Looking for input/comments on length if time/amt American Med Toast+ cubes to employ in a Belgian style pale ale.
My base recipe is NB’s Phat Tyre, to which I’ve added a pound of Wyerman’s oak smoked malt.
I’d like to try and get a subtle amount of character from the cubes in my secondary.
Thusly targeting a SmOaked Tyre. ( couldn’t help it!)
I just racked after 16 days primary and it tastes amazing. I want to give it at least a week in the 2ndry before adding anything. Im nervous about screwing it up with too much oak. I know every post online says “test” to suit your taste, but I was wondering if anyone had experience with using this grade of cube in a beer of this style.
Thanks!
I’d add two oz of cubes and leave them in for two weeks. It takes 6wks to get all the flavor out of cubes but thats not practical for beer.
Honestly your oak smoked malt has some oak flavor, I don’t know that this extra oak is needed.
Thanks for the reply. I tend to agree with skipping the cubes this time biased by the fact this brew turned out exceptional thus far, and indeed has some very mellow oak flavors which are accenting this recipe nicely. Perhaps I’ll save them for a fall stout.
Cheers :cheers:
Ok, so I’m indecisive. I ended up splitting out half (1oz) of the medium+ pressure cookered (dry steam) for 15min and added to the secondary (5gal) after its sat a week.
I’m not really trying for an over the top oak taste but some subtle character beyond the weyermans.
Although Ill end up tasting it in a week, what are people’s thoughts from here? Think a week is enough? If I keg next week I’ll be drinking Memorial Day weekend (my b-day). Or if I wait one more week, we’ll be drinking on my wife’s b-day.
Thanks for being apart of my experiment!
Since you already have some subtle oakiness from the smoked malt, I’d be inclined to say a week would be sufficient. I’m no expert, though. I know when I’ve used oak cubes before, I had steeped them in bourbon for a couple weeks and they sat in secondary for a week or so in a stout. Had just enough oakiness to not be overpowering.
A week will be subtle. In fact two weeks will be subtle. This is oak not toasted oak not smoke, it generally just gives a little tannin and that tends to blend with dark beer in a way thats not as forward as a wine.
