by db » Friday Apr 27, 2012 7:31 pm
Oak is something you probably want to control in the time that it is in contact with the beer.
From my experience a chunk, or chip, per bottle, could possibly be too much in something that you want to age.
Depending on the type of oak you are using, results can vary greatly. I have used 1g per litre of small French oak chips, on the oak for 2weeks, & the results were over the top. On the other hand I have aged other beers on big chunks of American oak, at the same ratio, for double the amount of time, & the result was barely noticeable.
For oaking any beer my advice would be;
1. Select your oak carefully. American oak is different to French, chips are different to chunks, which are different to staves. Chips from bourbon or rum barrels will have a totally different profile to staves from a wine barrel. Even char to raw oak % on the oak will affect the flavours.
2. Keep surface area in mind when judging amounts. Smaller chips will, weight for weight, have a greater surface area than chunks or staves.
3. Time. IMO with so many variables it's best to have control over the contact time, & be able to remove the oak when it's at the level that you want it to be.
4. Process. You can pull different flavours from where you use the oak in the brewing process. Using oak pre or during ferment will add mouthfeel, structure, & less vanillans. Oaking post ferment in secondary will add more vanillans & less structure.