We pitched our Roseleare about 3 weeks ago into our Flanders, and the primary yeast cake is starting to die down (I’m guessing the sherry yeast).
I have a few ounces of oak CHIPS that I tried using in a braggot (the ones that are about .75"x.75" and potato-chip thin. Should I be using these for the flanders, or is it better to buy the cubes or the corkscrew things that are all the rage?
Considering it has about six months to a year before its ready, I suppose you have time to decide. For wine the spirals are better than the cubes are better than chips. For beer I don’t think it matters too much. The chips have much more surface area and give up their oak flavor much more quickly (a few days). The cubes and spirals need to soak for several weeks before they give up all their oaky goodness.
My interpretation was that the oak should be in with the beer for the long term age/ferment, as it also helps deliver oxygen to the brett and bugs. You don’t add the oak until the end?
don’t use chips.
Use cubes or staves or spirals. You can throw them in now and leave them in the entire time, just dont over do it or you will have to blend back. You can always add a little bit more a month or 2 before bottling if you want more character
I don’t think an oak cube or spiral is going to add much oxygen for the microbes. A wooden barrel does that. Bugs do like to live on oak though.
Whats wrong with chips? Oak is oak. I guess you get a little more of the less toasted oak in the interior of a cube, but you can use a combination of light and medium toasts and get that.
I really don’t think oaking a Flanders is all that necessary. Its going to have a malt backbone and a fierce tartness, not much room for oak to show through in that mileau.
[quote=“tom sawyer”]I don’t think an oak cube or spiral is going to add much oxygen for the microbes. A wooden barrel does that. Bugs do like to live on oak though.
Whats wrong with chips? Oak is oak. I guess you get a little more of the less toasted oak in the interior of a cube, but you can use a combination of light and medium toasts and get that.
I really don’t think oaking a Flanders is all that necessary. Its going to have a malt backbone and a fierce tartness, not much room for oak to show through in that mileau.[/quote]
go oak a beer with chips or powder and then do one with a stave, cubes, or spirals. There is a huge difference IME.
There is a lot of character you pick up from the oak
As for the oxygen no it is not going to give oxygen to your beer, sitting in the carboy for a year you are going to get oxygen to allow it to sour.
If it were a cabernet sauvignon I would tend to agree. For a Flanders red not so much. I’ve used all these products in wine and beer. So we have different experiences, which is no big deal. :cheers:
Haven’t done this yet, the only thing I’ve added post wort cooling is hops… I guess with the chips or whatever you would boil them first?
I don’t really see the need for a sour beer, but you could soak them in a little vodka if you want to sanitize. If I boiled I would at least pour the water in too since it will have some tannin.
have you had a lot of sour beer before?
have you had a lot of sour beer before?[/quote]
Not sure I get your question. Maybe it relates to the ambiguity of my post above, I should clarify that I meant I don’t see the need for sterilizing oak prior to adding to a sour beer. I certainly see the need for making and enjoying sour beer.
