RIS + Oak

[TimmyR]

Just listened to the wood episode of Brew Strong. I am brewing a Russian Imperial Stout in 2-weeks and want to give it a little oak aged character. Based on the episode and JP's rec's, I am thinking 1/2 - 1 oz of chips in the primary ferment and 1 oz cubes when I transfer to cellar it for 6-7 months.

As alway, I am looking for help re: types of oak, and any other input.

Thnx from S. IL!

[TampaBrew]

i'd just go with the cubes. you don't want to over oak it. i have one in a keg for a few months now. i added the cubes that were previously soaked in bourbon to the keg. and left them there.

[TimmyR]

What kind (American, French, Hungarian) and how toasted (Light, Med)?

My shop has some Hungarian cubes and expects some American soon.

The BrewStrong episode led me to believe the chips would have most of their character scrubbed out by the yeast and really lend a layering of the oak character, but not really over-oak the beer.

[gray_59]

I have an RIS I put on 1.5 oz bourbon soaked (JD for 2 weeks) hungarian oak cubes med. toast for 1 week. At first the oak was over powering, the tannins were too much. However, now that it has aged ~ 10 months it is much mellowed. In a recent comp the judges said it was barely detectable, so aging longer on the cubes would be a good idea if you intend to keep the RIS around for a while. I had just read horror stories about over oaked beers that took YEARS to mellow, or never mellowed at all. I love the complexity of the beer and it is one of the best I've brewed, but from now one I won't enter it as oak aged. I love it, and that is all that matters really.

[thewesticle]

Great thread!

I have an RIS in primary right now, as well as 1 oz of oak chips soaking in JD. I should be racking to the secondary and adding the oak tomorrow night.

I know this is more of an oak thread, but I'm also looking to pull some of that whiskey flavor as well. Has anyone added whiskey straight to the secondary, or have the soaked chips imparted enough of the flavor?

[TimmyR]

No experience re: the whiskey piece, but I will follow-up with my RIS + oak results. Yeast starter complete and all systems go (with a new 60 KBTU burner) for brew tomorrow. American Oak chips for the primary and cubes for for aging (a la Brew Strong).

Let me know how the soaked chips do in the RIS....

[TimmyR]

Getting ready to txfr my Russian Imp Stout to a keg for 6-months of aging. Planning to put it in my chest freezer at 55 deg F. Should I attach a makeshift airlock or an air filter to one of the posts so it does not slowly pressurize or will that be minimal and should I just keg as I normally would without force carbonating it? I cannot burp it weekly since I will be deployed.

Thnx.

[Sent From My iPhone]

I would think you could let it go.