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Is Pre-Boiling Oak Cubes Important?
I have read several articles on the recommendations of pre-boiling your oak cubes to remove tannins prior to adding them to your beer. I have done several IPA's with Jim Beam soaked oak cubes in the secondary. I've never pre-boiled them and never noticed any astringency in the final product.
I would think that boiling the cubes would also remove much of the oak wood characteristics and flavors you may want in your beer.
Any advice?
Thanks
Corey
When I use oak cubes in my beers, I always boil them to sanitize and then dump the cubes and the liquid I boiled them in into the tank. I, for one, am not worried about adding a slight astringency (although I have never noticed any) since I tend to use oak for some of my extra dry stouts and beers that have a more powerful flavor. I am more interested in avoiding adding additional bacteria to the beer than anything.
I have never used oak cubes, but I have read that a good way to sanitize them without flavor loss is to blanch them (I think the article said to hold them over boiling water in a strainer for a few minutes, if I remember correctly)
I never feel any need of oak cubes in there so still not used ever .but it is a good idea to boil them for senitizing purposes .
Are there commercially available beers in North America that have a similar oak flavour that you're going for?
I know of Chardonnay tasting of oak, but I've never noticed it in beer, either Canadian brands or imports like Kilkenny, Harp, Smithwick's, etc.
I still didnothave any idea about oak so oak flavoure as well but should gonna try these with oak flavoure!
I've used oak chips in mead. I put the chips in a strainer in boiling water for 5-10 seconds. Just enough to kill off any germs but not dilute the strength of the oak tannins. Some wine conditioners have oak flavoring, you might want to play with those if you are making wine or mead. I wouldn't necessarily use them for beer since they also sweeten the finished product.
Cheers,
MzIce
Thanks MzIce, I need to put this in my notes for my mead that is about ready to be bottle. The information is very helpful.
Never boil or otherwise cook your oak before adding to secondary...all you'll do is boil out all the great things about them.
If you're not making a whiskey-barrel beer, simply soak them in either vodka or everclear (pure grain alcohol) for a little while before adding them. No flavor interference and plenty of sanitation.
MzIce wrote:
I put the chips in a strainer in boiling water for 5-10 seconds. Just enough to kill off any germs but not dilute the strength of the oak tannins. Cheers,
MzIce
Unfortunately, it takes several minutes (~15) of boiling to kill bacteria...more than enough time to also kill lots of oak flavor. I'd stick with my suggestion above...
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