe suitable for the task.

Edit: Speelinkz

 

[reviled]

I hear you about the $$$ bit.
BUT?
It just so happens a mate of ChapChaps (sometimes it pays to do indebted favours for mates) has access to a couple of 1st run limited edition Bundy rum barrels that were destined for the US of A but never made it because a promotion here in Brisbane was thought up but never got to run it's course. The rum has since been long gone, sadly, but said barrels are in pristine condition and are hanging at someone's place begging to be used. Only 19gals each but that's enough to store a tidy 60-70lt drop.

That said I think the staves are a great idea to formulate a recipe suitable for the task.

Edit: Speelinkz

Would be interesting to see what sort of oak character youd get from it.. Id say not a hell of alot, could be nice and subtle! Do it!!!

 

[marlow_coates]

With barrels that size Chappo have you considered a plambic

 

[chappo1970]

Plan to but I'm trying to work out some of the pit falls as well. There isn't much info on the whole wooden barrelling thing. As in techniques, time, procedure, barrel preparation etc... Plus if it isn't viable to start with then there maybe little point in pursuing it altogether.

 

[chappo1970]

With barrels that size Chappo have you considered a plambic

No I hadn't MC? But It ain't out of the question...

 

[Bribie G]

In the UK, bitters and milds are a 20th century invention which came about when breweries bought (and built) huge estates of tied house pubs. They could 'delegate' the finishing of the beers to the landlords of the pubs and send the ale out in casks to be conditioned in the pub cellars and served after a week or so. This was a real boon to the breweries. These new beers were called "running beers"

Until then the pale ales, milds and porters were a stronger beer which were aged in wooden casks for months, known as "keeping beers". Of course it meant that the breweries had to keep a massive inventory of beer on premises.

For a wood aged UK style beer you would want to go for a high gravity India Pale Ale or "old time" mild probably about 1060 OG.

Here's a good read although it contains way way too much information but the guy's obviously mainstream Aspergers which doesn't hurt in the case of beer, it's a lot more interesting than train spotting anyway

http://www.europeanbeerguide.net/beerale.htm#loftusb